DETROIT — Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez needed only one word to describe his outing in the White Sox’ 6-3 loss to the Tigers on Sunday: “Bad.”
It’s the same word he used to describe his overall season after the loss.
Lopez gave up a two-run homer in the first inning to Tigers first baseman Jemer Candelario. But it was a leadoff single in the second that tipped manager Rick Renteria over the edge.
For the first time since his surgery on Sept. 6, Renteria — sling and all — marched to the mound. He got within inches of Lopez’s face to have a stern conversation.
“I wasn’t raising voice or anything,” Renteria said after the game. “It was serious, but more than anything just making sure, ‘Hey listen, you’ve got good stuff. You have the ability of performing. It doesn’t look like at this particular time you are very focused in doing your job.’ That’s all.”
After his quick conversation with Renteria, Lopez allowed one home run before striking out a batter to end the second inning.
In total, Lopez allowed nine hits, five runs and three home runs in four innings. He struck out only three batters and walked one.
“It was a bad day, a bad outing today,” Lopez said through a translator. “Mentally and physically, I felt good. I didn’t have the command of my pitches today.”
Lopez has been rocky all season. And his 5.57 ERA is one of the highest among qualifying pitchers in the majors this season.
Lopez will have one more start before the season ends at which he’s hoping to finish the season on a high note. However, he’s frustrated with how 2019 unfolded.
“I definitely can’t say that it was a good season,” Lopez said. “It was a bad season, a season in which I learned a lot of things that I didn’t know. I will recap this season as a learning experience. ... I’m going to apply it for next season, and hopefully next season is that much better.”
Abreu gets defensive
In 2017, the Sox had an honest conversation with first baseman Jose Abreu about his position with the team. If he didn’t want to be limited to being only a designated hitter, his defense had to improve.
Overtime, Abreu put in the work to improve his abilities around the bag, which have been on display throughout the Sox-Tigers series.
Abreu gives credit to bench coach Joe McEwing for helping train him.
“I’ve been working with him day in and day out since spring training, trying to improve,” Abreu said through a translator. “All that effort, all that work has been paying off.”
On a roll
Sunday marked third baseman Yoan Moncada’s seventh consecutive multihit game, which tied him for the fourth-longest streak in Sox’ history.
Renteria has been impressed with Moncada this season, who’s batting average jumped .081 points from last season to this season. But this is only the start of what Moncada can do.
“I do think that there is still more in that tank,” Renteria said. “I think in the long run ... he’s potentially a 30 homer guy.
“We’ve seen him grow from both sides of the plate and in general, his overall game is not done yet. I think he’s going to continue to get better.”
