The Chicago Cubs are bringing back Nicky Lopez, expected to add the 31-year-old to the roster before Friday night’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, after acquiring him from the Colorado Rockies for cash considerations. The move comes as the club prepares to place Porter Hodge on the 60-day injured list following UCL reconstruction surgery earlier this week.
Lopez spent part of the 2025 season with the Cubs and appeared in 14 games before moving on, and his return gives Chicago a familiar option in a roster that has been shifting all week. The corresponding move is likely to be Hodge’s transfer to the 60-day IL, a reflection of the fact that he is expected to be sidelined for 12 to 14 months.
The timing matters because the Cubs have been looking for flexibility in the middle of a crowded stretch. Scott Kingery has largely been used as a pinch-runner this season and has totaled only four plate appearances, but he also made two errors in the same game against the Philadelphia Phillies earlier this week, putting his spot in sharper focus.
That is why the club looked at Matt Shaw in center field on Thursday. If Kingery comes off the roster, Shaw would become the primary backup to Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field, giving Chicago another option behind its regular starter.
Lopez’s path back is shaped by more than the immediate roster math. He is out of minor-league options, which means the Cubs may need to make a more definitive move to keep him around. He also remains a player Craig Counsell has valued for his defense and versatility, a combination that has kept him in the conversation even after a difficult previous stint in Chicago, when he slashed.056/.227/.956 through 22 plate appearances.
For the Cubs, the next step is simple even if the roster puzzle is not: add Lopez, clear space for Hodge’s long absence, and decide whether Kingery or another reserve loses his place before the Dodgers arrive. The way Chicago sorts through that choice will say as much about its immediate priorities as the lineup card does.
