Shocking Suspension for Nationals' Reliever and Manager

In a dramatic turn of events this Thursday, Major League Baseball announced suspensions for Washington Nationals' reliever Jorge Lopez and manager Davey Martinez following a dangerously high pitch aimed at Andrew McCutchen that nearly struck him in the head. Lopez faces a three-game suspension, which he plans to appeal, while Martinez will sit out one game today—substituted by bench coach Miguel Cairo.

The tension on the field escalated significantly after Lopez's pitch, leading to both teams clearing their benches. This heated moment wasn't out of the blue; just the day before, Mitch Keller of the Pirates had hit Nationals infielder Paul DeJong in the face, breaking his nose and forcing DeJong onto the injured list.

Pitching Woes and Controversy

Lopez had already hit Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds earlier in the game before his errant throw to McCutchen led to his ejection. MLB's announcement suggests they interpreted Lopez's pitch as 'intentionally throwing' at McCutchen, a claim Lopez firmly denies. Interestingly, even McCutchen seemed to downplay the incident, stating postgame, "I don’t think it was [intentional]. I think the height of the moment just got to him, maybe." He expressed gratitude that he managed to dodge the pitch.

Struggles on the Mound

Lopez's command issues aren't exactly a new revelation. This season, he's walked over 10% of the batters he faced, hit two more players, and has been charged with a wild pitch—all in less than eight innings of play. Since 2021, in 312 1/3 big league innings, Lopez has walked nearly 10% of batters faced and hit 29, exceeding the league average for hit batsmen.

Originally signed to a one-year, $3 million contract, Lopez started strong but has stumbled in his last two appearances. Early in the season, he allowed just two runs over his first six innings, but has since given up seven runs in just 1 2/3 innings, pushing his earned run average to a staggering 10.57.

A Look Back

Last season, Lopez boasted a commendable 2.89 ERA, with a solid 23% strikeout rate and only an 8.8% walk rate across 53 innings with the Mets and Cubs. His contributions helped secure 10 holds and four saves. Between 2022 and 2024, over 183 innings, he recorded a 3.74 ERA, achieving both 30 saves and 21 holds.

As Lopez appeals his suspension, fans will be watching closely to see how both he and the Nationals respond in the coming games.