Manager Ned Yost said Lopez's move to the bullpen is likely long term, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports. "I think he can be really good there," the skipper said.
Lopez was demoted to the bullpen after struggling to a 6.79 ERA and 1.57 WHIP through his first 11 appearances (10 starts) this season. The right-hander did fan 49 batters in 51.2 innings, so there's a chance his stuff plays in shorter stints, though he'll need to fix his home run (2.1 HR/9) and walk (3.7 BB/9) issues before he's trusted with high-leverage work. The Royals have yet to name Lopez's replacement in the rotation, though Glenn Sparkman is likely the team's top candidate.