Lineup Analysis (4/5/24)

American League

Angels

Con Anthony Rendon como titular en cinco de los primeros seis juegos, esta alineación ha sido sobreanalizada. Además, Luis Rengifo orinó en los Weaties de Ron Washington.

Astros

• Jake Meyers (.808 OPS) has started in only four of seven games.

• José Abreu (.295 OPS) has missed a few games with a sore hand.

Athletics

• JJ Bleday (.972 OPS) has started every game while batting near the top of the lineup.

• Nick Allen (.632 OPS) and Lawrence Butler (.492) have started in six of the seven games.

Blue Jays

• The lineup’s bottom half is a mess. Injuries and ineffectiveness have players churning in and out of the lineup.

• Isiah Kiner-Falefa (.618 OPS) has started in six of seven games.

Guardians

• Tyler Freeman (.688 OPS) has started in six of eight games, all in center field.

• Will Brennan (vs RHP) and Ramón Laureano (vs LHP) seem to be in a right-field platoon.

Mariners

• Luke Raley (.583 OPS) and Dominic Canzone (.412 OPS) are not regularly playing because neither can hit lefties and Mitch Haniger rotates in and out of the DH spot.

• Josh Rojas (.917 OPS) and Luis Urías (.483 OPS) are splitting time at third base.

Orioles

• Jorge Mateo has only started against lefties (career .672 OPS vs LHP, .614 OPS vs RHP).

• For some reason, Ramón Urías (.071 OPS) has started in four games.

Rangers

• Injuries have the lineup constantly changing.

• Jared Walsh has started in five of six games at first base.

• Evan Carter (.000/.318/.000) is NOT being platooned or demoted … yet.

Rays

• Harold Ramírez and José Caballero have started in six of the seven games.

• Brandon Lowe (vs RHP) and Curtis Mead (vs LHP) are in a second base platoon.

• Amed Rosario (.488 OPS) and Richie Palacios (.792 OPS) are splitting time in right field.

Red Sox

• Enmanuel Valdez (.515 OPS) has started in six of seven games at second base.

• Reese McGuire has started at catcher in one more game than Connor Wong.

Royals

• Nelson Velázquez has started in five of the first seven games.

• Freddy Fermin (.167 OPS) has caught three times.

Tigers

• Against the two lefties, Parker Meadows hit ninth (Opening Day) and sat in the other.

• Andy Ibáñez (hit first or second), Zach McKinstry, and Matt Vierling started against lefties. Who sits seems to be a rotation of Colt Keith, Parker Meadows, Gio Urshela, and Kerry Carpenter.

Twins

• Kyle Farmer (vs LHP) and Edouard Julien (vs RHP) are back in their second base platoon.

• Willi Castro has started in four of five games (three at 3B) since Royce Lewis went on the IL.

• The outfield is crowded with Max Kepler, Matt Wallner, Byron Buxton, Manuel Margot, and Alex Kirilloff (was Willi Castro) fighting over the three spots.

White Sox

• A Braden Shewmake has started in four of six games at shortstop.

• Dominic Fletcher (vs RHP) and Kevin Pillar (vs LHP) seem to be in a right-field platoon.

• Gavin Sheets has taken over the DH duties from Eloy Jiménez.

Yankees

• Aaron Judge DH’ed twice. Both times, Giancarlo Stanton didn’t move to the outfield by sat instead.

• Oswaldo Cabrera has started in six of the seven games, five at third.

National League

Braves

• Adam Duvall (vs LHP) and Jarred Kelenic (vs RHP) are in a left-field platoon.

Brewers

• An Oliver Dunn (.607 OPS) and Joey Ortiz (.586 OPS) are splitting time at third base.

• Brice Turang and Sal Frelick might be sitting against lefties.

Cardinals

• Victor Scott II has started every game in center field.

• Brendan Donovan has lead off in six of the seven games.

Cubs

• Miguel Amaya has started in three of the six games.

• Mike Tauchman is sitting against lefties.

• Against the two lefties, Michael Busch has sat or hit ninth.

Diamondbacks

• The outfield is tough to figure out since Alek Thomas went on the IL. It seems like Jake McCarthy and Jorge Barrosa are fighting for playing time.

• In four of the seven games, Blaze Alexander has started.

Dodgers

• James Outman (vs RHP) and Chris Taylor (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

• Miguel Rojas (vs LHP) and Gavin Lux (vs RHP) are in a second base platoon.

• Enrique Hernández has started in three of four games since Jason Heyward got hurt.

Giants

• Austin Slater (vs LHP) and Mike Yastrzemski (vs RHP) seem to be in a right-field platoon.

• LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores are splitting time at first base. Wade has a major platoon issue (career .506 OPS vs LHP, .801 vs RHP) while Flores doesn’t (career .814 OPS vs LHP, .735 OPS vs RHP).

Marlins

• Jesús Sánchez (vs RHP) and Avisaíl García (vs LHP) are in a right-field platoon.

• Nick Gordon is starting in left field against lefties. The rest of the team plays musical chairs and Jonah Bride and Vidal Bruján come in to play some third base.

Mets

• Tyrone Taylor (.527 OPS) has started in four of the six games.

• Joey Wendle has started in two of the last three games with Jeff McNeil not having a hit in 17 PA.

Nationals

• Trey Lipscomb (.868 OPS) has started in six of the seven games since taking over at third base.

• Center field is a mess. Hopefully, it clears up in a week.

Padres

• Jackson Merrill (vs RHP) and José Azocar (vs LHP) are in a center field platoon.

• The team has started three different third basemen. Each has started in at least two games.

Phillies

• Brandon Marsh (vs RHP) and Whit Merrifield (vs LHP) are in a left-field platoon.

• Johan Rojas (.243 OPS) has started in five of six games in center field.

Pirates

• It’s tough to know for sure who is in a platoon since the team started out facing five lefties but my best guesses are:

• First base: Connor Joe (vs LHP) and Rowdy Tellez (vs RHP)
• Outfield: Edward Olivares (vs LHP) and Jack Suwinski (vs RHP)

• Jared Triolo has started in six of seven games at second base.

Reds

• Jake Fraley (vs RHP) and Stuart Fairchild (vs LHP) are in a centerfield platoon.

• Nick Martini (vs RHP) and Santiago Espinal (vs LHP) are in a platoon involving Jonathan India changing from second base to DH.

Rockies

• Three different players, Kris Bryant, Elehuris Montero, and Michael Toglia, have played multiple games at first base.

• Nolan Jones (.340 OPS) may have moved down to the batting fifth with Ryan McMahon (.865 OPS) moving up to batting third.