Rockies demote Wilton Lopez and his $2.2 million salary to Triple-A - MLB

When the Rockies acquired right-hander Wilton Lopez from the Astros two offseasons ago he was coming off three consecutive seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA, but he mostly struggled for Colorado last season and now he’s headed back to the minors.

Lopez began this year by allowing eight runs in six innings, including a nifty .514 opponents’ batting average, which convinced the Rockies to demote him to Triple-A at age 30. His last outing consisted of recorded two outs while coughing up six runs on three homers. For some context, Lopez has never allowed more than six home runs in any season before.

Lopez is making $2.2 million this season, so the Rockies are hoping he can get back on track against Pacific Coast League hitters and at least give them some decent middle relief work later in the year.

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OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.