White Sox Reynaldo Lopez heating up on the mound: Waiver wire add?

By Brad Kelly | Sep 8, 2017

CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 11: EDITOR'S NOTE: Multiple exposures were combined in-camera to produce this image.) A multiple-exposure sequence of Reynaldo Lopez /

Reynaldo Lopez has turned in two consecutive quality starts for the White Sox. But, should be considered a waiver wire add?

Like his teammate Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez is offering the White Sox and fantasy owners alike a glimpse at the promise they bring. Lopez has fired off consecutive solid starts, with the most impressive coming during his last outing where limited the red hot Indians to only one run over six innings. But, is now he now worth a waiver wire add?

Reynaldo Lopez may not look the part, he stands in at barely six feet, but he has the arsenal of a potential top of the rotation arm. The White Sox certainly got a great package for Adam Eaton, as Lopez joined Giolito as the return package. Unlike Giolito though, Lopez had some success for the Nationals in 2016 as he posted a 4.91 ERA over six starts. The raw stuff was there, yet it was clear that he needed to hone in his command and offspeed offerings.

Chicago was in no rush to promote either stud prospect, so Lopez spent the most of the 2016 season at AAA. He posted a 3.79 ERA over 22 starts while striking out a career high 131 batters. Lopez’s bread and butter is his upper-90s fastball, but the White Sox made it a point to get him and Giolito to utilize their changeup more, and the results were evident.

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This is not to say that both pitchers are not still implementing their curveballs, Lopez’s can be effective as it is has a true “spike” type of movement. Lopez was promoted to Chicago on Aug. 11 against the Royals.

Lopez was promoted to Chicago on Aug. 11 against the Royals. He was solid, 6 IP/2 ER/6 K, a welcome sign for those fantasy owners tuning in.

Unfortunately, things went off the rails during his next start as he tried to pitch through a back strain against the Rangers.

He would then go on the DL, returning on Sep. 1 versus the Rays. He went six innings again, striking out seven while giving up three earned runs. The aforementioned Indians start came after, so all of a sudden Lopez has quietly fired off three quality starts out of his last four.

The command has been good in each of his quality starts and the results have followed. For fantasy owners entering the playoffs next week, Lopez gets two juicy matchups against the Tigers and Royals. He was great versus the Royals the first time around and the Tigers offense is missing key pieces.

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Lopez is showing flashes of his potential future upside while throwing the ball very well. Fantasy owners can capitalize on this, and his matchups are all the more encouraging. Reynaldo Lopez is still only 23-years-old, so he looks to be a name that owners will become well acclimated with over time. Yet, right now, he is can help owners in the most important time of the fantasy season.

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