San Diego Padres Return Left-Handed Pitcher To Tampa Bay Rays

The San Diego Padres have returned Jose Lopez to the Tampa Bay Rays, who previously drafted him in the Rule 5 Draft.

Lopez was unable to secure a spot on the Padres' 40-man roster before the start of the regular season, despite showing potential during his time with the Triple-A affiliate team in Durham.

LHP Jose Lopez, taken from #Rays in December Rule 5 draft by #Padres, cleared waivers and has been returned to Rays. He’ll go to Triple-A

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) March 27, 2023

In 42 appearances over 59.1 innings, he recorded 95 strikeouts and a 2.43 ERA, although he did struggle with issuing walks.

During the Cactus League play, Lopez continued to face difficulties and was eventually sent back to the Rays, where he will begin the year with the Triple-A affiliate team in Durham.

RETURNED: #Padres have returned Rule 5 pick LHP Jose Lopez to the #Rays.

— MLB Transaction Tracker (@MLBMovesTracker) March 27, 2023

While Lopez's performance has been inconsistent, his left-handed throwing ability and potential to strike out batters may still make him a contender for a spot on the Rays' roster in the future.

For his minor-league career, the 24-year-old holds a solid 3.26 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, with 307 strikeouts across 265 innings and 107 appearances. Photo Credit:  Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports