Lineup Analysis (10/1/22)

American League

Angels

• Catcher-qualified Matt Thaiss (.614 OPS, 2 HR) has started in six of the last 10 games.

Livan Soto (.333/.357/.513, 1 HR, 1 SB) has started in 11 of the last 12 games. He had 18 SB in AAA.

Astros

• No changes.

Athletics

• No one is rosterable.

Blue Jays

Whit Merrifield (.718 OPS, 4 HR, 1 SB with Toronto) has started nine straight games.

Raimel Tapia (.263/.287/.383, 7 HR, 8 SB) has started in 12 of the last 13 games.

Guardians

Gabriel Arias (.716 OPS in AAA, .589 OPS in the majors) has started in five straight games.

Will Brennan (.333/.400/.333, 2 SB) only faces righties.

Mariners

Jarred Kelenic has started eight straight and has a 1.000 OPS with 3 HR since being recalled.

Dylan Moore (6 HR, 21 SB, .744 OPS) has started four straight games (seven out of 10).

Orioles

• Nothing different.

Rangers

• No noticeable changes.

Rays

• In a weird sort of way, they have more regulars than guys sharing roles.

Manuel Margot (.700 OPS, 3 HR, 7 SB) has started 10 straight games.

Red Sox

Triston Casas (.843 OPS, 5 HR) has started 10 straight at first base.

Royals

Edward Olivares (.786 Sep OPS) has started in 11 of the last 12 games.

Nate Eaton (11 SB in 111 PA) has started in eight of the last 10 games.

Tigers

Akil Baddoo (.229/.339/.396, 1 HR, 2 SB in September) has leadoff for the last two games.

Twins

Ryan Jeffers (.218/.295/.381, 7 HR) has started two of three games since coming off the IL.

Jake Cave (.653 OPS, 5 HR) has eight straight starts.

White Sox

• No noticeable change for this geriatric squad.

Yankees

DJ LeMahieu is back so the infield will be back to cycling a player to the bench every game.

Harrison Bader (.476 OPS with the Yankees) has started in eight of 10 games since returning from the IL.

National League

Braves

• Since September 9th, Vaughn Grissom is hitting .163/.250/.163 with a 29% K%. Because of those struggles, Orlando Arcia has started instead over the last three games.

Brewers

Willy Adames, Hunter Renfroe, and Christian Yelich are the only guys not in some form of a timeshare.

Cardinals

Albert Pujols is now back to only starting against lefties.

• Four outfielders (Yepez, Dickerson, Carlson, and Nootbar) are splitting time.

Cubs

• Such a hodgepodge of playing time and roles. It seems like whoever was in charge of the Rockies lineup decisions is now in charge of the Cubs.

Diamondbacks

Pavin Smith (.218/.297/.371, 9 HR in 259 PA) is off the IL and has started four straight as the DH.

Josh Rojas (20 SB) has made four straight starts (vs one LHP) with Emmanuel Rivera (.343 OPS over the last two weeks) heading to the bench.

Dodgers

• Steady.

Giants

Brandon Crawford and Mike Yastrzemski are the only two regulars.

Marlins

Jon Berti (38 SB) has leadoff for 10 straight games.

• A Jordan Groshans has started in nine of the last 10 games.

Mets

• No major changes.

Nationals

CJ Abrams (5 SB) has hit second in the last three games.

Padres

José Azocar (.641 OPS, 5 SB, 6 CS) has started in 11 of the last 12 games.

Josh Bell (.573 OPS with the Padres) has only started in five of the last 10 games.

Phillies

Nick Castellanos (.710 OPS) has started two of three games and hit sixth since returning from the IL.

Pirates

Miguel Andújar (.574 OPS, 1 HR, 4 SB) has started three straight games, hit third or fifth, and played in leftfield since joining the Pirates.

Ji Hwan Bae (.703 OPS, 2 SB) has started in five of the last six games.

Cal Mitchell (.620 OPS, 5 HR, 3 SB in 224 PA) has started in eight of the last 10 games.

• Catcher qualified Zack Collins (.155/.231/.320, 4 HR) has started in seven of the last 10 games, six times at the first baseman.

Reds

Jake Fraley isn’t even starting against all righties (two starts in the last five games).

Stuart Fairchild (.803 OPS, 5 HR in 82 PA) has started in five of the last six games.

Matt Reynolds (.665 OPS, 3 HR, 5 SB) has started in six of the last seven games.

Rockies

• Top prospect, Ezequiel Tovar, has started at short in five of the last six games.

Alan Trejo (.770 OPS) has started in nine of the last ten games at second, third, and short.

Sean Bouchard (.288/.472/.423, 2 HR) has started eight straight.





Jeff, one of the authors of the fantasy baseball guide,The Process, writes for RotoGraphs, The Hardball Times, Rotowire, Baseball America, and BaseballHQ. He has been nominated for two SABR Analytics Research Award for Contemporary Analysis and won it in 2013 in tandem with Bill Petti. He has won four FSWA Awards including on for his Mining the News series. He's won Tout Wars three times, LABR twice, and got his first NFBC Main Event win in 2021. Follow him on Twitter @jeffwzimmerman.

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wanderlust franco
1 year ago

Hi Jeff, just wanted to say thank you for this column all season, as well as the Waiver Wire Report and Big Kid Adds. They are all invaluable, and I appreciate all of the time/hard work you must put into them.