Lineup Analysis (4/3/26)

by
April 3, 2026


John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

American League

Angels

• Josh Lowe sat against the first left-handed starter with Bryce Teodosio facing the lefty.

• Oswald Peraza (.824 OPS) has started all but one game.

Astros

• Joey Loperfido (vs RHP) and Brice Matthews (vs LHP) form an outfield platoon.

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• Because Jeremy Peña is hurt, the infield situation remains unresolved.

Athletics

• Max Muncy (.626 OPS) started every game.

• Jeff McNeil (vs RHP) and Darell Hernaiz (vs LHP) appear to be in a second base platoon.

Blue Jays

• Davis Schneider (vs LHP) and Jesús Sánchez (vs RHP) form a left field platoon.

• Addison Barger (.125 OPS) started in three of the six games.

Guardians

• Angel Martínez (.600 OPS) started in three straight games while batting second with CJ Kayfus (.231 OPS) sitting.

• The team has not faced a lefty starter, so no platoon has materialized. We’ll learn more when they face their first one tomorrow.

Mariners

• Victor Robles (vs LHP) and Luke Raley (vs RHP) are in a right field platoon.

• Dominic Canzone (vs RHP) and Rob Refsnyder (vs LHP) are in a DH platoon.

Orioles

• In the three games Samuel Basallo didn’t catch, he was the DH twice.

• Jeremiah Jackson (.517 OPS) and Blaze Alexander (.727 OPS) split time at second base.

• Dylan Beavers (.857 OPS) and Tyler O’Neill (.651) split one outfield spot.

Rangers

• Andrew McCutchen (vs LHP) and Joc Pederson (vs RHP) form a DH platoon.

• Sam Haggerty (vs LHP) and Evan Carter (vs RHP) form an outfield platoon.

• Ezequiel Duran (vs LHP) and Josh Smith (vs RHP) appear to be in a second base platoon.

Rays

• Ryan Vilade (vs LHP) and Jake Fraley (vs RHP) form an outfield platoon.

• Richie Palacios (.200 OPS) and Ben Williamson (.500 OPS) slit time at second base. It could be a platoon with Palacios facing righties and Williamson facing lefties.

• Nick Fortes (.931 OPS) started at catcher in four of the six games.

Red Sox

• Masataka Yoshida (.429 OPS) hit second in the last two games.

• Marcelo Mayer (.627 OPS) started in only four of the six games so far.

Royals

• Lane Thomas (vs LHP) and Kyle Isbel (vs RHP) form a centerfield platoon.

• Starling Marte (vs LHP) and Jac Caglianone (RHP) might be in a platoon.

Tigers

• They have not faced a lefty starter, so the platoons aren’t yet known.

• So far, Matt Vierling and Zach McKinstry have not been starting regularly

Twins

• Austin Martin (vs LHP) and Trevor Larnach (vs RHP) form a left field platoon.

• Brooks Lee (.368 OPS) sat twice for Tristan Gray (.844 OPS).

Victor Caratini (vs LHP) and Kody Clemens (vs RHP) form a first base platoon.

White Sox

• They haven’t faced a lefty starter yet and there isn’t one on the docket for at least another week or more.

• Tristan Peters (.812 OPS) and Everson Pereira (.844 OPS) started in five of the six games.

Yankees

• Ryan McMahon (vs RHP) and Amed Rosario (vs LHP) might be in a third base platoon.

National League

Braves

• Mike Yastrzemski (vs RHP) and Eli White (vs LHP) form a left field platoon.

• Jonah Heim (vs LHP) and Dominic Smith (vs RHP) formed a platoon, with Drake Baldwin moving between catching and the DH.

Brewers

• Garrett Mitchell (.769 OPS), Brandon Lockridge (.904 OPS), and Blake Perkins (.422 OPS) share two outfield spots.

• David Hamilton (vs RHP) and Luis Rengifo (vs LHP) form a third base platoon.

Cardinals

• Nolan Gorman sat against the only lefty.

• Thomas Saggese (vs LHP) and Nathan Church (RHP) might form a right field platoon.

Cubs

• Matt Shaw (.517 OPS) and Michael Conforto (.143 OPS) split time in right field.

• Moisés Ballesteros (.417 OPS) started five of six games as the DH.

Diamondbacks

• Alek Thomas (428 OPS), Jorge Barrosa (1.000 OPS), and Tim Tawa (.714 OPS) share one outfield spot.

• Since being promoted, Jose Fernandez (1.333 OPS) has started in two of three games at first and third base.

Dodgers

• Alex Freeland (vs RHP) and Miguel Rojas (vs LHP) form a second base platoon.

• Max Muncy started against one lefty and sat against the other.

Giants

• Nothing interesting.

Marlins

• Owen Caissie (vs RHP) and Austin Slater (vs LHP) form a right field platoon.

• Heriberto Hernández (.476 OPS) and Griffin Conine (1.255 OPS) split time in the outfield.

• Graham Pauley (.615 OPS) and Javier Sanoja (1.333 OPS) split time at third base.

Mets

• Carson Benge (vs RHP) and Tyrone Taylor (vs LHP) form a right field platoon.

• Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Jorge Polanco share the DH and first base roles.

Nationals

• Curtis Mead (vs LHP) and Luis García Jr. (vs RHP) form a first base platoon.

• Joey Wiemer (1.741) started in five of six games, including against two lefties.

Padres

• The first base/DH situation is a mess with Gavin Sheets (.516 OPS), Miguel Andujar (.397 OPS), Nick Castellanos (.481 OPS), and Ty France (.000 OPS) getting starts at the two spots.

Phillies

• Brandon Marsh (.859 OPS) started in five of the six games, including against two lefties.

Pirates

• Spencer Horwitz (vs RHP) and Jake Mangum (vs LHP) form a right field platoon with Ryan O’Hearn moving between the first base and the outfield.

Reds

• Will Benson (vs RHP) and Dane Myers (vs LHP) form an outfield platoon.

Rockies

• They have not faced a lefty yet, so the platoons are obvious. They get their first look at a LH SP on Saturday.

• I suspect some changes soon with Tyler Freeman and Mickey Moniak coming off the IL over the past day or so.





 

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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