Lineup Analysis (5/25/24)

American League

Angels

• Luis Rengifo (.824 OPS) is batting first or second.

• Willie Calhoun (.798 OPS) has started in 10 straight games.

• Mickey Moniak (.497 OPS) and Kevin Pillar (1.226 OPS) are splitting time in left field.

Astros

• Jake Meyers (.901 OPS, 5 HR) has started seven straight games in center field.

• Chas McCormick (.581), Joey Loperfido (.817), and Mauricio Dubón (.774) are sharing one outfield spot.

Athletics

• I know the A’s have historically changed lineups, they are going with a steady one this year.

• Seth Brown (vs RHP) and Tyler Nevin (vs LHP) are in a right-field platoon.

• Max Schuemann (.725 OPS, 2 HR, 3 SB) started 15 straight games at shortstop.

Blue Jays

• Justin Turner (.686 OPS) has only started in five of the last 10 games.

• George Springer (.550 OPS) is now batting sixth.

Guardians

• Tyler Freeman (.683 OPS) has hit leadoff for 10 straight games.

• David Fry (1.077 OPS) has started in six of the last 10 games.

• Kyle Manzardo (.592 OPS) has started in only six of the last 10 games.

• Estevan Florial (.643 OPS), Johnathan Rodriguez (.393 OPS), and Will Brennan (.669 OPS) are sharing two outfield spots.

Mariners

• This is a mess as I pointed out in the latest Mining the News. They just got J.P. Crawford and Dominic Canzone off the IL. Besides Julio Rodriguez, it’s nearly impossible to find the regulars.

Orioles

• Ryan Mountcastle (.771 OPS) has only started in three of the last six games.

• Jorge Mateo (.792 OPS) has started in eight of the last 10 games.

• Cedric Mullins (.589 OPS), Austin Hays (.465 OPS), and Anthony Santander (.704 OPS) are splitting two outfield spots.

Rangers

• Steady. Some right field adjustments with Adolis García banged up.

Rays

• In the three games since returning from the IL, Brandon Lowe (.451 OPS) has hit third or fourth (all vs RHP).

• José Caballero (.688 OPS) and Amed Rosario (.719 OPS) are splitting time at shortstop.

• Since coming off the IL, Jonathan Aranda (.603 OPS) has started in seven of eight games.

• Jose Siri and Jonny DeLuca are splitting time in center field.

Red Sox

• There is a ton of swapping going on, so it’s tough to find any patterns.

• Dominic Smith (.483 OPS) and Garrett Cooper (.592 OPS) split time at first base.

• David Hamilton (.696 OPS on the season, .857 OPS in the past two weeks) has started in five of the last six games.

• Connor Wong (.882 OPS) has been hitting third or fifth.

Royals

• Dairon Blanco (vs LHP) and MJ Melendez (vs RHP) are in a left-field platoon.

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

Tigers

• Gio Urshela (.587 OPS) has started in seven of nine games.

• Matt Vierling’s (.718 OPS) playing time is taking a hit with seven starts in 10 games.

Twins

• With Byron Buxton coming off the IL, the outfield, first base, and DH playing times are unclear.

• Max Kepler (vs RHH) and Manuel Margot (vs LHP) are in a right-field platoon.

White Sox

• Nicky Lopez (.518 OPS) has four straight starts (one vs. RHP), two while leading off.

• Andrew Benintendi (.487 OPS) has sat in two of the last five games, both against a lefty starter.

• In six of the last seven games, Danny Mendick (.604 OPS) was inserted in the starting lineup six times.

Yankees

• Oswaldo Cabrera (.663 OPS) and Jon Berti (.661 OPS) are splitting time at third base with DJ LeMahieu about to come off the IL.

National League

Braves

• Zack Short has started nine of ten games at third base while the team tries to get their head out of their ass on figuring out how to handle Austin Riley.

Brewers

• Andruw Monasterio (vs LHP) and Brice Turang (vs RHP) are in a second-base platoon.

• Owen Miller (vs LHP) and Jake Bauers (vs RHP) are in a first-base platoon.

• Sal Frelick (career .664 vs LHP, .690 vs RHP) doesn’t start against lefties.

• Joey Ortiz (.887 OPS) was batting in the bottom third of the order to start the season but is now in the middle third.

Cardinals

• Lars Nootbaar (.715 OPS) is now batting second.

• Alec Burleson (.298/.328/.458, 5 HR) is now batting fifth.

• Brendan Donovan (.675 OPS) is losing his hold on the leadoff shot (only four times over the last 10 games). Masyn Winn (.780 OPS, 7 SB) is leading off against lefties.

Cubs

• Miguel Amaya (.182/.252/.283) has taken over the catching duties having started in seven of the last ten games.

• Michael Busch (vs RHP) and Patrick Wisdom (vs LHP) are in a first-base platoon.

• Mike Tauchman is leading off against righties.

Diamondbacks

• Corbin Carroll gets dropped in the order against lefties (.679 OPS vs LHP, .840 OPS vs RHP).

• Randal Grichuk (.727 OPS), Jake McCarthy (.761 OPS), and Pavin Smith (.647) are splitting the right-field job, so all three have no fantasy value.

• Kevin Newman (.276/.315/.429) has started 12 straight games at shortshop.

Dodgers

• Jason Heyward (.486) and Miguel Vargas (.429 OPS) are splitting time in the outfield but it’s not a platoon.

• Enrique Hernández (.214/.281/.311) has been playing third base with Max Muncy on the IL.

Giants

• Luis Matos (.311/.326/.511) has started nine state games in centerfield and has hit leadoff in the last two games.

• Heliot Ramos (.296/.345/.463) has started in 13 of the 14 games since being promoted.

• Curt Casali (.385/.556/.385) has started in five of the last seven games at catcher.

Marlins

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

• Otto Lopez (.283/.323/.483) has started 11 straight games at second base.

• By manipulating who slots into DH, Emmanuel Rivera (vs LHP) and Nick Gordon (vs RHP) are in a platoon.

Mets

• Instead of leading off, Starling Marte is in the bottom half of the lineup.

• Harrison Bader (.684 OPS), Tyrone Taylor (.630 OPS), and DJ Stewart (.770 OPS) are splitting one outfield spot and sometimes they are the DH.

• Mark Vientos (1.134 OPS) and Brett Baty (.611 OPS) are splitting time at third base. It was a platoon, but they have split starts against the last four righties.

Nationals

• Eddie Rosario (vs RHP) and Victor Robles (vs LHP) are in a right-field platoon.

• Jesse Winker has hit third in the last three games.

Padres

• Jurickson Profar (.942 OPS) is now batting third.

Note: Profar is destroying his preseason projections and according to ZiPS, Profar is at the 99.6% percentile on his preseason projection.

• In another instance of changing around the DH, David Peralta (vs RHP) and Donovan Solano (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Phillies

• Edmundo Sosa (.965 OPS) has started in 15 of the last 20 games. Kody Clemens (1.054 OPS) has taken his spot in two of the last four games.

• Cristian Pache (.633 OPS) is starting to steal some starters from Johan Rojas (.561 OPS) against lefties.

• Brandon Marsh is starting to sit against lefties (.391 OPS vs LHP, .873 OPS vs RHP).

Pirates

• Connor Joe (.784 OPS) has started nine straight (against both righties and lefties) while hitting third or fourth.

• Nick Gonzales (.782 OPS) has started in 10 straight games at second base while hitting fifth.

• Since being recalled, Ji Hwan Bae has started in centerfield in two of three games. Bae might be on the strong side of a platoon with Edward Olivares.

Reds

• A Jacob Hurtubise (.214/.368/.214) started in nine of the last 11 games and hit leadoff in the last three. Jake Fraley is the hitter losing playing time (six starts in the last 10 games) to Hurtubise.

• In the last three games, Jeimer Candelario (.702 OPS) has hit third.

• Since being promoted, Mike Ford (.440 OPS) started in every game.

(Ed. note: remember when they had “too many” hitters?)

Rockies

• Since coming off the IL, Kris Bryant has started in two of three games, both at first base.

• Jake Cave is only starting against righties (career .726 OPS vs RHP, .557 vs LHP).