Reynaldo Lopez pitched much better than he felt Sunday.
Before leaving due to experiencing dehydration and flu-like symptoms, Lopez threw five hitless innings in the White Sox’ 2-0 win over the Rangers. Not only did Lopez continue his second-half resurgence, but he also kept the young members of the Sox rotation on their upward trajectory.
“We’re excited,” Lopez said through a translator. “This is a very very exciting moment for all of us and for the organization. I think the expectation that you can have right now and that we have right now for the future are really really high because we all know what we’re capable of doing.
“And if we’re just doing it right now, then it’s going to be just part of the process, just continuing doing what we’re doing right now.”
After posting a 6.34 first-half ERA, Lopez needed a strong second half to keep himself in contention for a 2020 rotation spot, and he’s come through. Following Sunday’s abbreviated outing, Lopez is 4-3 with a 2.83 ERA and has struck out 52 since the All-Star break.
That kept going in Sunday’s series finale with Lopez, despite an illness he said he’s battled for around three days. In fact, Lopez said he was quiet about his issues because he didn’t want to miss his turn in the rotation.
He started feeling especially bad in the third inning, but was doing better following the game and a pair of IVs.
“It is frustrating when things like that happen the day that you are pitching and through your outing, especially with an outing like today where everything was going very well,” said Lopez, who threw a season-low 80 pitches. “It is frustrating. I was kind of upset when I had to leave the game because I didn’t want to. I was feeling good, I mean with my stuff. But obviously, physically I wasn’t doing well.”
Lopez and the Sox rotation are doing quite well these days.
As a group, their 2.80 ERA since Aug. 7 is the best in the American League. Lucas Giolito, who starts Tuesday, said his previous outing was “the best I’ve ever felt pitching in my life” and is burnishing his case for a strong finish in Cy Young award voting. Meanwhile, Dylan Cease continues to grow every time he takes the mound, which was borne out Friday when allowed three runs in the first but nothing after.
That impressed Giolito, who said “it looks like nothing’s really fazing (Cease) out there, which is a really cool trait to see from a young guy that just came up.”
“Giving up three runs in the first inning then bouncing back and dominating from there, showing signs of growth and that’s how it is,” Giolito said. “That’s part of the process, so it’s great.”
Lopez said they have been learning whenever they pitch. Perhaps just as importantly, the young pitchers are applying that knowledge.
“I think you can see the results and for us as a group, it’s a very good moment,” Lopez said. “I think we have been working for this throughout the whole season. Right now is probably the best moment for us of the season.”
Rick Renteria echoed that. He’s also seeing growth as the season progresses.
“It’s not necessarily the outcomes even though you want those good outcomes to occur,” Renteria said. “It’s what they’re feeling in terms of what they believe they’re capable of doing in certain moments. They’re starting to trust themselves a little bit more and able to execute and get through games.”
