Lineup Analysis (6/17/22)

American League

Angels

• Brandon Marsh (vs RHP) and Juan Lagares (vs LHP) are in an outfield platoon.

• Taylor Ward (1.034 OPS, 10 HR, 1 SB) is back and leading off.

Astros

• Steady.

• Mauricio Dubón, Chas McCormick, and Jose Siri are splitting time in center field.

Athletics

• Tony Kemp continues to sit against lefties.

• Catcher-qualified Christian Bethancourt 베탄코트 (.260/.297/.427, 4 HR, 4 SB) has started seven straight.

• Third-base qualified Jonah Bride (.392/.500/.549, 1 HR, 0 SB in AAA) has started three straight.

• Stephen Vogt (.167/.286/.467, 3 HR) has started in six of the last eight at DH and catcher.

Blue Jays

• When everyone is healthy, they have one too many players. It’s a situation like the Yankees. It doesn’t seem like the less talented players are sitting (i.e Biggio, Gurriel, or Espinal) but the resting spot cycles through everyone.

• Cavan Biggio (.631 OPS, 0 HR, 1 SB) has started seven of the last eight games mainly at second base. During that time, he’s hitting .250/.357/.417.

Guardians

• Myles Straw has sat in two of the last five games. Since the beginning of May, he’s hitting .164/.253/.193 with 0 HR but at least 7 SB.

• Oscar Gonzalez (.342/.354/.461, 0 HR, 0 SB) is up to hitting either fourth or fifth.

• Andrés Giménez (vs RHP) and Ernie Clement (vs LHP) are in a platoon and I’m not sure why.

Mariners

• Abraham Toro has started in 12 of 14 games since coming off the IL (shoulder) but is only hitting .130/.146/.204 with 0 HR during that time. I wonder if his shoulder is still bothering him.

• Taylor Trammell has started to move up the lineup (6th on Thursday) even though he’s hitting just .176/.263/.382 in June.

Orioles

• Over the last three games, Adley Rutschman (.604 OPS on the season, .995 OPS over the past week) has been hitting fourth.

• Tyler Nevin (.584 OPS, 2 HR) has started eight straight at third with Ramón Urías (.660 OPS) on the IL.

Rangers

• Consistent lineup but has faced eight straight righties.

• Leody Taveras (.258 OPS, 12 PA) has started four straight in centerfield.

Rays

• Normal mess.

• Vidal Bruján (.407 OPS) has started in eight of the last nine games.

Red Sox

• Jarren Duran (.300/.364/.450, 22 PA) has hit leadoff over the last two games.

• Bobby Dalbec (.601 OPS) sat with Jackie Bradley Jr. and Duran in the lineup.

Royals

• Consistent.

• Carlos Santana (.624 OPS, .972 OPS with 1 HR over the past two weeks) has started in eight of the last nine.

• Emmanuel Rivera (.655 OPS, 4 HR) has started in 19 of the last 20 games.

• MJ Melendez (.248/.336/.450, 6 HR) has started 29 straight games at catcher, DH, or right field.

Tigers

• Victor Reyes (.311/.340/.400, 0 HR, 0 SB, 2 CS) has leadoff in five of the last six games.

• Harold Castro (.293/.306/.450, 4 HR) continues to play third base (nine straight) with Jeimer Candelario on the IL (.555 OPS, 5 HR).

Twins

• Uses platoon lineups but it’s mainly the same players each game.

• The outfield is a little crowded with Byron Buxton (.878 OPS), Max Kepler (.741 OPS), Gilberto Celestino (.773 OPS), and Trevor Larnach (.758 OPS). Sometimes one is the DH, other times someone has to sit.

White Sox

• AJ Pollock (.347/.396/.429 over the past two weeks) is now leading off.

Yankees

• The team is still using the player rotation with one regular sitting every game … if everyone is healthy.

• The Matt Carpenter experiment looks to be dead.

National League

Braves

• Steady with Orlando Arcia (.375/.439/.607, 3 HR) stepping in for Ozzie Albies who went on the IL.

• For 18 straight games, Michael Harris II (.328/.357/.537, 2 HR, 2 SB) has started at batted ninth.

Brewers

• For some reason Lorenzo Cain (.465 OPS, 1 HR, 2 SB) is starting about half the time in center with Tyrone Taylor (.691 OPS, 6 HR, 1 SB) getting the other half of at-bats.

• Jace Peterson (vs RHP) is in a platoon with Mark Mathias (vs LHP). Mathis has hit .245/.245/.367 in 49 career PA.

Cardinals

• Nolan Gorman (.771 OPS) has been dropped to fourth or fifth in the lineup with Brendan Donovan (.913 OPS, 1 HR, 2 SB) batting second.

Cubs

• Nico Hoerner (.696 OPS, 3 HR, 6 SB) has started nine straight while batting seventh.

• Yan Gomes (.657 OPS, 3 HR) is off the IL and has started in four of the last six games. P.J. Higgins (.295/.380/.523, 2 HR) has remained with the team and started one game at third base.

Diamondbacks

• Settled down with the only obvious platoon being Jordan Luplow (vs LHP) and David Peralta (vs RHP).

Dodgers

• Same nine guys in the same order.

Giants

• Brandon Belt (.765 OPS) just returned from the IL, so Darin Ruf 러프 (.679 OPS) is likely out as the first baseman.

• Thairo Estrada (.715 OPS, 4 HR, 9 SB) has started in 12 of the last 13 games.

• The 31-year-old Austin Wynns (1.004 OPS in AAA, .333/.375/.400 in 16 MLB PA) has started at catcher in five of the last seven games.

• Luis González (.302/.363/.424, 2 HR, 5 SB) looks to no longer be in a platoon. He’s started in 18 of the last 19 games.

Marlins

• Bryan De La Cruz (.577 OPS, .359 OPS in the past two weeks) has started in seven of the last eight games.

Mets

• When all the regulars are in the lineup, only one of J.D. Davis (.714 OPS), Luis Guillorme (.799 OPS), and Nick Plummer (.637 OPS) can start.

Nationals

• Lane Thomas (.327/.407/.615 with 4 HR over the last two weeks) has leadoff for seven of the last eight games.

• Luis Garcia (.328/.344/.483, 2 HR, 0 SB, 0 CS) has started 15 straight games and is now hitting as high as sixth in the lineup.

Padres

• Nomar Mazara (vs RHP) and José Azocar (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

• Austin Nola (.582 OPS, 1 HR, 1 SB) and Jorge Alfaro (.808 OPS, 5 HR, 1 SB) are in a 50/50 time split at catcher.

Phillies

• Steady.

• There could be two timeshares forming over the last few days. In the outfield, it’s Matt Vierling (.562 OPS) and Odúbel Herrera (.804 OPS). At second base it’s Bryson Stott (537 OPS) and Yairo Muñoz (.319/.345/.454, 5 HR, 5 SB in AAA, .821 OPS in 8 MLB PA).

Pirates

• Tucupita Marcano (.262/.318/.410 with 2 HR and 1 SB) has leadoff for six straight games.

• Canaan Smith-Njigba (.277/.387/.408 with 1 HR and 8 SB in AAA) has started two straight games in left field.

Reds

• Jonathan India is back to leading off with Nick Senzel moving down to the sixth spot. Track the playing time of Matt Reynolds (.727 OPS, 3 HR, 4 SB) and Kyle Farmer (.777 OPS, 5 HR, 4 SB) who have split games at short since India’s return.

• Aramis Garcia (.369 OPS) has become the main catcher with Tyler Stephenson on the IL.

Rockies

• Randal Grichuk (.254/.295/.363 with 5 HR and 2 SB) has been moved down to the eighth spot.

• Brian Serven (.931 OPS) and Elias Díaz (.546 OPS) are splitting the catcher duties. At least for now.