Pablo Lopez exits Marlins series opener vs Astros after hit on wrist by line drive
.JPG "Miami Marlins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, June 10, 2022, in Houston.")
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez was removed in the fifth inning of Friday’s 7-4 win over the Houston Astros in after a line drive hit him in the right wrist.
The official diagnosis was probably the best-case scenario: a wrist contusion with negative X-rays.
“I thought that was going to be the case,” Lopez said after the game, “because I feel like if it would have been broken, I would have been in much more pain.”
It’s a much better prognosis that what the situation looked like it could have been as it unfolded live.
Michael Brantley hit a low Lopez change up with an exit velocity 100.5 mph that went directly back to Lopez, who fell to the ground and immediately grabbed his wrist. Brantley safely reached base on a one-out infield single.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. and head athletic trainer Lee Meyer made their way to the field to check on Lopez. The pitcher threw a warm-up pitch and lobbied to stay in the game but was ultimately removed.
“He wanted to pitch,” Mattingly said, “but we’re looking at that thing and it looks like it’s gonna swell quick. Basically, it was just I wasn’t gonna let him keep going. He’s too important to what we’re doing and we’re gonna need him long-term. We just can’t do that. It’s not worth it.”
Lopez’s perspective: “That was just the adrenaline of the moment. I made all the movements. I had all the flexibility. So, I’m like, ‘I’m fine,’ but obviously what they said made perfect sense. It’s a long season. It’s just one of those things that you want to take the first step and just making sure that it’s not something that will linger there and cost a lot more time.”
Lopez, who left the ballpark wearing a brace on his right hand, said he’ll have a better idea of how the contusion could impact him over the next two days.
Richard Bleier replaced Lopez and gave up back-to-back singles to Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez, the latter hit scoring Brantley. Kyle Tucker added an RBI fielder’s choice. Dylan Floro then replaced Bleier on the mound and ended the inning by getting Yuli Gurriel to ground out to third base to cut Miami’s lead to 6-3. The bullpen would allow just one more run over the final four innings.
Lopez’s final line: Two earned runs allowed on six hits and two walks while striking out five in 4 1/3 innings. In addition to the first run in the fifth being charged to Lopez, Brantley hit a solo home run in the first inning. He threw 78 pitches, 48 of which landed for strikes.
“He had to battle,” Mattingly said. “They make you fight.”
Lopez twice escaped jams in the outing. He had runners on second and third base with one out in the second inning before recording back-to-back strikeouts to Chas McCormick and Martin Maldonado to strand the runners. In the fourth, Gurriel was on third base with one out. Lopez again struck out McCormick and Jon Berti cleanly fielded a Maldonado bunt attempt and threw to Garrett Cooper at first for the final out of the inning.
“Tough lineup,” Lopez said. “Very deep lineup. Not a lot of holes. Not a lot of opportunities or chances to take pitches off. They had me working a lot of traffic.”
Lopez has a 2.30 ERA over 70 1/3 innings this season with 72 strikeouts against 19 walks. Opponents are hitting just .205 against him.
The fact that Lopez potentially won’t miss playing time is a positive, considering the Marlins are running thin on MLB-ready (or potentially MLB-ready) starting pitching.
Jesus Luzardo (left forearm strain) and Cody Poteet (right elbow) are both already on the injured list. Neither pitcher is throwing. The club already has called up Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett. Max Meyer and Jordan Holloway are on the minor-league IL.
That would leave Elieser Hernandez, who was optioned to Triple A Jacksonville on Saturday after surrendering an MLB-leading 18 home runs over 48 innings, as the only starting pitcher on the Marlins’ 40-man roster who is feasibly available to fill Lopez’s spot if he were to miss time. Hernandez pitched five innings for Jacksonville on Friday, allowing two earned runs on five hits (including one home run) while striking out seven.
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 10:45 PM.
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