Reynaldo Lopez was an offseason acquisition by the Atlanta Braves that had a lot of people scratching their heads. The Braves gave Lopez a three-year, $10-million contract to a guy with a 4.22 ERA that hasn't started more than nine games in a season since 2019. Isn't that a lot for a middle reliever?
It seemed so at first, and then there was talk that Lopez was throwing his name during Spring Training into the hat to be the Braves' fifth starter. If he actually won the job, that would make the $30-million contract seem worth it, and maybe even a bargain if he pitches well.
Through his first three starts of the season, Lopez has turned out to be much more than that. Lopez is 2-0, with a 0.50 ERA and 18 strikeouts through 18 innings, and has been the Braves' best pitcher thus far. Will these numbers maintain?
No, at least not all of them.
But what Lopez has accomplished through the early part of the season just proves that as the Braves continue to battle through several injuries, we have a general manager that deserves every bit of trust given to him by everyone in Braves Country, and maybe even a little more.
92.9 The Game Braves Insider Grant McAuley joined Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael to discuss the options and players that Anthopoulos has had to use this season, and the successes that they have had.