A Rough Start, But This Jacob Lopez Stat vs. Braves Should Have A's Encouraged

A's lefty Jacob Lopez left plenty of intrigue for what's to come in 2026, despite the rough opener

Mar 30, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Athletics pitcher Jacob Lopez (57) throws the ball to first base for an out against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Jacob Lopez's 2026 debut didn't look great on the surface. In fact, it looked like he may not escape the first inning, needing 41 pitches for those initial three outs. But one number from his outing against the Atlanta Braves suggests that better results could be on the way as the season goes on.

Despite allowing three runs in the first inning, Lopez held Atlanta to just a 77.5 mph average exit velocity—nearly 10 mph below league average—an indicator that he may have been far more effective than the box score shows.

After the run that he went on late last season, A's starter Jacob Lopez is coming into the 2026 with higher expectations, as evidenced by his placement in the starting rotation at the beginning of the season.

The results in his first outing of 2026 weren't there, as the Atlanta Braves batted around in the bottom of the first inning, scoring three times and making Lopez toss 41 pitches in the process. It certainly wasn't the start to the season he was after, especially since limiting free bases and going deeper into games was a big part of why he broke out last season.

After a rough first, Lopez more or less settled in and limited the damage over his next three innings of work. He even picked off Ronald Acuña Jr. after walking him in the fourth. Overall, Lopez finished with four innings pitched, giving up five hits, three earned runs, five walks and recording a surprising zero strikeouts.

Why Lopez struggled in debut

The fact that he was at 41 pitches through the first and ended up going four frames is impressive, and can be a confidence builder, even in defeat. He was able to put a lid on Atlanta's offense and keep the A's in the game, though the green and gold bats were unable to get the big hit in this one, ultimately falling 4-0.

The reason he struggled in this one was simply because of his fastball command. He faced 22 batters, and he got ahead of just eight of them with a first pitch strike. Of the seven four-seamers he used on the first pitch, just one was a strike. By comparison, his cutter (2-of-3) and sinker (3-of-5) were much more effective getting him ahead in the count.

While keeping his team in the game and giving them four innings after a rough first are nice sentimental wins, there was also one factor that could bode well for Lopez throughout the rest of the season.

Encouraging sign for Lopez's 2026 season

The biggest encouraging sign for Lopez is that he wasn't getting hit hard at all in this game. The hardest hit ball he allowed was the first inning single to Drake Baldwin at 108.2 miles per hour off the bat, which is an absolute rocket. The other four hits he allowed were extremely soft by comparison.

Matt Olson double in first: 81.9 mph

Mauricio Dubón single in first: 61.2 mph

Ronald Acuña Jr. single in second: 53.3 mph

Mauricio Dubón single in third: 71.2 mph

The first Dubón single was a bloop over the head of Nick Kurtz at first base that scored a pair. Sometimes that happens in baseball. He was also aided by the bases being loaded at that point, because if they'd been empty, Kurtz likely catches that ball and ends the inning.

Lopez's average exit velocity for the game was just 77.5 miles per hour, which is a sign that he could be extremely effective as the season rolls on. In order to make the most of that skill, he'll have to locate his fastball, get ahead of hitters, and bring down those walks per game.

If he can do that, Lopez could be a breakout player for the A's in 2026 at a position of extreme need.