The Chicago White Sox have officially cut ties with infielder Nicky Lopez and left-handed pitcher Sammy Peralta. On Tuesday the team announced that Lopez and Peralta cleared waivers after being non-tendered earlier this month. Both Lopez and Peralta elected free agency instead of accepting outright assignments.
Nicky Lopez
Lopez slashed .241/.312/.294 in 124 games with the White Sox, hitting one home run and driving in 21 RBIs. While he wasn’t much of a factor at the plate he did play respectable defense, earning a Gold Glove nomination for his work at second base.
Lopez played 83 games at second base, 72 of which were starts. However, he also played 45 games at shortstop, making 39 starts. His five Outs Above Average ranked in the MLB’s 88th percentile. In the 640.1 innings he played at second base he committed just three errors. He also logged 100 putouts and 180 assists while helping turn 33 double plays from the right side of the infield. His 3.54 Range Factor per nine innings at second base ranked fifth in the MLB.
While his defense was solid it didn’t justify his projected arbitration salary of $5 million. Bryan Ramos and Miguel Vargas will now each likely garner playing time in the infield. The White Sox also have several prospects close to getting called up, including the MLB’s 37th-ranked prospect Colson Montgomery.
Sammy Peralta
Peralta has been a member of the White Sox bullpen for the last two seasons, throwing a combined 35 innings across 25 appearances. During that stretch, he owns a 4.33 ERA with 1.657 WHIP and a 17.9 percent strikeout rate.
Last season Peralta posted a 4.80 ERA. One of the largest causes for concern was his 9.7 percent walk rate which was slightly above league average. While the 26-year-old left-hander’s low strikeout rate didn’t help, he produced an impressive 44.4 percent ground ball rate.
