Jorge López was asleep when the news broke that he had been traded to the Twins the morning of Aug. 2.
Trey Mancini was traded the day prior just hours before a game and was able to say goodbye to teammates and coaches before departing. But López didn’t get that opportunity before hopping on a plane to Minnesota.
“It took me by a little surprise,” López said on Glenn Clark Radio Aug. 5. “A lot of memories I have with that group of guys. You don’t expect those decisions, but God has a purpose.”
López, in the midst of a career year in his first full season as a reliever at the age of 29, knew that once Mancini was dealt it was possible he could be, too. He trusts general manager Mike Elias and the rest of the Orioles’ front office and their vision for the future of the organization.
“You don’t want to leave, but at the same time we understand this is real business,” López said. “Mike gave me an opportunity to be a part of the team.”
An All-Star for the first time this season, López posted a 1.68 ERA in 44 appearances with the Orioles. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander struck out 54 hitters and issued just 17 walks in 48.1 innings.
The success came after years of trying to make it work as a starter. In 273 career innings as a starter, the bulk of which came in Baltimore, López’s ERA of 6.36 is almost double what it is out of the bullpen.
López embraced a move to relief late last season, but a severe ankle sprain ended his season before the experiment could take shape. In his first full year out of the bullpen, he blossomed into one of baseball’s top closers.
“Embrace what’s going on and don’t take it as a negative,” López said. “Just take that positive side of something is for a purpose.”
With López traded, the Orioles were in need of a closer. In came Felix Bautista.
Bautista, who frequently collaborated with López to get through late innings of close games, has filled in as the team’s ninth inning man since López’s departure. He’s listed at 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, but those numbers were recorded nearly a decade ago. He says he is now 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds.
Bautista has made five appearances since the trade deadline, allowing one run and striking out eight in 4.2 innings.
“He’s really inspirational,” López said. “This guy is not scared. It seemed like it was his 15th year in the big leagues. He just kept improving.”
Another member of the Orioles who López will miss is manager Brandon Hyde. Through four years of a rebuild, Hyde has stressed patience to his players, including López, who credits his former manager for the team’s surprising turnaround this season.
“One thing I really learned about, just patience,” López said. “He just wants us to be so committed. It’s really important to have that person who is so strong mentally. He’s got a friend forever.”
López’s son, Mikael, has battled autoimmune diseases for all of his young life. As López ascended into stardom in Baltimore, Mikael’s story grew in reach. The highlight of López’s breakout season had to be having his son in Boston to watch him pitch against the Red Sox in late May.
Mikael hasn’t been able to watch his father pitch much. He has spent the majority of his time in hospitals around the country. But he got to see his father in action twice at Fenway Park, with one appearance falling on his ninth birthday.
“Tears, a lot,” López said, describing what Mikael has meant to him. “You get really sensitive about how life could be, how long you can love it and do it the right way.”
For more from López, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Colin Murphy/PressBox