Lopez is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Orioles, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Lopez went 0-for-3 with a walk and run during the matinee, and he'll head to the bench with lefty Bruce Zimmermann pitching in Game 2 for Baltimore. Bobby Witt will shift to shortstop while Emmanuel Rivera starts at the hot corner.

Lopez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.

EDGE Analysis

With a tough southpaw (Robbie Ray) on the bump for Seattle, the lefty-hitting Lopez will retreat to the bench for the first time this season. After opening the campaign as the Royals' No. 9 hitter, Lopez has hit either first or second in the order in each of the past five games, going a collective 4-for-19 with two doubles and two walks.

Lopez will lead off for the first time this season Thursday against the Twins, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Bobby Witt was bumped down to seventh in the order, so Lopez will take the leadoff spot against righty Joe Ryan while Whit Merrifield hits second. Lopez is hitting .367/.406/.467 with zero home runs and zero steals this season.

Lopez went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a walk and an RBI in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Twins.

EDGE Analysis

Lopez hit second in this contest after often hitting in the bottom third of the order to start the year. The move up was partially due to Carlos Santana's (undisclosed) absence from the lineup, but Lopez has also earned more at-bats. He's batting .385 with three doubles, two RBI and three runs scored through nine games, while both Whit Merrifield and Bobby Witt are sporting .139 batting averages. Lopez's solid contact skills at the plate and strong defense at second base will keep him as a fixture in the lineup, though fantasy managers would see more of a benefit if he stays closer to the top of the order.

Lopez will start at second base and bat ninth in Thursday's game against the Tigers.

EDGE Analysis

Lopez served as the Royals' No. 8 hitter in Tuesday's 6-5 loss to St. Louis, but he's otherwise slotted in at the bottom of the order in each of Kansas City's games this season. With Adalberto Mondesi back to full health and with Bobby Witt breaking camp with the big club, the Royals don't have room for Lopez near the top of the lineup, even though he posted a .365 on-base average in 2021 and finished the campaign as the team's No. 2 hitter. For his part, Lopez hasn't let the move down the lineup affect his performance thus far, as he enters Thursday's game with a .357/.400/.429 slash line across 16 plate appearances.

Lopez is likely to open the season as the Royals' primary second baseman, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports.

EDGE Analysis

Getting Adalberto Mondesi back on a regular basis, plus the expected arrival of Bobby Witt, gives the Royals a lot of flexibility in the infield. Lopez primarily played shortstop last season with Mondesi battling a number of injuries. It was a breakout season for Lopez -- he slashed .300/.365/.378 with 22 stolen bases, six triples and two home runs in 151 games. With a shift back to the keystone for Lopez, Whit Merrifield would likely take on an everyday role in right field, though his versatility could see him spell a number of players around the diamond.

Lopez went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks, a stolen base and two runs scored in Friday's 11-6 win over Minnesota.

EDGE Analysis

The shortstop has hit safely in 24 of his last 26 games, posting a scorching .352/.388/.463 slash line in that span. Lopez has finished strong in an impressive and unexpectedly successful 2021. He owns a .301/.366/.380 line with 22 stolen bases, two home runs, 43 RBI, 78 runs scored and six triples through 149 contests overall as Kansas City's everyday No. 2 hitter.

Lopez went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in Saturday's 5-1 loss to Detroit.

EDGE Analysis

Lopez singled and swiped second in the sixth inning -- his 21st stolen base of the year -- then added a double in the eighth. It was the fourth multi-hit game in the last seven contests for Lopez, who has emerged as a viable fantasy asset in 2021, hitting .303 with a .367 on-base percentage to go with his perfect 21-for-21 performance on the basepaths.

Lopez went 4-for-8 with a double and three runs scored in Monday's doubleheader against Cleveland.

EDGE Analysis

Getting the start at shortstop and hitting second in both games, Lopez did an exceptional job setting the table and helping the Royals to a sweep. The 26-year-old has hit safely in five straight games and 16 of the last 17, slashing .397/.429/.493 over that latter stretch with one homer, two steals, seven RBI and 17 runs.

Lopez went 3-for-5 with an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 10-7 win over Oakland.

EDGE Analysis

The infielder is on quite a hot run at the plate, going 20-for-45 (.444) during his current 10-game hitting streak. Lopez has put up eight multi-hit efforts in that span, lifting his season slash line to .303/.368/.380 in 488 plate appearances. He's added 20 stolen bases, two home runs, 39 RBI and 65 runs scored while recently solidifying his role in the No. 2 spot in the order.