Position Player Playing Time Changes: July 14, 2026
We’ve reached the not-actually-halfway-but-people-call-it-that-because-of-the-All-Star-Break point of the season! Here are notable projected position player playing time changes for the last two weeks as we enter the second “half” on Thursday.
Significant Playing Time Changes, Hitters, 6/30 to 7/14
| Name | Team | Position | Old PT % | New PT % | PT Change | Old PA | New PA | PA Change | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Kuroda-Grauer | ATH | 2B, SS, 3B | 14% | 58% | 44% | 40 | 165 | 125 | Litany of injuries open more playing time, plus he’s hitting well |
| Ryan Jeffers | MIN | C, DH | 34% | 73% | 39% | 97 | 208 | 111 | Back from the IL |
| Esmerlyn Valdez | PIT | RF, DH, LF | 27% | 65% | 38% | 77 | 185 | 108 | The Magician is a key cog in the lineup now |
| LaMonte Wade Jr. | HOU | LF, RF, 1B | 14% | 46% | 32% | 40 | 131 | 91 | Returned from IL and starting every day against RHP |
| Luis Lara | MIL | RF, CF | 3% | 35% | 32% | 9 | 100 | 91 | Called up to the majors and deserves to play semi-regularly, but OF is crowded |
| Tim Tawa | ARI | 1B, 2B, CF, LF | 8% | 39% | 31% | 23 | 111 | 88 | Getting a crack at 1B with Smith DFA’d |
| Munetaka Murakami | CHW | 1B, DH | 65% | 91% | 26% | 185 | 260 | 74 | Back from the IL |
| Jim Jarvis | ATL | SS, 3B, 2B | 3% | 28% | 25% | 9 | 80 | 71 | Starting SS with Kim injured |
| Ryan Waldschmidt | ARI | CF, LF | 23% | 48% | 25% | 66 | 137 | 71 | With Tawa getting 1B time, more OF time open |
| Ke’Bryan Hayes | CIN | 3B | 25% | 48% | 23% | 71 | 137 | 66 | Back from the IL |
| Alan Roden | MIN | RF, LF, DH | 25% | 47% | 22% | 71 | 134 | 63 | Called up to replace Byron Buxton on the roster |
| Jonah Heim | ATH | C, DH, 1B | 30% | 50% | 20% | 86 | 143 | 57 | Will do some filling in at 1B with Kurtz out |
| Ronald Acuña Jr. | ATL | RF, DH | 67% | 87% | 20% | 191 | 248 | 57 | Nearing IL return |
| Kahlil Watson | CLE | LF, RF, CF, DH | 34% | 54% | 20% | 97 | 154 | 57 | Ingle’s option makes him a surefire regular for now |
| Colby Thomas | ATH | RF, LF, CF | 25% | 45% | 20% | 71 | 128 | 57 | Gelof injury makes him a more regular OF |
| Victor Caratini | MIN | C, DH, 1B | 72% | 52% | -20% | 205 | 148 | -57 | Jeffers return cuts into C time |
| Samad Taylor | SDP | LF, CF, RF, 2B | 59% | 39% | -20% | 168 | 111 | -57 | Oblique strain, he hopes mild |
| Nick Kurtz | ATH | 1B | 94% | 72% | -22% | 268 | 205 | -63 | Thumb sprain, timeline unclear but hopefully won’t be too long |
| Mark Vientos | NYM | 1B, DH, 3B | 54% | 30% | -24% | 154 | 86 | -68 | Fractured hand |
| Joey Loperfido | HOU | LF, CF, RF | 52% | 27% | -25% | 148 | 77 | -71 | Optioned to minors |
| Ha-seong Kim | ATL | SS | 70% | 44% | -26% | 200 | 125 | -74 | Finger inflammation; on rehab assignment but it’s unclear how much PT will be available to him when back |
| Cooper Ingle | CLE | LF, DH, C | 41% | 14% | -27% | 117 | 40 | -77 | Optioned to minors |
| Kameron Misner | KCR | CF | 33% | 5% | -28% | 94 | 14 | -80 | Optioned to minors |
| Matt Chapman | SFG | 3B | 95% | 66% | -29% | 271 | 188 | -83 | Strained abdominal muscle |
| Max Muncy | ATH | 3B, SS, 2B | 65% | 16% | -49% | 185 | 46 | -140 | Optioned to minors |
| Pavin Smith | ARI | 1B, DH, RF | 52% | 1% | -51% | 148 | 3 | -145 | DFA’d |
| Konnor Griffin | PIT | SS, DH | 89% | 33% | -56% | 254 | 94 | -160 | Finger injury will keep him out ~2 months |
