Lineup Analysis (5/13/22)

American League

Angels

• Luis Rengifo has started two straight games after being recalled from AAA where he was hitting .313/.384/.525 with 4 HR and 2 SB.

• Andrew Velazquez (.171/.253/.229 with 5 SB) has started 10 of the last 11 games while batting 9th. He might be worth starting this next week against the Texas (5th most) and Oakland (9th) pitching staffs who give up a decent number of stolen bases.

Astros

• Chas McCormick (.239/.284/.386 with 2 HR) is no longer a regular and is back to splitting time with Jose Siri (.207/.270/.310 with 1 HR and 1 SB).

Athletics

• Ramón Laureano has started six straight games since coming off his suspension. He’s moved around in the top-6 lineup spots while hitting .136/.240/.182 with 1 SB.

• Kevin Smith (.205/.237/.356 with 1 HR and 2 SB) has started six games at shortstop and will soon be qualified there in all formats.

• Seth Brown (career .416 OPS vs LHP, .757 vs RHP) has sat against the last three righty starters.

Blue Jays

• All the major players are now healthy and the lineup has settled over the last three games. The only surprise is Alejandro Kirk (.684 OPS) hitting sixth, one spot ahead of Matt Chapman (.635 OPS).

Guardians

• Amed Rosario (.573 OPS) has started the last two games in the outfield with Oscar Mercado (.634 OPS) headed to the bench

Mariners

• Dylan Moore (.681 OPS) usually only starts against lefties.

Orioles

• Tyler Nevin (.536 OPS) has started five straight in the outfield and at third base.

• Jorge Mateo (.660 OPS with 2 HR and 9 SB) has moved up to batting sixth.

Rangers

• Two distinct handedness lineups.

• Brad Miller (vs RHP) and Charlie Culberson (vs LHP) are in a third base platoon.

• Eli White (.281/.395/.438 with 1 HR and 5 SB) has started five straight.

• Andy Ibáñez (vs LHP) and Kole Calhoun (vs RHP) are in a platoon with a ton of moving parts.

Rays

• Ji-Man Choi (.878 OPs) has returned from the IL and only starts against righties with Harold Ramirez starting against lefties.

• Brett Phillips (.489 OPS) only starts against righties.

Red Sox

• Enrique Hernández (.491 OPS) is back to leading off with Trevor Story (.585 OPS) moving down to the sixth spot.

• At the least, Franchy Cordero and Bobby Dalbec are splitting time at first base. They might be in a platoon with Cordero on the strong side.

• Jackie Bradley Jr. (vs RHP) and Christian Arroyo (vs LHP) are in a right-field platoon.

Royals

• Ryan O’Hearn (vs RHP) and Hunter Dozier (vs LHP) are in a first base platoon with Carlos Santana on the IL.

• Emmanuel Rivera (.667 OPS) has been starting against left-handed pitchers.

• MJ Melendez (.412/.474/.647) has started five of eight since being called up.

Tigers

• Willi Castro (.747 OPS) has started four straight in the outfield and could continue to find PT with Akil Baddoo sent out.

• Spencer Torkelson (.535 OPS) has been relegated to batting seventh or eighth.

Twins

• Jose Miranda (.128/.171/.256) has started nine straight and played first base six times (started with 3B eligibility).

• The infield is getting a little crowded with Luis Arraez (.790 OPS) or Gio Urshela (.562 OPS) most often sitting.

• Gilberto Celestino (.341/.408/.432) has started six of the last 10 games in the outfield.

White Sox

• Several players are now healthy with the only position battle being at second base between Josh Harrison (.519) and Leury García (.545).

Yankees

• The team is still cycling through the lineup with one extra regular. Joey Gallo (.190/.297/.316 and 3 HR) has been drawing the short straw and has started in only five of the last 10 games.

National League

Braves

• Consistent.

Brewers

• Lorenzo Cain (.472 OPS) has started in five of the last six with Andrew McCutchen on the IL.

• Luis Urías has started eight of nine at second, short, and third while hitting .310/.444/.552 with 2 HR.

Cardinals

• Juan Yepez (.400/.455/.700 with 2 HR) has hit in either the four or fifth lineup spot. He’s already played four outfield games and is on his way to get a second position eligibility.

• Brendan Donovan (.875 OPS, .788 OPS in AAA) has started the last three games at short while batting ninth.

Cubs

• Alfonso Rivas (.887 OPS) is only starting against righties.

• Jonathan Villar (.557) and Nick Madrigal (.491) are splitting time at second.

Diamondbacks

• Geraldo Perdomo has started four straight at short and third.

• Since being called up Alek Thomas (.385/.385/.769 with 1 HR) has started four straight.

Dodgers

• Steady with Edwin Ríos (.853 OPS) being the sub when someone needs a day off.

Giants

• Thairo Estrada (.252/.282/.365 with 2 HR and 5 SB) has started nine of the last 10 games.

• Joc Pederson and LaMonte Wade Jr. start against righties. Austin Slater and Mauricio Dubón face lefties.

• Mike Yastrzemski (.715 OPS) and Luis Gonzalez (.759 OPS) have each made eight straight starts.

Marlins

• Joey Wendle (.824 OPS, 2 HR, 4 SB) has moved up to batting fourth and while he has been on the strong side of a platoon, he started against the last lefty.

• Jesús Sánchez (.646 OPS, 3 HR) might still be in a platoon, but like Wendle, he started against the last lefty.

• Garrett Cooper (.756 OPS, 2 HR) has moved up to batting in the third, fourth, or fifth spots.

Mets

• One open spot exists (i.e DH) and one of J.D. Davis (.688 OPS), Dominic Smith (.514 OPS), and Luis Guillorme (.747 OPS) will fill it.

Nationals

• Dee Strange-Gordon (.182/.182/.182, 0 SB) has started at shortstop in four of the last five games.

• Yadiel Hernandez (.337/.378/.506 with 2 HR and 1 SB) is now batting fifth.

• Victor Robles was the everyday centerfielder, but is just hitting .077/.143/.077 over the past week so Lane Thomas is stealing some at-bats.

Padres

• The order seems to change every three days.

• Trent Grisham (.495 OPS) is no longer leading off.

• Wil Myers and Luke Voit are back and hitting fifth and sixth.

• Jurickson Profar (.714 OPS on the season, .738 OPS over the next week) has hit second over the last three games.

Phillies

• Alec Bohm (.309/.355/.436 with 2 HR and 1 SB) is now batting second with Rhys Hoskins (.221/.305/.434, 5 HR) moving down to the sixth or seventh spot.

• Bryson Stott (vs RHP) and Johan Camargo (vs LHP) are in a shortstop platoon.

• Kyle Schwarber (.698 OPS) is back to batting leadoff with Jean Segura (.855 OPS) moving down.

Pirates

• Ben Gamel (.819 OPS) has leadoff in eight of the last nine games.

• Jack Suwinski (.227/.306/.409, 2 HR) has started in 13 of the last 15 games.

Reds

• TJ Friedl (.516 OPS) has started seven straight and hit leadoff in seven of them.

• Mike Moustakas (.681 OPS for the season, .929 OPS over the past two weeks) is batting cleanup.

• Colin Moran (.217/.288/.420 with 4 HR) is filling in for Joey Votto at first base.

Rockies

• With Randal Grichuk out, José Iglesias (.319/.367/.407, 0 HR, 0 SB) is batting second.

• Garrett Hampson (.617 OPS), Yonathan Daza (.832 OPS), and Sam Hilliard (.480 OPS) are splitting one outfield spot. Sometimes more than one plays depending on who is the DH.