KANSAS CITY, MO. – As if the Twins’ bad start to the season wasn’t enough bad news, Pablo López walked off the mound alongside head trainer Nick Paparesta in the fifth inning tonight.
López, who permitted three hits and one unearned run in 4⅔ innings against the Kansas City Royals, grabbed the back of his leg twice during a five-pitch walk to Jonathan India. It was López’s only walk of the game, and his last pitch was a 92.3-mph sinker, the slowest sinker he threw all night.
The Twins announced López left with right hamstring tightness.
Twins pitching coach Pete Maki visited López after the walk to India, wanting to chat with Bobby Witt Jr. coming to the plate with two runners on base and two outs in a tie game. After Maki left the mound, shortstop Carlos Correa had a brief chat with López and then signaled to Paparesta in the dugout.
López had a short conversation with Paparesta and manager Rocco Baldelli before he left the game, exiting after 78 pitches. It was the fewest pitches he’s thrown in an outing since a 50-pitch start last June when he gave up five runs in four innings.
Cole Sands entered after López left the game, walking Witt before inducing an inning-ending flyout against Vinnie Pasquantino in a 10-pitch at-bat.
