Jacob Lopez keeps rolling in Texas

Baseball is so weird. A start after Lopez gave up a whopping 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings, Lopez allowed just a solo homer to Christian Walker and one other hit in one of the best starts of the 28-year-old’s career. There have been flashes of this from Lopez in his short career, but this was the closest we’ve seen to him putting it all together, much to the Astros’ dismay. Lopez still ends the year with a 5.47 ERA, and will need to win one of the final spot in the A’s rotation in the Cactus League come next spring.

Lopez got into trouble right away, putting two runners on for Chase DeLauter, who took him deep for a three-run blast before recording an out. Angel Martínez followed with a two-run homer to make it a five-run opening frame. The Guardians did not let up, bringing four more runs in to score on five hits in the third. Lopez would be relieved with two outs at 63 pitches with one strikeout. The 28-year-old left-hander will take a 5.60 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and a 108/56 K/BB ratio across 117 1/3 innings into a start against the Astros in Sacramento on Friday.

Lopez allowed six hits and walked three before departing in the fourth. He’s given up nine runs in his last two starts after allowing only 15 runs and 13 earned in his previous nine starts. He’ll likely make his next start Saturday against the Guardians.

It’s Lopez’s first time giving up more than two runs in 10 second-half starts, but it didn’t have to be; he allowed only an Alejandro Kirk solo homer through six. The seventh started with a Kazuma Okamoto homer, but even so, Lopez was left in to allow a pair of soft singles and an RBI double before being lifted. Luis Medina took over then and did nice work in getting out of the inning with only one more run scoring. Lopez was still in line for a win at that point, but it didn’t last, and he was left with his seventh no-decision in his last eight starts. He figures to make his next start Sunday against the Mariners.

Lopez, 28, had his usual control issues while issuing three walks and throwing 63-of-100 pitches for strikes. The 6-foot-4 starter also allowed only three hits while striking out six in an outing that showed why Lopez would be so intriguing if he threw more consistent strikes. He’ll look to continue to lower his 4.82 ERA against the Rangers next week in Texas.

Lopez was excellent against the Astros on Saturday, holding them scoreless through three innings before giving up a run on a walk and a double in the fourth. He’d give the A’s two more scoreless frames, collecting an impressive nine strikeouts through six innings while scattering just three hits and one walk. The 28-year-old left-hander will take a 4.98 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, and a 90/47 K/BB ratio across 94 innings into a start against the Orioles in Sacramento on Friday.

Lopez gave up five hits, walked one and struck out five. He turned the game over to the bullpen in the eighth inning with a 6-2 lead. The Athletics’ bullpen proceeded to allow eight runs to Rays in the eighth inning, costing Lopez the win. That’s a tough break for Lopez as well as fantasy managers. Lopez is lined up to face the Rangers at home on Sunday.

Lopez gave up four hits, walked one and struck out nine. He now has a 2.13 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings over his last five starts. Lopez has a 5.43 xFIP this year, making him a risky streamer against the Rays at home next week. With 17 strikeouts in his last two starts and two starts on tap next week, Lopez will be worth the risk for strikeout-needy fantasy managers.

The unearned run was kind of sneaky. Third baseman Tommy White dropped an easy foul popup from Romy Gonzalez with none out and one on. Gonzalez went on to fly out to right, seemingly erasing the error from the scoring, but Caleb Durbin tagged up from first on the play and made it to second, which is something that obviously wouldn’t have happened if the foul pop had been caught. Durbin later scored from second on a Nick Sogard single, so the run was unearned. Lopez’s eight strikeouts were a new season high. He did that eight times in 21 outings last year, but he’d topped out at six in 13 starts and three relief appearances this season. His ERA still stands at 5.79, but this makes three decent showings in a row. He’ll face the Reds next.

Lopez had a bit of a funny game here. The Twins sent up a lineup of nine right-handed hitters to face-off with the lefty, which is never an easy task. His five scoreless innings were great as were his 14 swings-and-misses, just one off his season-high that he set last time out. On the flip side, he barely threw one-third of his pitches in the strike zone and relied on some poor swing decisions to get in and out of at-bats. Otherwise, he walked four and hit another batter in what could politely be described as an erratic night for his slider. Still, it’s easy to see the flashes that have made him effective in the past and it’s not hard to see him putting together a solid stretch run this season. He’s scheduled to face the Red Sox at home next time out.