Lopez (0-1) lasted just 4.2 innings in his first major league start Tuesday, allowing six earned runs on 10 hits while striking out nine and walking just one in an 8-4 loss to the Dodgers
Lopez's debut was hotly anticipated after tearing up the minors this season, but ended up disappointing. The nine strikeouts are encouraging to see from the young right-hander, but he seems unlikely to see many if any more major league starts this season given Tuesday's performance and the presence of top prospect Lucas Giolito and stalwart starter Joe Ross, who has been on the DL with a shoulder injury. Lopez had struck out an impressive 109 batters between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse this season, so the strikeouts seem legit. Despite the poor first outing, the future remains bright for Lopez regardless of where he pitches the remainder of this season.