Grandfather’s passing gives former Kansas City Royals player a new perspective

It has already been a whirlwind of a year for former Kansas City Royals infielder Nicky Lopez.

Days before he would be designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs, Lopez took time away from the team to be with his family in the wake of his grandfather’s May 21 passing.

Lawrence Marnell, to whom Lopez referred as “Papa,” was an avid baseball fan and follower of Lopez’s career until his death at 93.

Shortly after being released by the Cubs, Lopez, 31, fielded a call from the Texas Rangers, who were offering him a one-year contract. They allowed him to stay with his family to attend his grandfather’s funeral, where Lopez was a pallbearer, before joining the Rangers in Arlington, Texas.

“It meant a lot to me because me and my grandfather were very close and I don’t know how I’d feel if I was to miss that.” said Lopez, who was with the Royals from 2019 to 2023. “So for (the Rangers) to give me the freedom to do that and then come and play was very special to me.”

A career .246 hitter, Lopez has found some success at the plate during his career, especially against his former team. He has hit safely in all four games he’s played against the Royals, going 7-for-14 with four RBIs, including a home run in the Rangers’ 9-1 win over the Royals on May 29.

It was Lopez’s first home run in nearly two years. And he’s currently hitting well, with a .333 average (10 hits in 30 at-bats) with Texas.

In his return to Kauffman Stadium with the Rangers on Wednesday, Lopez went 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and walk as the visitors won 6-4 in 10 innings. But he said he “won’t say a bad thing” about the organization that selected him in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB draft out of Creighton University.

“The Royals are near and dear to my heart,” he said. “They allowed me to live out my dream of being a big leaguer, and it was a great four and a half years that I was with them.

The emotional week of his grandfather’s passing and offer from the Rangers offered Lopez some new perspective and the potential to find a long-term home in baseball. The Rangers are his fifth major-league team since his departure from KC midway through the 2023 season, when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves.

Lopez today is just focused on taking advantage of his new opportunity in Texas. For now, it’s one day at a time.

“You have to cherish every single day in the big leagues because this game is hard, but it’s also the best place to be in the world,” he said. “Just kind of changing your mindset and just handling one day at a time, be where your feet are and just take every opportunity you can have and try to make the most of it.

In one last tribute to his late grandfather, Lopez chose to wear the number 33 when he signed with the Rangers. It’s his homage to Marnell, whose favorite number was 3.

“I’ve had double numbers,” Lopez said, “but nothing really that high,” he said. “(Texas teammate) Joc (Pederson) has 3, so they said 33 and I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ It’s awesome, a little ode to him.”

This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 2:52 PM.