Reynaldo Lopez Will Emerge As Ace
Last season, Reynaldo Lopez was the best player on the Sox. He led the team with a 3.1 WAR and 3.91 ERA as a starter. He pitched a career-high 188.2 innings along with compiling a 7-10 record through 32 starts and recording 151 strikeouts and a 1.272 WHIP. This all came as he pitched his first full season in MLB.
This season, Lopez won’t be starting on Opening Day as that honor will go to Carlos Rodon. However, Lopez has the chance to emerge as the ace of the Sox starting rotation this year. Rodon has had multiple opportunities to live up to the potential the Sox saw in him when they drafted him with the third overall pick in the 2014 draft.
Unfortunately, Rodon hasn’t had a completely injury-free season since 2016 and also hasn’t been consistent enough recently for many to have much faith that he will become an ace with the Sox. Lopez, on the other hand, could very well emerge as the ace of the Sox for 2019.
The bold prediction for Lopez is he carries over his good 2018 season into 2019 and becomes the next ace of the Sox pitching staff. He’s shown he can be durable as a starter for the Sox and entering his second full season in MLB, Lopez can only get better. Expect 2019 to be a big season for the 25-year-old starting pitcher.