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The Atlanta Braves have had to lean on depth in 2024 amid injuries to superstars Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider. Veteran starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez has stepped up to say the least. The 30-year-old has pitched to a league leading 1.73 ERA across 10 starts during the 2024 campaign so far.
Lopez had not started a game since 2022 before the '24 season. He had not made more than 10 starts in a single season since 2019 either. So how is Lopez finding so much success with the Braves?
Joe Trezza of MLB.com wrote that Lopez's “difference-maker” in 2024 has been the pitcher's curveball. Lopez addressed the decision to start throwing the pitch, via Trezza.
“It’s been really important for me,” Lopez said. “It’s given me the ability to throw a quick strike and catch hitters off guard. It’s no secret that I like to throw a lot of fastballs. It's easy to surprise them with a curveball here and there that hitters might not be expecting.”
The decision to add the pitch to his repertoire has unquestionably played an impactful role in his success. However, what other improvements have led to Lopez's terrific performance?
An in-depth look at Reynaldo Lopez's 2024 season
Lopez has pitched well in 2024. Is there any underlying secret to all of the success?
In all reality, there are a number of things that the right-handed veteran seems to be doing at a respectable level. Notably, he currently owns his lowest walk rate since 2022.
He is also keeping the ball in the park at an impressive rate. According to Baseball Reference, Lopez owns a career 3.9 percent home run allowed rate. In 2024, though, Lopez is giving up home runs just under one percent of the time.
Is there any reason for concern?
Lopez's other numbers are respectable. He is not necessarily doing any one thing especially well. Lopez is simply pitching at a consistent level, limiting home runs, and giving his team opportunities to win games. He may not record an ERA under 2.00 once the season comes to an end, but he still has a chance to have a quality overall season.
Braves remaining afloat despite injury concerns
Atlanta was expected to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the league. Instead, Atlanta is currently 6.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East. With that being said, the Braves still have a strong 32-23 record, as the Phillies have performed at an elite level through the first two months of the '24 campaign.
Losing Acuna and Strider is far from ideal. Perhaps the Braves will fall short of a division title as a result. But counting Atlanta out is always a risky thing to do. They still feature enough talent to make noise in the division, and the Phillies certainly understand that.
At the very least, Atlanta will likely reach the postseason as an NL Wild Card ball club. They may be able to catch the Phillies if Reynaldo Lopez continues to pitch at a Cy Young-caliber level, though.
