Although he gave up his long-time goal of going to medical school, he is living a successful life as a major leaguer. The main character is Pablo Lopez (27), the starting pitcher of the Minnesota Twins (19-17), who leads the American League Central Division this season.
On the 11th 먹튀검증 (Korean time), the official website of the major leagues, ‘MLB.com’, wrote a story about Lopez’s baseball life.
Lopez traded to Minnesota from the Miami Marlins ahead of the season. Having established himself as Miami’s ace from the 2020 season, he has been contributing to the team’s upward trend with 4 starts in 7 games, 2 wins, 2 losses, 43 innings, 54 strikeouts, an average ERA of 3.77 (less than 3 ERA in 6 starting innings) after the transfer. In the middle of the season, he signed a 4-year, $75.3 million (approximately 99.5 billion won) contract extension with Minnesota, remaining with the team until the 2027 season.
Lopez is having a successful career as a major leaguer enough to sit on a cushion of money. He almost became a doctor 10 years ago.
A native of Venezuela, Lopez grew up in a family that valued his education. His father was a doctor, his mother a pathologist, and his relatives were lawyers or engineers. Although Lopez was prominent in sports from an early age, he did not choose the path of an athlete easily. Because his grandmother and his mother didn’t like it.
In 2012, at the age of 16, Lopez was at a crossroads in her life. That’s when I got a contract offer from the Seattle Mariners. He had to decide whether he wanted to become a baseball player or he would go on to medical school. His childhood dreamed of becoming a doctor thanks to his parents, but he couldn’t give up his passion for baseball. After consulting with his father, he eventually decided to catch a baseball.
“My house was full of anatomy books and related books,” Lopez said.
“Like the other kids, I was a fan of Venezuelan legend Johan Santana. I still have vivid memories of him wearing a Minnesota uniform,” he said. I thought it would be easier to try baseball first and try medical school again when it felt difficult.”
The result of that choice was successful. As many fans know, he has grown into a pitcher representing the team. From 2020 (shortened season), he has continued stable pitching, recording an average ERA of 3 points as a full-time starting pitcher. He also competed internationally, representing Venezuela in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
Finally, Lopez expressed his strong determination to pursue medical school again after his retirement, saying, “There is no end to learning.”