Jacob Lopez

If you squint really hard, you can see some shades of Ryan Yarbrough in Lopez. Both pitchers are soft-tossing lefties with unique arm angles relying on extension and guile in their efforts to be successful against opposing batters. Lopez has been able to use that skill rather effectively as a minor leaguer with a 30.6% strikeout rate but has been more hittable as a swingman in two different stints with the Rays over a short 22.2 inning sample size. Lopez has value to the club in a swingman type role or as a bulk pitcher if the rotation is once against impacted with injuries. He's likely to begin the season in a relief role but should have a clearer path to a starting job after being traded to the Athletics. Read Past Outlooks