Lineup Analysis (6/10/22)

American League

Angels

Injuries have the team using completely new outfielders than the regulars from just a week ago.  It’s tough to make any calls on its status.

Astros

Jose Siri (.589 OPS), Mauricio Dubón (.431 OPS), and Chas McCormick (.719 OPS) are splitting one outfield spot.

Athletics

• They have too many healthy, below-average hitters. Few play enough to be fantasy relevant.

• In three of the last four games, Elvis Andrus (.242/.308/.376, 3 HR, 3 SB) has hit second.

Blue Jays

Cavan Biggio has only started in six of the last 10 games.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (.663 OPS, 2 HR, 2 SB) sits every fourth day or so. Over the last 20 games, he’s only started in 15 of them.

Guardians

Oscar Gonzalez (.404/.415/.519) has started 13 straight games since being called up from AAA.

Andrés Giménez (.874 OPS) has not started against five of the last six lefties.

Steven Kwan (.757 OPS vs RHP, .669 OPS vs LHP) only starts against righties.

Mariners

Abraham Toro (.566 OPS) has started in six of the last seven games.

Taylor Trammell (.841 OPS, 1 HR, 0 SB) has started in 14 of the last 16 games.

Cal Raleigh (.655 OPS, 7 HR) has been the starting catcher in seven of the last 10 games.

Orioles

• Steady.

Rougned Odor (.686 OPS, 6 HR) has started in 17 of the last 18 games.

Rangers

Kole Calhoun has started in only two of the last five games after hitting .200/.289/.275 with 0 HR over the past two weeks. Instead, Steele Walker (.487 OPS) and Eli White (.534 OPS, 12 SB) have been playing.

Ezequiel Duran (.789 OPS, 1 HR) has started five straight since being called up to play third base.

Rays

• Always a mess.

Vidal Bruján (.395 OPS) has started in nine of the last 10 games.

Francisco Mejía (.618 OPS) and Mike Zunino (.499 OPS) have each started five of the last 10 games at catcher.

Manuel Margot (.815 OPS) has started 14 of 15 games since coming off the IL.

Red Sox

• After being steady for weeks, the injury to Enrique Hernández has several spots in flux. Jackie Bradley Jr. is playing center field and Christian Arroyo has leadoff in three of the last four games.

Franchy Cordero (.685 OPS) sat against the last two lefties.

Royals

• Consistent.

• The only recent movement has been at the back third where Michael A. Taylor (.724 OPS) is batting eighth and Emmanuel Rivera (.687 OPS) is batting seventh.

Tigers

• Steady but the return of Austin Meadows (.715 OSP) will have some outfielders losing playing time. Over the past five days, Willi Castro (.633 OPS), Kody Clemens (.063 OPS), Derek Hill (.555 OPS), Daz Cameron (.670 OPS), and Harold Castro (.753 OPS) have all played in the outfield. It’s not an inspiring bunch. Editor (& Tigers fan) note: Rude!

Twins

Luis Arraez (career .642 OPS vs LHP, .840 OPS vs RHP) has sat against the last three lefties.

• The outfield is packed right now. Besides Byron Buxton holding down one spot, Max Kepler (.761 OPS), Trevor Larnach (.806 OPS), Gilberto Celestino (.784 OPS), and Nick Gordon (.651 OPS) have each seen time in the outfield over the last five games.

Gio Urshela (.741 OPS) and Jose Miranda (.673 OPS) have each started in seven of the last nine games.

White Sox

• What a mess Tony LaRussa is making. It starts with Leury García (.450 OPS) and Danny Mendick (.715 OPS) now leading off.

Jake Burger (.817 OPS, 7 HR) has started eight of the last 10 games with Yoán Moncada (.408 OPS) sitting against the last two lefties.

Yankees

• With everyone healthy, they are back to having one regular rest every game.

Jose Trevino (.790 OPS) has taken over the main catching duties by starting in six of the last 10 games.

National League

Braves

• Steady.

Marcell Ozuna (.664 OPS) has gone from batting third to batting seventh.

Brewers

• They are getting healthy and some players are going to get pushed out of playing time. Looking at the lineups from Wednesday and Thursday, two items stick out. First, Luis Urías (.689 OPS) is batting cleanup ahead of a Jace Peterson (.704 OPS) so when Kolten Wong (.709 OPS) gets healthy, Peterson might be the odd man out.

• Second, Tyrone Taylor (.688 OPS) and Lorenzo Cain (.440 OPS) swapped in center field and hit ninth. Taylor has been cold (.255 OPS this past week) and this drop is another hit to his fantasy value. Closely monitor this situation over the weekend.

Cardinals

• With Tyler O’Neill off the IL, only two of Albert Pujols (.701 OPS), Brendan Donovan (.840 OPS), Juan Yepez (.740 OPS), or Lars Nootbaar (.468 OPS) start every day. Pujols starts as the DH against lefties but I can’t find a pattern otherwise.

Nolan Gorman (vs RHP) and Edmundo Sosa (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Cubs

• The lineup is stabilizing. There is some movement when facing lefties, but it’s the same players.

Rafael Ortega (vs RHP) and Clint Frazier (vs LHP) are currently in an outfield platoon. Track the playing time when Seiya Suzuki (.775 OPS) comes off the IL. Christopher Morel (.905 OPS) might head back to second base pushing Nick Madrigal to the bench.

Diamondbacks

• The top five spots are set, but the bottom is just a mess.

Jordan Luplow (.712 OPS), Alek Thomas (.756 OPS), and Jake McCarthy (.648 OPS) are splitting two outfield spots. Because of the outfield depth, the last time Daulton Varsho played in the outfield was May 6th.

Dodgers

• It’s the same guys every game and the recipe hasn’t changed for weeks.

Giants

• This lineup is always tough to figure out and they continue to deal with a ton of injuries.

Evan Longoria (.760 OPS, 5 HR, .876 OPS over the past two weeks) may no longer be in a platoon with the demotion of Jason Vosler.

• With Brandon Belt out, Wilmer Flores (.745 OPS, 7 HR) is playing every day.

Tommy La Stella (.692 OPS) is only facing righties.

Thairo Estrada (.721 OPS, 3 HR, 8 SB) is back to finding everyday at-bats by starting in six of the last seven games, one in left field.

Curt Casali (.727 OPS) is now the everyday catcher.

Marlins

• The team is rolling out the same hitters every day. The only upcoming issue will be who sits when Joey Wendle comes off the IL.

Jon Berti (.820 OPS, 9 SB) is back to hitting sixth or seventh.

Garrett Cooper (.469/.500/.735, 2 HR over the past week) is now batting second.

Mets

• The lineup has too many mouths to feed as seen by the demotion of Dominic Smith. Seven of the lineup spots are set including the catcher. J.D. Davis (.688 OPS) and Mark Canha (.748 OPS) start against lefties. Luis Guillorme (.815 OPS) and Nick Plummer (.874 OPS) start against righties.

Nationals

Lane Thomas (1.097 OPS, 4 HR over the past two weeks) has hit first or second for six straight games.

Luis García (.300/.313/.467, 1 HR) has started eight straight since being recalled.

• The outfield is getting a little crowded with Thomas heating up. Yadiel Hernandez (.711 OPS) has started in seven of the last 10 while Victor Robles (.613 OPS) has started in six of the last 10.

Padres

Jake Cronenworth (.861 OPS over the past two weeks) is now batting second.

Nomar Mazara (.775 OPS) is sitting against lefties.

• Over the last ten games, Austin Nola (.550 OPS) and Jorge Alfaro (.726 OPS) have started two games at catchers.

Phillies

• The lineup has settled down.

Alec Bohm (.160/.204/.240 over the past two weeks) has dropped from hitting second to seventh.

Bryson Stott has started seven straight and is hitting .313/.371/.656 over the past two weeks.

Mickey Moniak (.476 OPS) and Odúbel Herrera (.850 OPS) are splitting time in the outfield. I’m not sure why.

Pirates

Jack Suwinski (.235/.289/.479, 8 HR, 2 SB) has started nine of the last 10 games and has hit as high as third.

Michael Chavis (.270/.307/.447, 5 HR, 1 SB) has started in seven of the last eight games while hitting third or fourth.

Diego Castillo (.213/.253/.301, 2 HR, 1 SB) has started 10 straight while hitting fifth in the last three games.

Tucupita Marcano (.809 OPS, 2 HR, 1 SB) and Cal Mitchell (.693 OPS, 2 HR, 1 SB) are splitting time at one outfield spot.

Reds

Nick Senzel (.228/.279/.289, 1 HR, 2 SB) was leading off until a recent back injury has him on the bench.

Albert Almora Jr. (.301/.318/.410, 2 HR, 2 SB) has started 14 straight games.

Matt Reynolds (.277/.351/.426, 3 HR, 3 SB) has started in nine of the last 10 games but should be heading to the bench with Jonathan India coming off the IL any day. Reynolds and Kyle Farmer (.262/.323/.424, 5 HR, 4 SB) have had identical seasons so far.

Rockies

• The team is now healthy and several players are heading to the bench more often.

José Iglesias (career 678 OP vs RHP, .766 OPS vs LHP) has sat against the last two righties with Garrett Hampson playing short.

Brian Serven (.821 OPS) has started in five of the last ten games over Elias Díaz (.537 OPS) at catcher.





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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docgooden85member
1 year ago

“Over the last ten games, Austin Nola (.550 OPS) and Jorge Alfaro (.726 OPS) have started two games at catchers.”

This is incorrect (aside from the weird syntax).

Per Roster Resource, for the last 6 games (Sat-Fri), here is who started at catcher(s) for the Friars:

Nola (9 vs. R), Alfaro (6 vs. R), Nola (9 vs. R), Alfaro (8 vs. R), Nola (7 vs. L), Alfaro (5 vs. L)

If you ask me, the takeaway is they seem to be batting Alfaro too high in the lineup, but these are their 2 catchers.

Last edited 1 year ago by docgooden85