Lopez came away with a no-decision in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Red Sox, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and four walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out five.

EDGE Analysis

The four free passes were a season high for Lopez, who tossed 54 of 91 pitches for strikes before exiting. The right-hander has failed to last six innings in either of his last two outings after beginning the season with four straight quality starts, but he still sports a 1.53 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 36:14 K:BB through 35.1 innings. He'll look to tighten things up in his next start, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Cubs.

Lopez (2-1) took the loss Tuesday against the Mariners, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven over five innings.

EDGE Analysis

Lopez struck out the side to begin his night en route to tying his season-high in strikeouts. He pitched well overall, but there was not much he could do with Atlanta not scoring until the eighth inning. His one costly mistake came in the third after allowing a two-run blast to Jorge Polanco and the Mariners would tack on a third run in the fourth, which proved to be the deciding run in the game. Tuesday was the first time Lopez had failed to pitch at least six innings and surrender more than a run. He's now given up a home run in back-to-back outings. Still, the 30-year-old has been nothing short of spectacular through the first month, posting a 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 31:10 K:BB in 30 innings. He currently lines up for a meeting with the Red Sox early next week.

Lopez didn't factor into the decision Wednesday, allowing one run on three hits and two walks across seven innings against Miami. He struck out six.

EDGE Analysis

Lopez delivered another quality start Wednesday, exiting the contest with Atlanta ahead 3-1. However, Raisel Iglesias surrendered a pair of runs in the ninth inning to send the game to extra innings, spoiling Lopez's chance at a third straight win. Lopez has been one of the more surprising stars of the 2024 campaign, owning a 0.72 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in four starts (25.0 innings). He's slated to make his next start in Seattle during a three-game series early next week.

Lopez (2-0) picked up the win Tuesday, allowing four hits and a walk over six scoreless innings against the Astros. He struck out seven.

EDGE Analysis

Lopez continued his excellent start to 2024, generating his third straight quality start and extending his scoreless inning streak to 12. The veteran righty has been a pleasant surprise for Atlanta and fantasy managers who took a gamble on him after starting just one game in the past two seasons, delivering an 18:6 K:BB over 18.0 innings with merely one run allowed through three outings. He's tentatively scheduled to face the Marlins on Monday.

Lopez (1-0) picked up the win in Tuesday's 6-5 victory over the Mets, allowing three hits and three walks over six scoreless innings while striking out six.

EDGE Analysis

The 30-year-old right-hander delivered his second quality start in two trips to the mound this season, and this time Lopez got rewarded with a win. He tossed 59 of 94 pitches for strikes, and so far his conversion back to a starting role has been a resounding success. Lopez will take a 0.75 ERA and 11:5 K:BB through 12 innings into his next outing, which lines up for a road start in Miami this weekend.

Lopez didn't factor into the decision Tuesday against the White Sox, allowing one run on four hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out five.

EDGE Analysis

Matched up against the team he spent most of his big-league career with, Lopez blanked Chicago for five innings before fading a bit in the sixth, putting the first two batters aboard to set up an RBI single for Gavin Sheets. Lopez threw 82 pitches (52 strikes) en route to his first quality start since 2021, and the outing was a very encouraging beginning to his return to the rotation after a couple years working in short relief. The right-hander lines up to make his next start early next week at home against the Mets.

Lopez will open the season as Atlanta's fifth starter after the team optioned Bryce Elder to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

EDGE Analysis

Lopez had appeared to be the frontrunner for the final rotation spot throughout the spring, but Atlanta didn't make it official until Elder was removed from the competition Monday. In his transition from the bullpen to a starting role this spring, Lopez was impressive over his 16.2 innings, allowing four runs with a 13:6 K:BB. History suggests that Lopez's best role is as a reliever, and the expectation is that he could see usage in both the rotation and the bullpen this season. He'll at least make for a viable deep-league fantasy target while he's starting and has the backing of an elite Atlanta offense.

Lopez is likely to be deployed as both a starter and a reliever over the course of the season, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

This isn't a huge surprise, as Lopez hasn't thrown 100 or more innings in a season since 2019, but if does confirm that Atlanta is ready to be flexible with his usage. The 30-year-old right-hander is currently battling Bryce Elder for the fifth starter role to begin the season, and Lopez's velocity was down a bit in a Grapefruit League start Tuesday against the Pirates -- he averaged 94.2 mph with his fastball and topped out at 95.7 mph. Even without his best stuff, he still limited a Pittsburgh lineup that featured most of its Opening Day starters to one run on three hits and three walks over 3.2 innings, as he got stretched out to 58 pitches (34 strikes).

Lopez struck out four and walked one over three scoreless, no-hit innings during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox.

EDGE Analysis

He didn't enter the game until the fifth inning, but Lopez still got to face a number of Boston regulars and counted Rafael Devers and Masataka Yoshida among his strikeout victims. The 30-year-old still appears to be in the lead for Atlanta's fifth starter job thanks to his 1.13 ERA and 7:2 K:BB through eight spring innings, but Bryce Elder got the start Thursday and also pitched well, fanning six batters in 3.1 frames. Given that Elder made 31 starts last season and Lopez hasn't thrown more than 66 innings in a season since 2021, this competition could come down to the wire.

Lopez has yielded just one run over his first five innings during Grapefruit League action as he bids for the fifth spot in Atlanta's rotation.

EDGE Analysis

The word from Mark Bowman of MLB.com heading into camp was that Lopez might be in the pole position for the No. 5 spot and if anything he's enhanced his status so far. The righty was particularly effective Saturday versus the Blue Jays, spinning three scoreless frames with a 3:1 K:BB. Bryce Elder -- who is Lopez's chief competition for the fifth spot -- has permitted five runs on eight hits, a walk and a hit batter through his first 4.1 innings during Grapefruit League play.