Nicky Lopez loses arbitration case against Kansas City Royals, happy to put it behind him
The best part about Nicky Lopez’s arbitration case against the Kansas City Royals, from Lopez’ perspective, is that it’s over.
However much Lopez might have liked to ignore it, he couldn’t deny that the case hung over him through the first two months of the season.
“This whole year I’ve been thinking about it,” Lopez said. “Phone calls with my agent constantly about it. Just trying to get something done early. Trying to come to an agreement. Obviously, we weren’t able to, but it’s good to have it done.”
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported on Friday afternoon that the Royals won their case which meant Lopez’s salary for 2022 will be $2.55 million. He and his representation had filed for a salary of $2.95 million.
Due to the MLB lockout this winter, transactions were frozen for an extended period and arbitration hearings were pushed back and held during the season instead of during spring training when they’d typically take place.
Lopez and his agent had their hearing in front of panel of arbitrators and made their case opposed by the Royals via a Zoom on Thursday morning from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. during the club’s day off in the Bay Area.
“(It’s a) relief being done, it’s kind of in the rear-view mirror now,” Lopez said of his feelings. “The whole process kind of stinks. We tried on our end to get a deal done for a couple weeks before. It didn’t seem like it was going to happen, so we had to go.”
Lopez, 27, was a first-time arbitration participant. He made his debut on May 14, 2019.
This season, Lopez has struggled offensively. He entered Friday batting .214 with a .286 on-base percentage through 59 games.
A former fifth-round draft pick, Lopez is a former Royals Minor League Player of the Year. He has started at second base and shortstop for the Royals and recently made his first start at third base.
Last season after shortstop Adalberto Mondesi got hurt on the final day of spring training, Lopez took over as the everyday shortstop and led the majors in outs above average (25) and runs prevented (19). He also recorded the highest fielding percentage of any shortstop in the AL and set a franchise record with 72 consecutive error-less games at shortstop from May 5 through August 13.
Offensively, Lopez became the first Royals left-handed batter to hit .300 since Eric Hosmer did so in 2017. Lopez was also the first Royals shortstop to play at least 75% of his games at that position to bat .300.
He recorded career highs in hits (149), runs (78), triples (six), RBIs (43), extra-base hits (29), walks (49), stolen bases (22), batting average (.300) and on-base percentage (.365).
“I went in there pretty prepared, knowing the talking points that they were going to talk about, obviously,” Lopez said. “I mean, I live it. I know my 2020 season, the shortened season, I knew what they were going to bring up.”
The previous year, Lopez had been a finalist for the AL Gold Glove at second base. But at the plate, he slashed .201/.286/.266.
For his career, Lopez has a slash line of .255/.316/.327 with five home runs, 91 RBIs and 27 stolen bases in 369 games.
The only other Royals player to go to arbitration this season was left fielder Andrew Benintendi, who became the only player to win a case against the Royals since the current front office regime under president of baseball operations Dayton Moore has been in place.
Benintendi had his hearing on May 12 and won his requested salary of $8.5 million.
“It would have been nice to have it done early like he had,” Lopez said. “I was thinking about it, but it’s good to have it over with.”
