In his first start for Atlanta, Nicky Lopez had a stat line unlike any in MLB history
Nearly two weeks after being traded by the Royals, Nicky Lopez finally made his first start Saturday with the Atlanta Braves.
How’d he do? Well, Lopez made Major League Baseball history.
Lopez started at shortstop for the Braves and had five RBIs, four hits, three runs scored and pitched a scoreless ninth inning as Atlanta routed the Mets 21-3.
Lopez hit a three-run homer off Mets infielder Danny Mendick in the top of the ninth inning at Citi Field. It was Lopez’s first home run since 2021.
“I was wearing red wrist tape the whole (top of the ninth) inning and then I took the wrist tape off because I was going to pitch,” Lopez told the Associated Press. “So I might not wear wrist tape anymore.”
In the bottom of the ninth, Lopez took the ball and issued a leadoff walk before getting three straight outs to close out the win (spoiler alert: it wasn’t a save situation).
MLB.com Researcher Sarah Langs noted Lopez was the first player in Major League Baseball history to collect four or more hits, five or more RBIs and have a scoreless pitching outing in one game. That’s since 1920 when RBIs became an official stat.
Hey, maybe Lopez’s new nickname should be Ohtani.
Lopez’s home run traveled an estimated 401 feet. He got the three outs on pitches that registered on the radar gun at 54.2 mph, 54.5 mph and 65.0 mph, per Baseball Savant.
Lopez talked to Bally Sports after the game and mentioned it was bittersweet to have left the Royals.
“It was unbelievable,” Lopez said of his big game. “They’ve greeted me with open arms here, which is everything I can ever dream of. Obviously, it’s a little bittersweet. The Kansas City Royals are dear to my heart, but I know it’s a business.
“And to come here and just help this team any way I can, whether it’s filling in in the infield, outfield, pinch run, whatever it is, I’m willing to do because this is a special team and we have a lot to look forward to.”
