Tim Lopes (baseball)

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1994)}}

{{About|the baseball player|other people named Tim Lopes|Tim Lopes (disambiguation){{!}}Tim Lopes}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Tim Lopes

|image = Tim Lopes in 2019.jpg

|caption = Lopes with the Seattle Mariners in 2019

|team =

|number =

|position = Infielder

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|6|24}}

|birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = July 24

|debutyear = 2019

|debutteam = Seattle Mariners

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate = September 19

|finalyear = 2021

|finalteam = Milwaukee Brewers

|statleague = MLB

|statyear =

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .246

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 3

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 27

|teams =

}}

Timothy Aaron Lopes (born June 24, 1994) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers.

Professional career

=Seattle Mariners=

Lopes attended Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California.{{cite web |author=Drennen |first=Andrew |date=August 15, 2011 |title=Tim Lopes back in Long Beach |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/251/video-tim-lopes |access-date=July 23, 2019 |work=ESPN}} Lopes was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 6th round, with the 191st overall selection, of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web |author=Moritz |first=Amy |date=May 15, 2018 |title=Lopes follows in his brother's footsteps |url=https://buffalonews.com/2018/05/15/inside-the-bisons-lopes-follows-in-his-brothers-footsteps/ |access-date=July 23, 2019 |newspaper=The Buffalo News}}

Lopes split the 2012 season between the Arizona League Mariners and the High Desert Mavericks, hitting a combined .313/.375/.476/.851 with 33 RBI.{{cite web |title=Tim Lopes Stats |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/tim-lopes-621005 |access-date=July 23, 2019 |work=MLB.com}} He spent the 2013 season with the Clinton LumberKings, hitting .272/.315/.344/.659 with 1 home run and 33 RBI. His 2014 season was spent with High Desert, hitting .238/.308/.337/.645 with 4 home runs and 44 RBI. He spent the 2015 season with the Bakersfield Blaze, hitting .276/.340/.362/.702 with 2 home runs and 49 RBI. He spent the 2016 season with the Jackson Generals, hitting .284/.358/.355/.713 with 1 home run and 49 RBI.

=Toronto Blue Jays=

On September 30, 2016, Lopes was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays as the player to be named later in a previous trade that saw Seattle acquire Pat Venditte. Lopes spent the 2017 season with the Double–A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, hitting .271/.338/.390/.728 with 7 home runs and 50 RBI. He spent the 2018 season with the Triple–A Buffalo Bisons, hitting .277/.325/.364/.689 with 2 home runs and 29 RBI. Lopes elected free agency following the season on November 2, 2018.{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2018|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2018/|access-date=May 7, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 6, 2018 |language=en}}

=Seattle Mariners (second stint)=

Lopes signed a minor league contract to return to the Seattle Mariners on November 14, 2018. He opened the 2019 season with the Tacoma Rainiers.

On July 23, 2019, the Mariners selected Lopes' contract and promoted him to the major leagues.{{cite web|url=https://marinersblog.mlblogs.com/mariners-select-inf-tim-lopes-from-aaa-tacoma-588112d02c87|title=Mariners Select INF Tim Lopes from AAA Tacoma|website=marinersblog.mlblogs.com|publisher=Seattle Mariners|author=MarinersPR|date=July 23, 2019|access-date=July 23, 2019}} He made his debut on July 24, as a ninth inning defensive replacement at second base.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA201907240.shtml|title=Texas Rangers at Seattle Mariners Box Score, July 24, 2019|publisher=Baseball Reference|access-date=July 25, 2019}} He was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list on July 26, after being hit in the helmet by a Drew VerHagen fastball on July 25.{{cite web |date=July 26, 2019 |title=M's Lopes takes fastball to helmet in first start |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27260048/m-lopes-takes-fastball-helmet-first-start |access-date=July 26, 2019 |website=ESPN |agency=Associated Press}} After spending the next 11 days on the concussion list, Lopes hit his first major league home run off Adrián Morejón of the San Diego Padres on August 6.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/mlb/seattle-mariners/article233599177.html|title=In 2 weeks, Mariners rookie Lopes debuted, went on the concussion list, and belted his first homer|last=Smith|first=Lauren|date=August 7, 2019|website=The News Tribune|access-date=August 8, 2019}}

In 2020, Lopes hit .238 with 2 home runs and 15 RBI in 46 games. On December 18, 2020, Lopes was designated for assignment by the Mariners following the signing of pitcher Chris Flexen.{{Cite web |last=Byrne |first=Connor |date=2020-12-18 |title=Mariners Designate Tim Lopes For Assignment |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/12/mariners-designate-tim-lopes-for-assignment.html |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}

=Milwaukee Brewers=

On December 22, 2020, Lopes was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers.{{Cite web |last=Polishuk |first=Mark |date=2020-12-22 |title=Brewers Claim Tim Lopes |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/12/brewers-claim-tim-lopes.html |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}} On March 8, 2021, Lopes was placed on the 60-day injured list due to a right oblique strain.{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Steve |date=2021-03-08 |title=Brewers Sign Jackie Bradley Jr. |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/03/brewers-sign-jackie-bradley-jr.html |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}} On May 31, Lopes was activated off of the injured list and optioned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds.{{Cite web |last=Polishuk |first=Mark |date=2021-05-31 |title=Injured List Returns: Fraley, Lopes, Wahl |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/05/injured-list-returns-fraley-lopes-wahl.html |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}} He played seven games for the Brewers, five in mid-June and two in September. He batted 1–10 with one walk, with his final MLB hit a single against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 12. After his single, he was caught stealing second base.{{Cite web |title=Tim Lopes 2021 Batting Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=lopesti01&t=b&year=2021 |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} Lopes was designated for assignment by the Brewers on September 29, 2021.{{cite web |date=2021-09-29 |title=Brewers' Colin Rea: Called up to majors |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/brewers-colin-rea-called-up-to-majors/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=CBS Sports |agency=RotoWire}} He became a free agent following the season.

=Colorado Rockies=

File:Tim Lopes Isotopes.jpg

On December 17, 2021, Lopes signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/12/rockies-tim-lopes-agree-to-minor-league-deal.html|title=Rockies, Tim Lopes Agree To Minor League Deal|work=MLB Trade Rumors|first=Darragh|last=McDonald|date=December 17, 2021|accessdate=December 17, 2021}} He spent the year with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, also playing in three games for the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Rockies. In 70 games for the Isotopes, Lopes hit .271/.333/.451 with nine home runs, 34 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. He elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.{{Cite web|title=2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-23-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/?amphtml|access-date=May 7, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}

In October 2022, he joined the Brazil national team for 2023 World Baseball Classic qualifiers.{{Cite web |last=Monagan |first=Matt |date=2022-10-01 |title=The pair of brothers powering Team Brazil in Classic qualifier |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/tim-lopes-christian-lopes-on-brazil-world-baseball-classic |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=MLB.com |language=en-US}}

=San Diego Padres=

On December 20, 2022, Lopes signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He spent the 2023 season with the Triple–A El Paso Chihuahuas, playing in 121 games and batting .282/.378/.421 with 13 home runs, 56 RBI, and 42 stolen bases. Lopes elected free agency following the season on November 6.{{Cite web|title=2023 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2023-milb-free-agents/|access-date=May 7, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}

On March 28, 2024, on Opening Day, Lopes announced his retirement from professional baseball via an Instagram post.{{Cite Instagram |postid=C5EgWS4uPwL |user=timmylopes_ |title=Sometimes in life you have to let go of something you love so much and know when to walk away. Today after 12 years of professional baseball I've decided to do just that... After a lot of prayer and reflection I'm excited to share that I'll be starting my career with the Police department... Baseball, again I just want to say thank you. You will always have a very special place in my heart. |first=Timmy |last=Lopes |date=2024-03-28 |access-date=2024-12-10}}

Personal life

Lopes is a Christian.{{cite web |last1=Romano |first1=Jason |title=NEW PODCAST: Tim Lopes - Seattle Mariners Infielder/Outfielder |url=https://sportsspectrum.com/podcast/2019/11/20/new-podcast-tim-lopes-seattle-mariners-infielder-outfielder/ |website=Sports Spectrum |date=November 20, 2019 |access-date=9 December 2021}} Lopes is married to Amber Lopes. They have one daughter together.

Lopes' older brother, Christian Lopes, also played in MLB, appearing for the Oakland Athletics in 2022.

Lopes is a supporter of Compassion International.

References

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