Pedro Lopez adapts to challenges of Triple-A

Pedro Lopez is accustomed to having players taken from him with little notice. After all, he’s been a minor league manager since 2001 and it’s commonplace.

But the new 51s manager has found the process a little different — and a little more difficult — at the Triple-A level.

Less than two weeks into the season, he’s already seen his closer, Paul Sewald, taken and returned from the Mets and had his scheduled starting pitcher for last Friday, Sean Gilmartin, summoned late Thursday night.

“It’s easier to get guys from here to the big leagues than it is Double-A to here. Last year (the 51s staff), they were in trouble and they took guys from me but I needed to make sure we could cover the game,” Lopez said. “Stuff happens, it happened there. It happens here but I think it happens more frequently here than it does over there.”

It’s an inevitability of life in the minors. Players will be taken and rosters will be short at times. Just this weekend, as Gilmartin was taken and an infielder, T.J. Rivera, was returned, leaving somewhat of a roster imbalance and a hole in the rotation.

“It’s a lot harder but I think the one thing is I’ve got to make sure that I do my homework,” Lopez said.

This week, that meant trying to balance a bullpen that had to throw seven innings on Wednesday, cover for Gilmartin’s absence on Friday and throw five innings the next day as the starter, Wilfredo Boscan, is still being held to a pitch count while also trying to get reliever Erik Goeddel healthy.

“I always have taken pride on that part of the game on my side is trying to manage that bullpen and trying to make sure that guys get their work in and then I can pitch guys regularly but at the same time not getting people hurt,” Lopez said. “I don’t think it’s going to be any different but I just think I’ve got to put a little more time into it this year than I did last year and it’ll work out.”

Rivera’s return loads infield

Lopez’s next challenge includes trying to manage a loaded infield.

With Dominic Smith at first, Gavin Cecchini at second and Amed Rosario at shortstop, it then becomes somewhat of a juggling act between Rivera, Matt Reynolds and Phillip Evans at third base.

Before Rivera’s arrival, Lopez was primarily playing Reynolds in left and Evans at third, though they had switched a couple of times.

On Sunday, Reynolds was in center for the second time this season and Evans was in left with Rivera at third.

Lopez said Rivera will see some time in left, too.

Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.