San Francisco Giants reliever Javier Lopez, a free-agent-to-be, isn't sure what the future holds for him just yet.

"I don't know what's next for me," Lopez told Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area. "I'm a free agent, and we'll see what happens. If I have the opportunity to come back, I'll welcome that."

Lopez, 39, "seemed headed for retirement all season long," writes Pavlovic. His comments, which came after Tuesday's loss to the Chicago Cubs in Game 4 of the NL Division Series, appeared to contradict that notion.

Lopez has been with the Giants since 2010. Prior to joining San Francisco, the southpaw spent time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. He made his major league debut with the Rockies in 2003.

Lopez posted a 4.05 ERA and 1.46 WHIP this season, with 20 holds in 68 appearances. He struck out 15 and walked 15 in 26 2/3 innings.

-- Alex Tekip