Lopez looking to lock down second base job with White Sox
Coming off a 101-loss season, the White Sox are all about change this year.
It's needed just about everywhere you look, and new general manager Chris Getz has already made numerous moves in an attempt to steer the Sox back to a better place.
Patching up a leaky defense has been a top priority.
“In the off-season, when I began conversations with potential free agents and agents of pitchers, there was hesitancy to come to the White Sox because of the defense,” Getz said. “So that led me to really be proactive in improving that.”
In a Nov. 16 trade, Getz sent erratic relief pitcher Aaron Bummer to the Braves for five players. Nicky Lopez was one of them, and the defensive stalwart is positioned to be the Sox's starting second base when the season opens with a March 28 game against the Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“Nicky, his skillset, defensively he’s got a strong reputation,” Getz said. “You look at his defensive ratings or any sorts of evaluation, it’s strong. He can play shortstop, he can play second, he can play third base. Nicky can provide improved defense and that’s certainly something we’ve set out to do.”
The 28-year-old Lopez, who prepped at Naperville Central High School, is tied for 10th in MLB with 31 outs above average (FanGraphs) since the start of the 2020 season.
In a combined 94 games with the Braves and Royals last season, he committed only 2 errors in 277 chances.
“The one thing I do hang my hat on is being versatile and playing Gold Glove-caliber defense, whether it’s at short, second or third,” Lopez said. “Played a little of the outfield as well. Knowing I can go fill a spot wherever they need me is something I take a lot of pride in.”
Proving he can hit has been Lopez’s biggest challenge since he broke in with Kansas City in 2019 after being drafted out of Creighton (fifth round) three years earlier.
“That's something I’m aware of, something I'm always working on,” said Lopez, who was 2-for-2 with 2 doubles and a walk in Thursday's Cactus League split-squad game against Seattle. “I’ve hit before and it’s just a matter of getting back into the flow, getting into a good rhythm.”
A .249/.312/.319 hitter over five seasons with Kansas City and Atlanta, Lopez finished fifth in the 2021 American League batting race with a .300 average.
Getz is also trying to change the air in the White Sox’s clubhouse. It was heavy and unpleasant for much of last season.
Adding an upbeat player like Lopez can only help on that front.
“The last four years playing against the Sox, I thought they could be a great team capable of playing gritty baseball each day,” Lopez said. “You want to have the mentality of playing hard once you step on the field. I think that's an important characteristic to have. That is what this team must get back to.”
The White Sox are thin at second base, so it looks like Lopez is going to be the regular starter at this point. Lenyn Sosa and non-roster invite Danny Mendick are other options.