AL DIVISION SERIES: TWINS VS ASTROS

October 7, 2023

Pablo Lopez

Minute Maid Park

Minnesota Twins

Pregame 1 Press Conference

Q. (Question in Spanish)?

PABLO LOPEZ: So I showed up to the field very excited about the game. We knew what was at stake. Then I knew that we had a good opportunity to bring something, some happiness to the people of Minnesota, the fans because of the bad streak that was unfortunately happening. After the game, I felt very, very happy, very satisfied and content with the result.

Obviously we knew the job wasn't finished, but yeah, I was happy for the way I was able to contribute to that game. Then Johan was very receptive of myself wearing the jersey. He shoot me a message. I mean, I couldn't believe it when it happened.

Q. I don't know if you spoke to Bailey before today's start, but just kind of what's your reaction to him getting this opportunity to start Game 1?

PABLO LOPEZ: I'm super excited for him. I did not get to talk to him because they let him know yesterday and he got in the zone right away. As a fellow starter, I know once someone's in that zone, the last thing I want to do is interfere with him.

I'm extremely happy for Bailey. He's got such a big, big heart of a competitor. His makeup is unbelievable. He's on the mound, and you really don't know what the score could be because he's got the same persona, the same attitude to whatever is happening, whether it's good or not as good.

He's shown all year, he's had his own adversities with things out of his control, getting sent down, sometimes getting pushed back, things like that, but whenever he got the opportunity, he cherished it, took advantage of it, and he gave the team a chance every single time. I remember when he had that great stretch of seven, eight, or nine quality starts in a row. He seemed so comfortable and confident on the mound.

I think that's what he's going to bring today, bring the Bailey Ober mentality to the mound, trying to do the best that he can to give the team a chance. He's going to do it with poise, good makeup, and he's going to go on the attack. He attacks with what he has, and he doesn't try to do anything else on that end. It's going to be a good game, and I'm happy I'll be front row to see it.

Q. Pretty much every player talked about how the fans had a big impact on the games at Target Field. Is there anything besides putting zeros on the board that a starting pitcher can do to kind of reverse that for the crowd that will be pretty active here?

PABLO LOPEZ: Obviously the crowd always plays a big factor, whether you're the home team or the visiting team, it's going to be there. It's going to be loud. It's going to be exciting for them. As a visiting team, most of the time, if they're being loud, it's because maybe they don't want something good to happen to you.

Like the way you embrace it, like you can turn it around and make it something positive for you, like the place is getting loud because they want something to happen. So an opportunity for myself to prevent something from happening. So it depends on the way you see it, the way you embrace it, how you look at it.

Yeah, I feel like a lot of times I do feel the crowd a lot like when I'm walking to the mound or off the mound, you feel the excitement or the quietness. But once you're on the mound really, it's all about just executing pitches. Like unless you can't hear the sign because the place is loud then you are aware of it. But like, yeah, on the mound it doesn't really become a huge factor. It's like the in between pitches or in between innings that you feel the energy, whether it's positive or negative.

Q. Does it change your game plan or approach at all for tomorrow knowing that you may have to face them again later in the series?

PABLO LOPEZ: I don't think so. I haven't faced them since last year. Obviously myself and the catching and pitching coach are going to try to come up with the best plan we can for Game 2, which would be tomorrow regardless of a possible Game 5. If we have to bring all the options out tomorrow, that's what we'll do. Even if it's from the very first pitch, the very first inning, we're going to try to put the team in the best position to win a ballgame.

If it comes down to facing them again, that's when we might start looking to tweaking some things. These batters, these hitters are so good, and that's when you really have to look back and maybe you have to change or make some things up.

But going into tomorrow, that's the main focus. The main focus for tomorrow would be what's the best plan we can come up or what's the best mentality to way to execute said plan.

Q. Pablo, you said in Spring Training that you would like to learn Japanese, that you were hoping to make progress on that this summer. Someone told me that you have made some progress on that. Is that true?

PABLO LOPEZ: It's very little progress. Obviously I've never been on a team with such big Japanese presence, and they're all so kind, and like I want to get to know these guys and I want to feel like -- I don't know, like I'm making an effort to connect with them or whatever. Every day I'll just ask them for little phrases or words. It's just a funny way to connect with them and make them feel like part of the team.

Q. You can swear in Japanese?

PABLO LOPEZ: Yes.

Q. Along the lines of Aaron's question, does how you approach tomorrow, is it affected at all by what happens today, win or lose?

PABLO LOPEZ: Yeah, so a lot of times when you go into the series and you've pitched the first game, like you have an idea based on past videos, reports, papers. But then when you pitch later in the series, you get all of the reports and videos, plus you get to see with your own eyes like how they may approach some situations, at-bats, counts.

So I think knowing what I know based on the information that the team provides me with and then plus getting to look, watching the game today, I'm going to be paying a lot of attention to like -- I have an idea what the paper says about each guy, and now it's going to be about how Bailey goes about it and see how they react, see how they try to make adjustments pitch to pitch, at-bat after at-bat. If you put them away with something, will they go to the plate looking for that pitch at the next at-bat?

I'll be really looking to soak it all in and gather as much information as I can when I'm not pitching.

Q. Have you seen Jeffers respond to the added responsibility and exposure being the everyday guy coming to playoffs now?

PABLO LOPEZ: He's all for it. And I've said this before, he prepares like no other catcher I've seen when he comes through, like all the information that he takes into the game. Like he takes all the information that he knows will be beneficial for the pitching staff. He knows exactly what the best pitches or best spots to go to certain batters is, and then obviously then it becomes -- it also becomes like is the pitcher right now able to execute this pitch so we can go along with this plan?

So he's also very good at identifying, yeah, this is where we want to go, but today we don't have the feel to go to this plan, but I know this is the other place we can go based on what I'm seeing right now from my pitcher.

He does a great job. I think the responsibility is big right now with catching in the postseason, like he welcomed it with open arms, and he saw it as a great opportunity to show what he's capable of, both from the defensive side and the offensive side. So I'm very happy for him.

He caught two games in the Wild Card series only allowing one run, so that's pretty good.

Q. Pablo, how would you feel about the idea that you're going to face Framber Valdez tomorrow? Framber is one of the aces of the Astros, and you are the principal ace of the Twins.

PABLO LOPEZ: Yeah, obviously when you're going against one of the top arms of another team, you know you have to be on your A-game because my goal is to put up zeros, put up quick innings for my offense to then go and give the team a chance to score runs, and he's going to be in the same attack, he's going to be in the same mentality.

So I know I have to be on my A-game. I have to be of the mindset of throwing my best pitches with conviction to get quick outs, quick innings. We've all seen what Framber Valdez is capable of doing. He can throw a lot of innings with little pitches because he's on the attack. He mixes his pitches. He can put guys away.

Like it happens in the regular season when you're going against one of like the aces on the other teams, it's all about there might not be a lot of runs, so your job becomes extra trying to prevent runs and making good pitches early, get ahead, stay ahead, and then try to have quick innings because that might be what's going to happen on the other side of it.