:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/10249789/20130218_jla_sv7_428.0.jpg)
The Philadelphia Phillies have released right-hander Rodrigo Lopez, according to Jim Salisbury of CSN Philadelphia.
Lopez signed a minor league contract with the Phillies this offseason that included an invitation to major league spring training. He would have earned $1 million if he broke camp with the Phils, but instead he'll hit the open market.
Tigers to trade Porcello?
One exec expects the Tigers to trade Rick Porcello.
Lopez has spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Cubs. After maintaining an ERA of 4.42 over 26 appearances -- including 16 starts -- for the Cubs in 2011, the right-hander only pitched in four games for the club last season. He allowed six runs -- four earned -- on eight hits with five walks and two strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.
Spending a majority of the season with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate, Lopez maintained an ERA of 5.28 over 18 appearances -- including 15 starts -- in the minors last year.
Lopez was a regular starter for the Baltimore Orioles from 2002-06. He started 33 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010, but he's otherwise been a swing man in the majors or rotation depth in Triple-A. The 37-year-old owns a career ERA of 4.82 with a 2.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 11 seasons in the majors.
