Pitchers reaching 200 innings in a season has become increasingly rare, but it may be surprising that the Braves—long known for their strong pitching—haven’t had a starter hit that mark since 2015. This year, Reynaldo López hopes to change that. Now in his second season with Atlanta, López has set ambitious goals, stating Monday that he aims “to build off last year to make 30-35 starts” and “hit the 200 innings” mark. While that may seem like a stretch for someone who only returned to starting last season after two years as a reliever, López silenced skeptics in 2024. He earned his first All-Star selection and posted an impressive 1.99 ERA over 135.2 innings in 26 appearances (25 starts).
Earlier in his career, López was a full-time starter, making 32 and 33 starts for the White Sox in 2018 and 2019, surpassing 180 innings in both seasons. So while 200 innings is a lofty goal, it’s not entirely unfamiliar territory for him. The Braves lost key rotation workhorses Max Fried and Charlie Morton this offseason but have yet to add outside reinforcements, opting instead to rely on internal options. That makes López’s continued development even more critical. His mindset has been well received, and manager Brian Snitker believes the right-hander will thrive with the increased workload.
López took the mound for his first Spring Training start on Tuesday, delivering 30 pitches (22 for strikes) across two scoreless innings while recording two strikeouts.
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