MLB's ERA leader? This red-hot Miami righty

MIAMI -- Newly married Pablo López received quite the belated wedding gift in Thursday night's 5-0 Marlins victory over the Cardinals: The distinction of being the Major Leagues' ERA leader (0.52).

López struck out a career-high-tying nine batters across seven dominant innings, as Miami took the finale of its three-game series with St. Louis to go 4-3 on its opening homestand at loanDepot park. Young stars Jesús Sánchez and Jazz Chisholm Jr., who led off for the first time this season, each went deep.

The 26-year-old López’s ERA is the third-lowest mark through three starts in franchise history, behind Dontrelle Willis (0.00 in 2004) and Josh Beckett (0.45 in '05). He ranks seventh in WHIP (0.75) and ninth in batting average against (.164) in MLB. During this stretch, López has faced 2021 postseason teams San Francisco and St. Louis, as well as a Philadelphia lineup that features reigning NL MVP Award winner Bryce Harper and Silver Slugger Nick Castellanos.

"It sounds good, but it's one of those things I try to take pitch by pitch," López said. "When I'm on the mound, my focus is on the next pitch. What happened happened. I try to execute a pitch, and if I'm able to have 100 percent of my focus on every pitch, and if I'm able to do that through 100 pitches, it's going to be a good night. I try to control what I can control and let the defense behind me do the things they know how to do. Just knowing that with those guys behind me, I can make pitches in any situation and they'll help me out."

You couldn’t have written up a better beginning to 2022 for López, who married his fiancée Kaylee during Monday’s off-day. Two weeks ago, he concluded one of the toughest springs of any Marlins pitcher with a 10.13 ERA in three starts. That wasn’t reassuring after he missed nearly the entire second half of ‘21 with a right rotator cuff strain. Shoulder injuries have been a recurring issue for López since his first big league season in ‘18. But he returned in the ‘21 season finale for peace of mind, and it has shown so far.

A huge reason for López’s success has been his changeup, which troubled St. Louis. The Cardinals entered with a .326 average (15-for-46) in at-bats ending with a change, but López permitted only one of his three hits -- all singles -- on the pitch, and he finished five of his nine strikeouts with it.

By staying ahead in counts, as well as by changing speeds and location, López effectively mixed his entire arsenal. No Cardinals player reached second base against López, who recorded the highest whiff rate (31 percent) of any of his 65 career starts.

“He did a nice job,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “He had a good feel for his changeup, he located it, and all night long it was a good pitch for him. He mixed in his fastball when he needed, but that changeup was on and made it tough for us. Guys were sitting on it and still had a tough time with it.”

López picked up where ace Sandy Alcantara left off on Wednesday, when Alcantara tossed eight scoreless innings in a 2-0 loss. During the first half of 2021, those two made one of the most formidable pitching duos in the big leagues. With expectations of contending, the Marlins will rely on them again.

"Just stability," Miami manager Don Mattingly said. "When you start getting those kinds of outings, and that gets consistent, then the other guys can get right in line. ... So that is really what you try to build with the rotation.”