Nicky Lopez Drives In Two Runs, Swipes Bag On Monday
Chicago White Sox second baseman Nicky Lopez drove in a pair of runs during a two-hit performance in Monday's 8-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Lopez had an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth before hitting a game-tying double in the bottom of the eighth that helped force the game to extra innings. He also added his fourth stolen base along with a run scored. Lopez is slashing .250/.309/.298 with 14 RBI and 23 runs scored. He only has 11 extra-base hits (no home runs) and has been caught stealing five times, which are two reasons why fantasy managers have ignored Lopez's production. Despite Monday's solid performance, the 29-year-old is mainly an option in AL-Only or deep-league formats.
Atlanta Braves infielder Nicky Lopez will take a seat on the bench for the first game of a series against the New York Mets on Monday with a left-hander on the mound. Vaughn Grissom will get the start at the keystone and will hit ninth in the batting order against Mets left-hander David Peterson. Lopez has essentially taken over starting duties at second base since Ozzie Albies (hamstring) landed on the injured list, and he's gone 9-for-23 (.391) with a homer, a double, eight RBI, a stolen base and five runs scored in nine games (seven starts) since being acquired from the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline in early August. The 28-year-old is only hitting .235 (43-for-183) on the year, though, with just a homer and five stolen bases.
Kansas City Royals infielder Nicky Lopez has been traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for left-hander Taylor Hearn. This move makes sense considering the Royals have younger infielders that they want to give a chance on their rebuilding roster. Lopez is a skill defender, but has struggled with the bat this season. He's slashing .212/.323/.281 with 13 RBI and four stolen bases in 51 games. He'll provide depth and versatility to the Braves roster. Hearn was acquired by the Braves from the Texas Rangers last week. He hasn't pitched much in the majors this season, but threw over 100 innings with the Rangers during each of the last two seasons. He's a decent swingman option and is expected to head to the Royals bullpen.
Kansas City Royals infielder Nicky Lopez (hand) was hit in the hand by a pitch during Wednesday's 14-1 blowout loss to the Cleveland Guardians. He was removed from the game, but he underwent X-rays after the contest, which came back negative, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Consider Lopez day-to-day for now. Since 2021 when he hit .300, the 28-year-old has done almost nothing offensively and is batting just .206 with no home runs, 11 runs, seven RBI, and three steals over 48 games. Fantasy managers should leave Lopez on the waiver wire in all formats with that kind of production.
Kansas City Royals second baseman Nicky Lopez (abdomen) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Monday. The 28-year-old has been sidelined since late April after undergoing an appendectomy procedure. Before that, Lopez was slashing .200/.323//.291 with seven RBI and two stolen bases in 18 games. The expectation is that he's going to heat up with the bat, so fantasy managers should monitor his performance. He'll bat seventh and play second base versus right-hander Michael Lorenzen on Monday.
Kansas City Royals infielder Nicky Lopez (abdomen) is expected to begin a rehab assignment in the next week. The 28-year-old has been out since the end of April after undergoing an appendectomy, so he continues to work his way back. Lopez hasn't played the best this season, batting .200 with 11 hits, five runs, and seven RBI in 55 at-bats, meaning there aren't many fantasy managers eagerly awaiting his return.
Royals Call Up Maikel Garcia, Nicky Lopez To Injured List
The Kansas City Royals are calling up shortstop Maikel Garcia, the team's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, on Tuesday, according to a source. In a corresponding move, infielder Nicky Lopez (appendix) is going on the injured list with appendicitis. There's a good chance that Garcia will play regularly for the Royals while he's in the big leagues, possibly at third base, where he's mostly been playing for Triple-A Omaha. The 23-year-old was hitting just .242 (23-for-95) with seven doubles, a homer, 17 RBI and four steals in 24 games for Omaha, but he hit .285 with 34 doubles, 11 homers, 61 RBI and 39 thefts in 118 games with Omaha and Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2022. Garcia is more of a contact-oriented hitter that stays in the gaps, and his plus speed is worth taking a chance on in deeper leagues.
Franmil Reyes, Nicky Lopez Not Playing Against Twins
Kansas City Royals outfielder Franmil Reyes and infielder Nicky Lopez are not in the team's starting lineup on Friday against right-hander Pablo Lopez and the Minnesota Twins. Reyes went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Thursday and is hitting just .200 (11-for-55) with two home runs, seven RBI and 22 strikeouts in 61 plate appearances through the first 18 games in 2023. He's hitless in his last 13 at-bats. Vinnie Pasquantino is serving as the designated hitter and batting second, while Hunter Dozier is starting at the hot corner and batting eighth in the lineup against Lopez on Friday. Recently recalled Nick Pratto is getting the start at first base and is hitting sixth.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday that the Chicago White Sox have expressed interest in trading for Kansas City Royals second baseman/shortstop Nicky Lopez. However, the Royals are not eager to move Lopez, as they view him as an important depth player. The team's plan is to start Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop, Michael Massey at second base, and use Lopez in a utility role. The 27-year-old slashed .227/.281/.273 with no home runs, 51 runs scored, 20 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in 480 plate appearances in 2022. Lopez's fantasy value is already limited to stolen bases in roto leagues as is, and any dent in his playing time would further limit that.
Nicky Lopez Settles At $3.7 Million For Next Season
The Kansas City Royals and middle infielder Nicky Lopez avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $3.7 million deal. Lopez went from hitting .300 in 151 games with the Royals in 2021 to slashing .227/.281/.273 with a .554 OPS in 480 plate appearances and 141 games in 2022. He added no homers, 20 RBI, 51 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. The 27-year-old has never been much of a threat with the lumber, but he's stuck around because of his excellent defensive skills up the middle. He can play second, third and shortstop and will be competing with Michael Massey at the keystone in spring training this year. Lopez isn't very attractive in fantasy for anything other than his modest speed.
