Lineup Analysis (5/8/26)

by
May 8, 2026


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American League

Angels

• Vaughn Grissom (.264/.349/.396, 1 HR, 0 SB) started in four of the last five games at second base. Accumulator.

Astros

• Zach Cole (10 PA, 47% Contact%) started in three straight games. He’s always struggled with strikeouts (39% K% last season in the majors).

• With Carlos Correa on the IL, Braden Shewmake (2 HR, 1.000 OPS) started in the infield over the last two games.

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Athletics

• Zack Gelof (.269/.309/.519, 3 HR, 2 SB) started in eight of the last nine games. His Contact% is up from 60% last season to 73% this season.

• Colby Thomas (vs LHP) and Carlos Cortes (vs RHP) form a right field platoon.

Blue Jays

• Yohendrick Pinango (.863 OPS, 455 BABIP) started in seven of the last eight games.

• Lenyn Sosa (.585 OPS) started five times in the last six games while batting in the middle of the lineup. He has not walk yet this season in 82 PA.

Guardians

• Petey Halpin (.368 OPS, 2 SB) started the last two games in center field. In AAA, he already stole nine bases.

Mariners

• No changes.

Orioles

• Dylan Beavers (vs RHP) and Tyler O’Neill (vs LHP) form an outfield platoon.

• Colton Cowser (.465 OPS) started three times in the last four games after starting just once in the previous nine. Leody Taveras (.821 OPS) starts instead, with seven starts in the last 10 games.

Rangers

• Ezequiel Duran (.878 OPS, 2 HR, 4 SB) started seven straight games. All his power metrics are up (e.g., 85.3 mph avgEV to 91.7 mph) with his Bat Speed jumping from 71.5 mph to 73.2 mph.

• Alejandro Osuna (.238/.448/.286) starts against all righties. His platoon mate varies.

Rays

• Ben Williamson (.267/.339/.337, 3 SB) started five straight games with Richie Palacios (.192/.348/.269, 4 SB) on the bench.

Red Sox

• With Roman Anthony on the IL, Masataka Yoshida (vs RHP) and Andruw Monasterio (vs LHP) formed a DH platoon.

Royals

• Michael Massey (.653 OPS) and Nick Loftin (.738 OPS) split time at second base, thereby making both fantasy irrelevant.

Tigers

• With Gleyber Torres on the IL, Matt Vierling (.225/.289/.388, 2 HR, 1 SB) starts in center field and bats first or second over the last four games (2 vs LH, 2 vs RH)

Twins

• Royce Lewis (.581 OPS, 2 SB) is nearly unplayable since he starts about half the time. And when he does start, he hits at the bottom of the lineup.

White Sox

• Sam Antonacci (.788 OPS, 1 SB) hit leadoff against the last three right-handed starters.

• Jarred Kelenic (.697 OPS) is taking over for the injured Austin Hays.

Yankees

• With Ben Rice and Jasson Domínguez hurt, it’s tough to see whose value jumps.

National League

Braves

• Jorge Mateo (.271/.300/.438, 2 HR, 4 SB) with six starts in the last seven games.

• Mauricio Dubón (.741 OPS) took over in centerfield for Ronald Acuña Jr.

• Sean Murphy started and caught in two of three games since coming off the IL.

Brewers

• Remains a tough lineup to find value in with so many timeshares. The situation is even more confusing with Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio recently coming off the IL.

Cardinals

• No changes.

Cubs

• No changes.

Diamondbacks

• Jose Fernandez (.750 OPS) is losing playing time with four starts in the last seven games.

• Adrian Del Castillo (.630 OPS) starts only against righties.

Dodgers

• Shohei Ohtani sat out the last two times he was the starting pitcher.

• Dalton Rushing (.328/.400/.724, 7 HR) started in six of the last 10 games.

Giants

• Bryce Eldridge and Jesus Rodriguez started all three games since being promoted while batting at the bottom of the lineup.

• Eldridge moved Casey Schmitt off the DH spot. It’s not clear if he’ll find enough playing time to be fantasy-relevant.

Marlins

• Since coming off the IL, Christopher Morel (.482 OPS, 38% K%) started in seven of nine games.

• Since Graham Pauley was optioned to AAA, Javier Sanoja started both games (.699 OPS, 2 SB).

• Joe Mack (10 PA) started in three of four games since being promoted.

Mets

• Austin Slater (vs LHP) and MJ Melendez (vs RHP) form a right field platoon.

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

• Brett Baty (career .549 OPS vs LHP, .688 OPS vs RHP) doesn’t start against lefties.

Nationals

• Two players seem to be getting more playing time, Curtis Mead and José Tena. Even before Luis García Jr. went on the IL, Mead (.758 OPS, 4 HR, 3 SB) was starting more at first base. Tena (.284/.342/.463, +3 mph in bat speed) has four straight starts as the DH.

Padres

• Miguel Andujar (.305/.333/.484, 2 HR, 1 SB) started in eight straight games.

• Gavin Sheets (vs RHP) and Ty France (vs LHP) are in a first base platoon.

• Fernando Tatis Jr. (eight games at second base) started the last two games at second base with Jake Cronenworth (concussion) on the IL. Nick Castellanos started both games in right field.

Phillies

• Justin Crawford (.695 OPS) has been slowly losing playing time to a Felix Reyes (.438 OPS). I know Crawford’s been bad, but Reyes has been horrible.

Pirates

• Since Jared Triolo (.523 OPS) rejoined the team, the players in the lineup have been stable even though many move around. The only platoon is Spencer Horwitz (vs RHP) and Jake Mangum (vs LHP), with Ryan O’Hearn moving from the infield to the outfield to facilitate it.

Reds

• JJ Bleday (.303/.410/.727, 4 HR) bats second against righties and started against the last lefty starter. As I noted yesterday, I suspect he’ll be one of the top adds in leagues where he wasn’t rostered.

• Ke’Bryan Hayes (.428 OPS) started only five times in the last eight games.

Rockies

• For the first time all season, Tyler Freeman (.290/.380/.362, 1 HR, 3 SB) has started in three (four counting Friday) straight games. He’s been dealing with a back problem all season, and maybe it’s behind him. He always bats in the top half of the lineup when in.





 

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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David Klein
6 days ago

I like Soto hitting lead off but it might take an act of God to move Baty out of the top half of the lineup! He’s hitting third tonight and for some reason Melendez is hitting seventh.

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