The Reason Nicky Lopez is Glad He Signed with Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers signed Nicky Lopez to a contract and put him in the starting lineup just hours later.

Texas Rangers shortstop Nicky Lopez. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Nicky Lopez joined the Texas Rangers on an auspicious evening.

The Rangers designated former National League MVP Andrew McCutchen for assignment before Wednesday’s game against the Houston Astors. The Rangers then signed Lopez and added him to the roster, taking McCutchen’s spot. Texas then installed Lopez at second base, replacing Justin Focsue.

That’s a quick turnaround for a utility man who was DFA’ed by the Chicago Cubs last weekend and then declared free agency. But there was a silver lining. Jacob deGrom was on the mound for the Rangers. That was fine by Lopez.

“I’m glad I’m sharing the diamond with Jacob deGrom now,” he said to MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry on Wednesday. “I don’t ever wanna see him again.”

Lopez has faced deGrom three times but doesn’t have a hit. Lopez went 0-for-3 on Wednesday, as he slid over to shortstop midway through the game when Ezequiel Duran left with an illness.

Nicky Lopez’s Rangers Future

Texas Rangers shortstop Nicky Lopez (33) and Rangers second baseman Justin Foscue. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Before he joined Texas, he played four games with the Chicago Cubs and didn’t have a hit in five at-bats. But since his MLB debut in 2019 with Kansas City, he’s played in 694 games and has a slash of .245/.309/.310. He doesn’t come with much slug — he’s only hit seven career home runs. But he has speed to steal bases and get into scoring position, as he has four seasons with 10 or more doubles.

He can play every infield position, with most of it at second base and shortstop. He joins the team with both Josh Smith and Corey Seager on the injured list and needing at least a couple of more weeks to be ready to return. Adding Lopez gives Foscue — who has more power than Lopez — gives the infielder a break.

But Lopez also gives the Rangers something that could differentiate him from Foscue — defense. He has an overall .989 fielding percentage, including a .990 fielding percentage at second base. While playing shortstop for the Royals in 2021, he led the American League in fielding percentage at the position at .987.

Foscue’s fielding percentage at second base is .967 and he made a key error in the ninth inning while turning a double play in Anaheim on Sunday that led to a loss to the Los Angeles Angels. It wasn’t his first defensive miscue, either.

Lopez gives the Rangers a better defender at a position where they have limited depth. He brings a bat that can make contact but won’t slug much. He can play multiple positions, which can come in handy when Seager and Smith return. This also gives him time to build a case for a roster spot.

As a bonus, he doesn’t have face deGrom anymore.