Lopez was 3-1 with a 3.62 earned run average in five starts since being recalled from Triple A, but once the Phillies traded for Cliff Lee, his lot was cast. That leaves tonight's starter J.A. Happ and Pedro Martinez vying for the final spot - unless you want to throw Moyer into the mix.
He's earned it.
Moyer still leads the team in wins (10) despite last night's loss. He also owns, by far, the highest earned run average and lowest innings-pitched total among the two other rotation mainstays, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton.
Muddling the situation further are those alternate starts, when Moyer handcuffs teams - usually young, aggressive ones. He beat the Diamondbacks his last time out. Two starts before that, he allowed one hit over seven innings against the Marlins. Two starts before that, he allowed one run to the Rays.
Last night he allowed six hits and walked four batters, including one with bases loaded.
"I don't have an answer for you," he said, his disappointed voice barely more than a whisper. "If I had an answer for you I wouldn't be in that situation. All I can tell you is that I am working as hard as I can to try and create some consistency for myself as well as my teammates."
"I think what's going to weigh into it is what are our best options," Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee was saying before last night's loss. "What's going to make us the best club? What's going to give us a chance to win another World Series?"
Easily said. Potentially torturous to decipher.
The candidates are equally mixed between those long on resume and short on arm strength and the precise opposite. Asked why Moyer's name doesn't come up as often as Happ's to be replaced by Martinez, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said, "I think who he is and the fact he's won 256 games . . . He's been very important to us."
