View source for Javy López

{{short description|Puerto Rican baseball player (born 1970)}}
{{family name hatnote|Lopez|Torres|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name        = Javy López
|image       = Javy López.jpg
|caption     = López as a catcher for the [[Atlanta Braves]] 
|image_size  = 
|position    = [[Catcher]]
|bats        = Right
|throws      = Right
|birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1970|11|5|mf=y}}
|birth_place = [[Ponce, Puerto Rico]]
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate   = September 18
|debutyear   = 1992
|debutteam   = Atlanta Braves
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate   = September 2
|finalyear   = 2006
|finalteam   = Boston Red Sox
|statleague  = MLB
|stat1label  = [[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value  = .287
|stat2label  = [[Home run]]s
|stat2value  = 260
|stat3label  = [[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3value  = 864
|teams       = 
* [[Atlanta Braves]] ({{mlby|1992}}–{{mlby|2003}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|2004}}–{{mlby|2006}})
* [[Boston Red Sox]] ({{mlby|2006}})
|highlights  = 
* 3× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1997]], [[1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1998]], [[2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2003]])
* [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1995}})
* [[NLCS MVP]] ({{nlcsy|1996}})
* [[Silver Slugger Award]] (2003)
* [[Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame|Braves Hall of Fame]]
}}
'''Javier "Javy" López Torres''' (born November 5, 1970) is a [[Puerto Ricans|Puerto Rican]] former [[catcher]] in [[Major League Baseball]] who played for the [[Atlanta Braves]] (1992–2003), [[Baltimore Orioles]] (2004–2006) and [[Boston Red Sox]] (2006). He batted and threw right-handed. He was named Ponce, Puerto Rico's Athlete of the Year from 1984 to 1987.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}

==Professional career==

===Atlanta Braves===
López was signed by the Atlanta Braves in 1987 as an [[amateur]] [[free agent]], López made his debut on September 18, 1992, against the [[Houston Astros]]. After sharing duties with [[Charlie O'Brien]] and [[Eddie Pérez (baseball)|Eddie Pérez]] for four seasons, he established himself as the Braves' regular catcher in 1996. The same season, he led the Braves to win the [[1996 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]], earning the series [[Most Valuable Player]] honors. He also made the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|National League All-Star]] team from 1997–98. Lopez had his best season in 2003 with a .328 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]], 43 home runs and 109 [[Run batted in|RBI]] in 129 games, including a .378 [[on-base percentage]] and a .687 [[slugging percentage]]. In that season he broke [[Todd Hundley]]'s record for most home runs hit in a season by a catcher (42) and was selected to the [[2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]], winning the [[Silver Slugger Award]] and finishing fifth in the [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|National League MVP]] ballot. The positional record stood until [[Cal Raleigh]] broke it in 2025. While with the Braves, López caught [[Kent Mercker]]'s [[no-hitter]] on April 8, 1994.<ref>{{cite web |date=1994-04-08 |title=Retrosheet Boxscore: Atlanta Braves 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 0 |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1994/B04080LAN1994.htm |access-date=2014-03-06 |website=Retrosheet.org}}</ref>

While López starred for the Braves, he very rarely caught future [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]] pitcher [[Greg Maddux]], who was not comfortable pitching to him. Instead the Braves' backup catcher, which varied over the years, would become Maddux's [[catcher#Personal catcher|personal catcher]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hermoso |first=Rafael |date=2002-10-05 |title=BASEBALL; If Maddux Is Pitching, Lopez Isn't Catching |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/05/sports/baseball-if-maddux-is-pitching-lopez-isn-t-catching.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211025214118/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/05/sports/baseball-if-maddux-is-pitching-lopez-isn-t-catching.html |archive-date=2021-10-25 |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=New York Times}}</ref>

===Baltimore Orioles===
Before the 2004 season, López signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles. He hit .316 with 23 HR and 86 RBI, the following year López suffered a broken hand on a foul tip, ending the year with a .278 with 15 HR and 49 RBI while seeing a decline in his game time from 150 to 103 games.

===Boston Red Sox===
In the 2006 midseason, López was acquired by the [[Boston Red Sox]] from Baltimore in exchange for minor league [[outfielder]] [[Adam Stern]] and cash considerations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sports News & Articles – Scores, Pictures, Videos |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2274226 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629094505/https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2274226 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |access-date=2014-03-06 |website=ABC News}}</ref> López debuted with Boston on the same day after [[Doug Mirabelli]] left the game early after an ankle injury. On September 8, the Red Sox released López due to [[Jason Varitek]] returning from the [[disabled list]], which minimized playing time for López.

===Retirement===
In January 2007, it was reported that López reached a preliminary agreement on a $750,000, one-year contract with the [[Colorado Rockies]],<ref>{{cite web |date=2007-01-09 |title=Former All-Star catcher Lopez, Rockies agree to deal |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2725555 |access-date=2014-03-06 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> but he did not play for them during the regular season.<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-05-24 |title=Rockies release veteran Lopez |url=http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070312&content_id=1839258&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016144507/http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070312&content_id=1839258&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |archive-date=October 16, 2007 |access-date= |website=MLB.com}}</ref> Before the 2008 season he signed a minor league deal with an invitation to [[spring training]] with the Atlanta Braves, in an attempt to return to the majors. But after being told he would not make the opening day lineup, López retired for good.<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-05-24 |title=Lopez decides to retire after being cut |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080322&content_id=2450928&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |access-date=2014-03-06 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> "I feel perfect physically," he said. "It's just that the hitting wasn't there and unfortunately I couldn’t throw anybody out on stealing attempts. That's a concern. I don't blame them. My role as a backup catcher is to be able to throw runners out."<ref>{{cite web |date=2008-03-22 |title=C Lopez retires after being reassigned to minor league camp – MLB – ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3306932 |access-date=2014-03-06 |publisher=[[ESPN]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> He plans to continue in the Atlanta Braves organization performing other duties. In a 15-season career, López posted a .287 average with 260 home runs and 864 RBI in 1,503 games. His 243 home runs as a catcher ranks eighth on the career list at that position. Strong defensively, he recorded a .992 [[fielding percentage]]. In 60 postseason games, he batted .278 (57-for-205) with 27 runs, 14 doubles, 10 home runs, 28 RBI and 14 walks. His final game was on September 2, 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Javy López Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lopezja01.shtml |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
López's first marriage was to Analy Hernández. They have two children: Javier Alexander (born November 6, 1995) and Kelvin Gabriel  (born October 17, 1999). The marriage ended in divorce. López married his second wife, Gina Brodbeck, on June 23, 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Javy Lopez Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/javy-lopez-117919 |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> They have two sons: Brody Brodbeck Lopez, born in 2010, and Gavin Richard Lopez, born in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/javy_lopez_q_a/10268746 |title=Javy Lopez Q & A |publisher=Yardbarker.com |date=2012-03-09 |access-date=2014-03-06}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Puerto Rico|Biography|Baseball}}
* [[List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico]]
* [[List of Puerto Ricans]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|mlb=117919|espn=2807|br=l/lopezja01|fangraphs=103|brm=lopez-001jav}}

{{Southern League MVP}}
{{1995WorldSeriesBraves}}
{{Braves Hall of Fame}}
{{Puerto Rico roster 2006 World Baseball Classic}}
{{NL C Silver Slugger Award}}
{{NLCS MVP}}
{{NL Comeback Players of the Year}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lopez, Javy}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:National League Championship Series MVPs]]
[[Category:National League All-Stars]]
[[Category:Atlanta Braves players]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball catchers]]
[[Category:Gulf Coast Braves players]]
[[Category:Greenville Braves players]]
[[Category:Richmond Braves players]]
[[Category:Senadores de San Juan players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Atlanta]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:2006 World Baseball Classic players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Ponce, Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Silver Slugger Award winners]]