Mets Sign Jorge Lopez

Posted by Patrick Gorman 12/10/2023

On 12/07/2023 Carlos Rosa reported that The Mets have signed Jorge Lopez to a one-year contract that is worth $2 million. Lopez is coming off a down year by posting a 5.13 ERA with three different teams, but still has plenty of upside. In 2022, Lopez was a weapon in the bullpen for The Orioles posting a 1.68 ERA with a FIP of 2.99. The Orioles maximized his value and dealt him to The Minnesota Twins for their playoff push. Lopez did not pitch well down the stretch posting a 4.37 ERA with a FIP of 4.35 making his total numbers in 2022 a 2.54 ERA with a FIP of 3.42 while getting an All-Star selection.

I think this can be a good reclamation project for The Mets. He was overall a bad pitcher in 2023 with his WHIP, H/9, HR/9, and K/9 all jumped in the wrong direction. The one thing that really stood out to me with Lopez is that his fastball never lost any life. In 2022 Jorge Lopez's fastball velocity ranked in the 95th percentile and in 2023 it ranked in the 90th percentile according to his savant page. Last year The Mets had one of the lowest velocity pitching staffs in MLB and adding a hard throwing pitcher like Lopez can improve this bullpen, especially if he can find that 2022 success. Being reunited with his WBC bullpen coach Jose Rosado might help him unlock that All-Star flamethrower.