Prior to the 2021 season, Nicky Lopez’s career with the Royals was at something of a crossroads. In 159 major league games over the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Lopez had produced a meager slash line of .228/.279/.307. That’s a wRC+ of just 55 and, even with elite defense at second base, he was worth -0.3 fWAR. A spot on the 2021 roster was not a sure thing. A dismal spring training did not help matters: Lopez slashed just .118/.231/.147 in 34 spring at-bats with 13 strikeouts. Meanwhile, his middle infield competition of Whit Merrifield, Bobby Witt Jr.
Is Nicky Lopez slumping or regressing?
