Could lead closer committee Manager Brandon Hyde hinted Monday that Lopez may be at the front of the line for saves if the Orioles elect not to deploy him in a more versatile high-leverage role, Zachary Silve... Impact An already murky Baltimore closer situation became even more foggy Sunday, when the Orioles dealt Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott to Miami. Sulser and Scott were two of the presumptive favorites to contend for saves in Baltimore, but their departures leave Lopez, Dillon Tate and Paul Fry as the main candidates, at least based on how reporters close to the team have handicapped the closer picture. A 25-game starter for the Orioles in 2021, Lopez finished last season in the bullpen and posted a 4.61 ERA in a small sample of 8.1 innings, though his underlying numbers (2.34 xFIP, 24.2 K-BB%) painted a rosier picture of his performance. In all likelihood, the Orioles will end up cycling through all of Lopez, Tate and Fry in the late innings early on during the season, hoping that one eventually emerges as the most reliable closer.
APRIL 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE