Lineup Analysis (4/26/24)

by
April 26, 2024

American League

Angels

• With Anthony Rendon back at his home on the IL, Mike Trout is leading off and Nolan Schanuel is hitting second.

• Luis Rengifo (.692) has started in eight of the last nine games.

Astros

• Jeremy Peña (.780 OPS, 2 HR, 4 SB) has moved up to hitting sixth.

• Two outfield spots are being shared by Jake Meyers, Chas McCormick, and Mauricio Dubón.

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Here are the games started over the last ten games and their current OPS.
McCormick: 8, .600
Dubon: 6, .692
Meyers: 4, .737

I wonder how long the team will allow McCormick to hit .235/.321/.279 with 0 HR.

Athletics

• Tyler Nevin (.730 OPS, 1 HR, 0 SB) has started in nine of the last 10 games.

• Esteury Ruiz (career .746 OPS vs LHP, .617 OPS vs RHP) is only starting against lefties but is at least leading off in those games.

Blue Jays

• Here is an update on the infield timeshare:

Name: OPS, Starts in the last 10 games
Davis Schneider: .742, 7
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: .697, 7
Cavan Biggio: .704, 6
Ernie Clement: .779, 4

• Addison Barger (1.021 OPS in AAA) was promoted but sat against a lefty starter. Track to see if he’s in a platoon.

Guardians

• The outfield is getting a little crowded. Here is who has been hitting and playing as they fight over two outfield spots.

Name: OPS, Starts in the last 10 games
Tyler Freeman: .705, 8
Will Brennan: .763, 7 (only vs RHP)
Estevan Florial: .833, 5
Ramón Laureano: .572, 4

Mariners

• Injuries have created mixing over the last few days.

• Since being promoted, Jonatan Clase (.490 OPS, 2 SB) has started in six of nine games.

• Dylan Moore has started the last two games at shortstop with J.P. Crawford on the IL.

Orioles

• Jordan Westburg has been sneaking into the middle of the lineup.

• Jackson Holliday (vs RHP) and Jorge Mateo (vs LHP) are in a second-base platoon. — Holliday has been sent back to AAA.

• How Heston Kjerstad will be utilized is not clear at this point.

Rangers

• Since coming off the IL, Nathaniel Lowe has hit third or fifth.

• Josh Smith (.810 OPS) has started at third base in 12 of the last 13 games.

Rays

• Amed Rosario (.843 OPS, 2 HR, 3 SB) has started in 11 straight games.

• Ben Rortvedt (.821 OPS) has started at catcher in four of the last six games.

Red Sox

• Wilyer Abreu (.905 OPS, 2 HR, 4 SB) has hit cleanup in the last four games.

• Ceddanne Rafaela (.483 OPS) has started 13 games in a row, mainly at shortstop.

• Bobby Dalbec (.245 OPS) has started six straight games.

Royals

• Michael Massey is off the IL and hitting seventh or eighth in the lineup.

• Garrett Hampson (vs LHP) and Kyle Isbel (vs RHP) are in a centerfield platoon.

• For some unknown reason, Adam Frazier (.570 OPS) has started in three of the last four games.

Tigers

• A Wenceel Pérez (.806 OPS, 2 SB) has started in four of the last six games while hitting second or third.

• Matt Vierling (.688 OPS) has started five straight games at third.

• Buddy Kennedy (1.114 OPS) and Colt Keith (.401 OPS) have split the last four games at second base.

Twins

• They have so many moving parts, it’s tough to find regulars worth rostering.

• Trevor Larnach (1.137 OPS) is only starting against righties.

• Willi Castro (.614 OPS) has started in 12 of the last 13 games at shortstop.

White Sox

• Danny Mendick has started four straight games. In three of them, he hit first or second.

• Nicky Lopez (.504 OPS, 0 SB, 4 CS) has hit leadoff in five of the last six games.

Yankees

• Steady, no changes.

National League

Braves

• Steady.

• The second base timeshare ends with Ozzie Albies coming off the IL.

Brewers

• It’s nearly impossible to figure out what is going on here.

• Blake Perkins (.911 OPS) has started 12 straight games and is hitting in the fifth to seventh spot.

• Jackson Chourio (.639 OPS) is now mainly hitting eighth or ninth.

Cardinals

• Michael Siani (.525 OPS) has started five straight games in center field.

• Willson Contreras (.951 OPS) has hit second in the last four games.

Cubs

• Nico Hoerner (.785 OPS, 1 SB, 2 CS) is back hitting leadoff.

• Michael Busch (.865 OPS) is now hitting cleanup.

• Mike Tauchman (.928 OPS) has started in six straight games.

• Alexander Canario (.768 OPS) has started in five of the last six games.

Diamondbacks

• The lineup’s bottom half is a mess.

• Kevin Newman (.495 OPS) has started in five of the last six games.

• Corbin Carroll (.208/.321/.260, 1 HR, 8 SB) hit seventh in the last game.

Dodgers

• Chris Taylor (vs LHP) and Gavin Lux (vs RHP) are in a platoon.

• Andy Pages (.851 OPS, 2 HR) has started eight straight games since being promoted.

Giants

• Jung Hoo Lee 이정후 (.719 OPS vs RHP, .646 OPS vs LHP) has sat against two of the last three lefties.

• Patrick Bailey (.855 OPS) is now hitting fifth.

Marlins

• Bryan De La Cruz (.725 OPS, 5 HR) is now hitting second.

• With several guys changing positions, Otto Lopez (vs LHP) and Nick Gordon (vs RHP) are in a platoon.

• Emmanuel Rivera (.576 OPS) started seven straight games playing first and third base.

Mets

• DJ Stewart (.816 OPS) has started five of six games at DH, all against righties (career .612 OPS vs LHP, .793 OPS vs RHP).

• Harrison Bader (.654 OPS, 5 SB) has started in nine of the last 10 games while playing center field.

• Omar Narváez (.485 OPS) and Tomás Nido (.452 OPS) are splitting time at catcher with Francisco Alvarez on the IL

Nationals

• Jacob Young (.647 OPS, 6 SB) has started in six of the last 10 games.

• Nick Senzel (.699 OPS) has started in seven of nine games since coming off the IL.

Padres

• Eguy Rosario (.564 OPS, 2 HR) has started the last two games at third base. Tyler Wade (.605 OPS) and Graham Pauley (.333 OPS) have also played third this year.

Phillies

• Steady.

• Johan Rojas (.324/.375/.405, 6 SB over the past two weeks) has started seven straight games in centerfield including two lefties.

Pirates

• Joey Bart (1.168 OPS) has started at catcher in four of the last six games.

• Oneil Cruz (.663 OPS, 3 HR, 2 SB, 36% K%) is now hitting seventh or eighth.

Reds

• Will Benson (vs RHP) and Stuart Fairchild (vs LHP) are still in a platoon and are now leading off.

• Elly De La Cruz (1.051 OPS, 7 HR, 15 SB) has hit second in the last two games.

• Santiago Espinal (.577 OPS, 1 HR, 4 SB) has started nine straight games at second or third base.

• Nick Martini (.633 OP, 3 HR) has started five straight games including two against lefties.

Rockies

• Over the last 14 games, Charlie Blackmon (.658 OPS) has started in only nine of them.

• Nolan Jones (.496 OPS) has only started in four of the last eight games.





 

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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montrealMember since 2022
1 year ago

Remember when Cinncy had way too many starters in the infield.

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