The Rockies announced they’ve traded minor league infielder Nicky Lopez to the Cubs for cash. He was on a minor league contract and will not immediately occupy a 40-man roster spot for Chicago.
Lopez has been an organizational favorite of the Cubs as a depth infielder. He appeared in 14 MLB games for them last year between April and May. Lopez had also been with the club last spring on a minor league deal before being granted his release to pursue an MLB opportunity with the Angels. The Cubs waived him in late May but brought him back on a new minor league contract in August.
The Naperville, Illinois native signed with Colorado in December. He’s out to a nice start with Triple-A Albuquerque, batting .333 with a home run and a couple stolen bases over 15 games. Although the offense is surely inflated by playing in the Pacific Coast League, he’s showing his typically strong bat-to-ball ability while playing in the middle of the diamond.
Lopez is a lifetime .245/.310/.311 hitter in a little under 700 big league contests. He’s a quality defender at any of second base, third base, or shortstop. If the Cubs wanted to call him back up, he could replace Scott Kingery (who still has a minor league option) as the team’s utility infielder. Chicago would need to select Lopez onto the 40-man roster but essentially has a free roster spot with Porter Hodge a lock to move to the 60-day injured list after this week’s UCL surgery.
Are they converting him to pitching?
Well that move should pretty much guarantee a 10th straight win tomorrow 😂. Cubs are white hot right now, but would have thought the next move made would have been to help the dropping by the day pitching staff. Hopefully Lopez is never needed for the Big League roster.
Just realized – the corresponding move will probably be to drop Kingery. If that’s the case I’m fine with this pickup.
The funny part is that they are probably dumping Kingery for his mistakes in the field more than for his lack of hitting
Braves LEGEND my G.O.A.T. I love you lol
Surprise!
He levitated right back to the Cubs. He is hitting really good in AAA maybe he can have that .300 season he had a few years ago.
Guy is like Herpes. Keeps showing up again.
And you sit crying in your bathroom when you get him
Well you are expert.
Kind of like Cubs wins
“Lopez is a lifetime .245/.310/.311 hitter in a little under 700 big league contests.”
That’s a 73 wRC+ for anyone smart enough to be curious about that.
All the 40 man roster step forward, not so fast Scott……..
If he’s going to be used in the same capacity as Kingery, and can actually field at 3B, then it makes sense.
I’m most amazed Scott Kingery has any option years left.
Odd timing of this trade on the same day that Willi Castro exited the game with a sore knee. Lopez seems like he would have been a perfect replacement. But I guess we still have Ryan Ritter for that just in case Castro need an IL stint.