Numbers aside, White Sox’ Reynaldo Lopez likes where he’s at this spring

SHARE Numbers aside, White Sox’ Reynaldo Lopez likes where he’s at this spring
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Reynaldo Lopez pitches in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Monday, March 4, 2019, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez has a 10.13 ERA in his two Cactus League starts. But as the White Sox’ best pitcher last season, he has earned the right to wave off what the numbers might suggest in early March.

‘‘Spring training is for you to get ready for the season, to get all your pitches as sharp as possible,’’ Lopez said through an interpreter. ‘‘I don’t pay attention if my ERA is high or low right now. If you prepare in the way you need to have success during the season, the results will be there at the end of the season. And those results are the ones that matter, not the results here.’’

Lopez had a 3.91 ERA — 12th among American League right-handers — in 188 2/3 innings last season. He was tied for fifth among AL righties with 32 starts, sixth with 19 quality starts and eighth in batting average allowed (.234).

Lopez used all four of his pitches Monday against the Angels. He grooved a fastball to Jarrett Parker, who drove it over the left-center-field wall to account for two of the four runs Lopez allowed in 3 1/3 innings. Lopez walked two and struck out four.

‘‘I’m improving,’’ he said. ‘‘Very excited and encouraged with this outing.’’

Scheduled start for Santana

Right-hander Ervin Santana is scheduled to make his first Cactus League appearance March 15 against the Cubs in Glendale.

The Sox signed Santana, 36, to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training at the start of camp. He is the favorite to be their fifth starter and will earn $4.3 million if he makes the major-league roster.

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Hamilton on track

Despite a late start in camp, right-hander Ian Hamilton said he expects to be ready by Opening Day.

Hamilton, who needed time to shake off the effects of a car accident he and his fiancée were involved in about the time camp opened, has been throwing on the back fields and is scheduled to pitch in a game for the first time Thursday. He pitched in a simulated game Monday.

‘‘I felt good,’’ he said. ‘‘There were some pitches I was pulling off of, but for the most part the slider was there. A couple of good changeups. And the  fastball was riding.’’

Hamilton had a combined 22 saves, 1.74 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings at Class AA Birmingham and Class AAA Charlotte last season. He had a 4.50 ERA in 10 appearances with the Sox in September.

Hamilton, 23, felt stiff after the accident, but it could have been worse. Another car spun the vehicle he was driving into a tree, and the car spun back onto the road. The car belonged to his agent and was totaled.

This and that

Manager Rick Renteria said it hasn’t been determined whether the Sox will go with seven or eight relievers when they break camp.

• Shortstop Tim Anderson is 7-for-16 (.438) with a home run, five RBI and only two strikeouts in six games.

• The first round of cuts is near, perhaps Tuesday. The Sox have a day off Wednesday.

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