| Jorge López | |
| Team: | Chicago Cubs |
| Number: | 41 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 10 February 1993 |
| Birth Place: | Cayey, Puerto Rico |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | September 29 |
| Debutyear: | 2015 |
| Debutteam: | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Statyear: | August 17, 2024 |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 24–42 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 5.23 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 460 |
| Stat4label: | Saves |
| Stat4value: | 30 |
| Teams: |
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| Awards: | |
Jorge Yabiel López Ramos (born February 10, 1993) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins, Miami Marlins, and New York Mets. López made his MLB debut in 2015 and was an All-Star in 2022.
The Milwaukee Brewers selected López in the second round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft out of the Caguas Military Academy in Caguas, Puerto Rico.[1] He signed with the Brewers and made his professional debut with the Arizona League Brewers. He spent 2012 with the Dominican Summer League Brewers and Gulf Coast Brewers and 2013 with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. In 2014, López pitched for the Brevard County Manatees. In July he was selected to appear in the All-Star Futures Game.[2] [3] In 2015, he played for the Biloxi Shuckers of the Double–A Southern League.[4] He had a 12–5 win–loss record, a 2.26 earned run average (ERA), and 137 strikeouts in innings pitched for Biloxi. López was named the Brewers' minor league pitcher of the year and Southern League's most outstanding pitcher.[5]
After Biloxi's 2015 season ended, the Brewers promoted López to the major leagues.[4] He made his major league debut on September 29, 2015.[6] In 2016, López began the season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League, but struggled, pitching to a 6.81 ERA in 17 games started. He was demoted to Biloxi.[7] López pitched for the Puerto Rican national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. In the 2017 season, López returned to Biloxi. He pitched to a 4.61 ERA as a starting pitcher, and then became a relief pitcher, and had a 3.62 ERA in that role. He made one appearance for the Brewers in 2017, pitching two innings and allowing one run on four hits on June 29.
During the 2017–18 offseason, López pitched for the Águilas Cibaeñas of the Dominican Professional Baseball League.[8] López began the 2018 season with Colorado Springs. The Brewers again promoted him to the major leagues on April 11.[9] He made one appearance, on April 16, before being returned to Colorado Springs on April 17.[10]
On July 27, 2018, López, along with teammate Brett Phillips, was traded to the Kansas City Royals for Mike Moustakas.[11] On September 8, in his seventh major league start, López flirted with a perfect game as he retired 24 consecutive Minnesota Twins batters in order over eight innings.[12] In the ninth inning, López surrendered a leadoff walk to Max Kepler and a hit to Robbie Grossman before walking off the mound at Target Field to a standing ovation. He became the first pitcher in Royals history to bring a perfect game into the ninth inning, besting Bret Saberhagen's seven-inning attempt vs. the Seattle Mariners. He was designated for assignment on August 7, 2020.
On August 9, 2020, the Baltimore Orioles claimed López off of waivers.[13] López ended the 2020 season with a 6.69 ERA and 28 strikeouts to partner with a 2–2 record over 10 appearances. On August 21, 2021, after going 3–14 with a 6.35 ERA in 25 starts, Lopez was moved to the bullpen.[14]
In 2022, the Orioles shifted López into the closer role and he collected his first save on April 11 in the Orioles 2–0 win against the Brewers. After pitching to a 1.62 ERA with 17 saves in 40 games during the first half of the season,[15] López represented the Orioles at the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.[16]
On August 2, 2022, the Orioles traded López to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for minor league pitching prospects Cade Povich, Yennier Canó, Juan Nunez, and Juan Rojas.[17]
On January 13, 2023, López agreed to a one-year, $3.525 million contract with the Twins, avoiding salary arbitration.[18]
On July 26, 2023, López was traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Dylan Floro.[19] In 12 appearances for the Marlins, he struggled immensely to a 9.26 ERA with 8 strikeouts in innings pitched. On September 2, he was optioned to the Triple–A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp after Johnny Cueto was activated from the injured list.[20]
On September 2, 2023, López was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles.[21] [22] In 12 appearances for Baltimore, he posted a 5.25 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched. On September 30, López was designated for assignment by the Orioles.[23] He cleared waivers and elected free agency on October 5, 2023.[24]
On December 14, 2023, López signed a one-year contract with the New York Mets.[25] [26] In 28 games for the Mets, he compiled a 3.76 ERA with 19 strikeouts across innings pitched. On May 29, 2024, López was ejected in the eighth inning of a lopsided loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers by the third base umpire. While walking off the field, he threw his glove into the stands and untucked his shirt. In a postgame interview, Lopez seemingly called the Mets “the worst team in all of fucking MLB.”[27] There was uncertainty and confusion over what Lopez intended to say and he clarified that he was "the worst teammate on the worst team in baseball."[28] López was designated for assignment by the Mets the next day.[29] On June 5, he was released by the team.[30]
On June 11, 2024, López signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs.[31] He made three scoreless appearances for the Triple–A Iowa Cubs, striking out one batter in innings. On June 28, the Cubs selected López's contract, adding him to their major league roster.[32]
López and his wife, Karla, have a son, Mikael. Their son suffers from Familial Mediterranean fever since birth,[8] and is waiting for an intestinal transplant.[33] [34] They had to leave their town of Cayey due to Hurricane Maria in 2017.[8]