Lineup Analysis (5/19/23)

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May 19, 2023

American League

Angels

• Taylor Ward (.649 OPS) has sat in two of the last four games.

Astros

• Chas McCormick (.762 OPS, 2 HR, 4 SB) has started all four games since coming off the IL.

• Jose Altuve is about to come off the IL so Mauricio Dubón (.723 OPS) will need to find a spot in the lineup.

Athletics

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• Nick Allen has started at shortstop in seven straight games.

• Jordan Diaz (.644 OPS) has started in 10 of the last 11 games.

Blue Jays

• Steady.

Guardians

• Will Brennan (vs RHP) and Gabriel Arias (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Mariners

• J.P. Crawford has led off for seven straight games.

• Kolten Wong’s (.468 OPS) time at second base may be coming to an end.

Orioles

• Jorge Mateo has only started in three of the last five games. Joey Ortiz started instead.

Rangers

• Steady, but Corey Seager is back. Ezequiel Duran is supposed to keep playing, but it’s not obvious where.

• Robbie Grossman has started in 12 of the last 13 games.

Rays

• Steadily inconsistent.

Red Sox

• Rob Refsnyder (vs LHP) and Triston Casas (vs RHP) are in a platoon.

• Enmanuel Valdez (vs RHP) and Pablo Reyes (vs LHP) are now in a second base platoon.

Royals

• Maikel Garcia just played his 10th game at third base.

• Nate Eaton (.177 OPS) has started in four of the last five games.

Tigers

• Andy Ibáñez (.682 OPS) has started nine straight.

• Zach McKinstry starts and leads off against righties.

Twins

• Trevor Larnach has started in four of the last five (sat vs LHP) games since being promoted (Max Kepler to IL).

• Michael A. Taylor will likely retake be the full-time centerfield role with Nick Gordon headed to the IL.

• Kyle Farmer has started in seven of the last eight games at third base with Jose Miranda getting demoted.

White Sox

• Hanser Alberto has started five straight at second base with Elvis Andrus on the IL.

• Jake Burger has started four straight since coming off the IL, three at DH.

Yankees

• Jake Bauers has started in five of the last six games (.212/.325/.394, 2 HR).

• Oswaldo Cabrera (.575 OPS, 3 HR, 5 SB) has started five straight games, each one at a different position.

National League

Braves

• Steady with Kevin Pillar (vs LHP) and Eddie Rosario (vs RHP) still in a platoon.

• Marcell Ozuna is about a half time DH since Travis d’Arnaud returned from the IL. d’Arnaud and Murphy usually start at DH if it is not Ozuna.

Brewers

• Brice Turang (vs RHP) and Owen Miller (vs LHP) seem to be in a platoon. The platoon got put on hold with Christian Yelich sitting because of an injury.

• Darin Ruf 러프 (vs LHP) is in a first base platoon with Rowdy Tellez (vs RHP).

Cardinals

• Tommy Edman has started three straight games in right field.

• Brendan Donovan has started five straight games but at four different positions. He seems to be moving back into a super sub role.

Cubs

• Miles Mastrobuoni has started two straight games at second base but Nico Hoerner is expected off the IL any day.

• Matt Mervis (37% K%, .573 OPS) only faces righties.

Diamondbacks

• Dominic Fletcher has started in 14 of 15 games since being promoted, lately at the expense of Alek Thomas who has played just 4 of the last 11.

• Emmanuel Rivera continues to hit (.347/.373/.490) but doesn’t play much. He has started two straight with one at third base.

Dodgers

• Chris Taylor (.186/.250/.451, 7 HR, 2 SB) has only started in two of the last six games.

Giants

• There are some changes coming with Joey Bart headed to the IL and Mike Yastrzemski just coming off it.

• Casey Schmitt (.417/.417/.694) has started nine straight games.

Marlins

• For now, Peyton Burdick (.730 OPS) is on the strong side of an outfield platoon.

• Jon Berti (.679 OPS) and Joey Wendle (.440 OPS) are splitting time at shortstop.

Mets

• The highly touted prospect, Mark Vientos, has been promoted but has only started once at third base against a lefty starter.

• Eduardo Escobar as started two straight games at second base.

Nationals

• Corey Dickerson (vs RHP) and Joey Meneses (vs LHP) might be in a platoon now that Dickerson is off the IL.

• Jake Alu (vs RHP) and Stone Garrett (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Padres

• Trent Grisham (vs RHP) and Adam Engel (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Phillies

• Edmondo Sosa (vs LHP) and Kody Clemens appear to be in a platoon.

Pirates

• Chris Owings and Tucupita Marcano are splitting time at short.

• Rodolfo Castro (vs LHP) and Ji Hwan Bae (vs RHP) are in a second base platoon.

Reds

• In his third game up, Matt McLain sat against a lefty. The Reds are scheduled to face five lefties next week.

• Stuart Fairchild (.685 OPS, 1 HR, 3 SB) has started six straight in centerfield with TJ Friedl on the IL.

Rockies

• Brenton Doyle (.255/.293/.545, 4 HR, 6 SB) has started five straight in centerfield.

• Michael Toglia (.857 OPS, 8 HR, 2 SB in AAA) has started the last two games at first base.





 

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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TheBabboMember since 2019
2 years ago

And Alek Thomas was optioned on Wednesday, so Fletcher has clear sailing in CF.

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