Jacob Lopez, a 27-year-old left-handed pitcher, has recently drawn significant attention for his surprising MLB strikeout numbers, prompting a rare comparison to veteran <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/tag/chris-sale/”>Chris Sale. Despite initially being dismissed due to his modest velocity and lack of high-profile prospect status, Lopez’s performance throughout the current season has defied expectations, highlighting his unusual pitching style and impressive effectiveness.
In his most recent appearances, Lopez has dominated opposing hitters with outstanding control and strikeout rates. Across three consecutive starts, spanning nearly 20 innings, he has not allowed a run while striking out 24 batters—a 34.3% strikeout rate paired with an extremely low 0.98 FIP. These remarkable stats have drawn attention not only for the volume of strikeouts but also for the quality of contact he allows, proving his success goes beyond simple luck or weak opposition.
Statistical Breakdown Reveals Exceptional Skill
Examining Lopez’s performance over the full 84.2 innings pitched this year reveals just how unusual his strikeout rate is—28.9%, ranking eighth in MLB among pitchers who have thrown at least 80 innings. This places him ahead of widely recognized stars like Paul Skenes, Jacob deGrom, and Spencer Strider. Such elite company underscores the effectiveness of Lopez’s approach, especially given his so-called average velocity in the 90 mph range.
Further analysis shows Lopez is not just missing bats. According to Baseball Savant, he ranks among the top few percentiles in hard-hit rate (95th), average exit velocity allowed (94th), and barrel rate (82nd). This rare combination of high strikeout ability and limiting hard contact sets him apart, situating him alongside some of the game’s best pitchers, including Zack Wheeler, Garrett Crochet, and notably Chris Sale.
Comparing Lopez to Chris Sale’s Unique Pitching Profile
Lopez’s statistical profile is reminiscent of Chris Sale’s recent seasons, a comparison that initially seems unlikely due to their differing pitching backgrounds. Sale, a likely Hall of Famer, recorded a 2.09 FIP with a 32.1% strikeout rate over 177.2 innings as recently as last year. Although Sale’s stuff grades low on velocity and movement according to advanced models, his results have been elite. This paradox draws interest in how pitchers like Sale—and now Lopez—excel despite what scouting reports might suggest.
Sale’s usual fastball sits around 95 mph, with a slider that averages about 79 mph and accounts for most of his pitches. Yet, analytics platforms such as PitchingBot and Stuff+ rate these pitches as mediocre or just average, emphasizing the unusual nature of his success. The secret may lie in Sale’s unconventional mechanics, particularly his distinct stride across the pitching rubber, which contributes a deceptive element that outmatches his raw pitch characteristics.
Mechanics Behind the Deception: Insights from Lance Brozdowski
In a detailed video analysis, analyst Lance Brozdowski highlighted Sale’s atypical stride pattern as a key factor in his effectiveness. Unlike most pitchers who stride straight toward home plate, Sale’s plant foot moves dramatically from the third base side of the rubber to the opposite edge by release, creating a significant degree of body deception that disrupts hitters’ timing and perception.
“coaching this kind of deception into a player is probably impossible.”
— Lance Brozdowski, Analyst
This unique movement likely requires exceptional hip mobility and athleticism, making it a rare skill that cannot simply be taught or copied by others without risking injury. Sale’s ability to combine this stride with his pitching repertoire places him in an elite class of deceptive pitchers.
Jacob Lopez’s Unusual Delivery Mimics Sale’s Approach
Jacob Lopez exhibits a comparable oddity in his pitching delivery. While he starts closer to the center of the rubber rather than the third base side like Sale, his foot placement moves dramatically toward the outside of the first base side during the pitch. This strange movement creates a deceptive angle that contributes to his unusual success independent of velocity or traditional “stuff” quality.
Additionally, Lopez ranks in the 95th percentile for extension—the distance from the rubber to his release point—indicating that he releases the ball closer to home plate than almost any other pitcher. This extra extension gives hitters less time to react, further compounding the deception created by his stride.
Pitch Selection and Effectiveness Against Opposing Hitters
Against left-handed batters, Lopez relies heavily on two pitches: a 90.8 mph fastball featuring sinker-like movement, and a slow breaking pitch resembling Sale’s slurve. This breaking pitch comprises nearly half of his offerings to lefties and has yielded excellent results, generating whiffs on approximately one-third of swings and keeping expected wOBA on contact extremely low at .247.
Lopez’s deployment of these pitches forces hitters into a difficult choice, often forcing them to anticipate the slower breaking ball and thus allowing his fastball to accumulate a remarkable 31.5% called strike rate. This is the highest among all pitchers who have thrown at least 100 four-seam fastballs to left-handers, demonstrating the strategic value of his approach.
When facing right-handed hitters, who compose over 80% of his matchups, Lopez incorporates a wider variety of pitches, including cutters and changeups. Though none of these throws stand out individually, collectively they produce solid outcomes, featuring above-average contact quality allowed and respectable whiff rates.
Lopez’s pitch mix varies depending on the count. Early in at-bats, he leans heavily on his fastball and slider, with these pitches combined accounting for nearly 70% of his throws on 0-0 counts. His fastball typically is elevated and away from righties, while the slider is targeted to generate called strikes by cutting back-door. In critical out counts, like 0-2 and 1-2, Lopez almost exclusively pitches off these two offerings.
In even counts, Lopez uses his changeups and cutters as “bridge pitches” to either induce weak contact or craft strikes that help set up one of his primary “put-away” pitches. This thoughtful sequencing, combined with his deceptive mechanics, allows Lopez to be effective without overpowering velocity or flashy movement.
Challenges and Limitations of Lopez’s Technique
Despite Lopez’s recent success, his command and approach are relatively unremarkable compared to typical elite pitchers. His strength appears primarily tied to his delivery and deception rather than pure stuff. Although he has recorded some less effective outings during his streaks, his ability to maintain this level of performance remains uncertain, especially as opponents adjust and scouting reports improve.
Nevertheless, the fact that Lopez, formerly an unheralded “throw-in” in a December trade, is now among the most effective strikeout artists in the league suggests that his unconventional pitching style has yielded an unexpected and valuable competitive edge.
Oakland Athletics’ Focus on Unusual Pitching Mechanics
Lopez’s arrival to the Athletics organization came as part of the same trade that brought Jeffrey Springs to West Sacramento. Springs, a fellow soft-tossing lefty, also uses an unusual stride direction toward the first base side of the rubber. Like Lopez, Springs possesses what some call “junk” stuff but has managed to outperform expectations given his scouting projections.
In an era where most teams rely on the same data-driven models and marginal competitive advantages are scarce, the Athletics seem to be capitalizing on pitching mechanics that disrupt conventional hitter timing and expectations. These pitchers, who manage to excel despite average velocity and simple pitch repertoires, represent a niche market for the A’s perpetually underfunded front office.
The intriguing success of Jacob Lopez and Jeffrey Springs underscores a growing recognition that nontraditional deliveries and deceptive body mechanics can compensate for otherwise ordinary pitch quality, offering a rare strategic asset in today’s homogeneous pitching landscape.