Lopez struck out two in a perfect 10th inning en route to securing a save Sunday in the Royals' 9-8 win over the Indians.
The right-hander's previous two appearances had come as a starter, but he shifted back to the bullpen with the Royals anticipating Danny Duffy's (hamstring) return from the 10-day injured list during the upcoming week. Lopez came through with a spotless showing in a high-leverage spot, but his usage in the save situation was likely a byproduct of the Royals exhausting their preferred late-inning options earlier in the contest. Lopez will likely work primarily in the middle innings or in mop-up scenarios moving forward.