Lineup Analysis (6/17/23)

American League

Angels

• Taylor Ward (.853 OPS over the last two weeks) has started and led off for five straight games.

• Luis Rengifo has started in eight of the last 10 games while playing four different positions (2B, SS, 3B, and OF).

• Andrew Velazquez (.203/.337/.392, 3 HR, 7 SB) has taken over shortstop with Zach Neto on the IL (oblique).

Astros

• Jake Meyers (.236/.314/.402, 6 HR, 3 SB in 194 PA) is starting to get most of the centerfield starts (eight of last 10).

Athletics

• Jace Peterson has started in 11 of the last 12 games while hitting .378/.465/.568 with 2 HR and 4 SB over the last two weeks.

• JJ Bleday has only started in two of the last five games.

Blue Jays

• With Brandon Belt on the IL (hamstring), Cavan Biggio (.192/.270/.385, 6 HR, 2 SB) has started in four of the last five games.

Guardians

• Josh Naylor and Will Brennan have started against the last three lefties.

Mariners

• Mike Ford (vs RHP) and AJ Pollock (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

• Dylan Moore (just 11 PA) has only two starts, both against lefties.

• Jose Caballero (.245/.397/.367, 2 HR, 9 SB) has started four straight games at second base. Kolten Wong started a few games at second base but has struggled by hitting a .282 OPS over the past two weeks.

Orioles

• Adam Frazier is no longer leading off but instead it is Austin Hays against lefites and Gunnar Henderson against righties.

• Ryan O’Hearn has started in seven of the last 10 games while hitting .315/.363/.603 with 5 HR in just 80 PA this season.

Rangers

• Steady.

• Since returning from the IL, Ezequiel Duran (.838 OPS, 8 HR, 3 SB) has started in nine of 12 games.

Rays

• Isaac Paredes (.862 OPS over the past two weeks) has started nine straight at third base.

• Taylor Walls (356 OPS over the past two weeks) has started in nine of the last ten games.

Red Sox

• Christian Arroyo (.654 OPS) has started seven of the last eight games at second base.

• Pablo Reyes (.257/.385/.351 in AAA) has started three of the last four games at shortstop.

Royals

• Michael Massey (.387 OPS in June) has started in eight of the last 10 games.

• Dairon Blanco (.347/.444/.451 in AAA) has started three straight since being recalled from the minors.

• Edward Olivares (1.109 OPS in June) has started five straight games.

Tigers

• Consistent.

• Andy Ibáñez (.217/.262/.400) sat for five games with no reason given but then started in four straight games.

Twins

• Edouard Julien (vs RHP) and Kyle Farmer (vs LHP) are in a second base platoon.

• Willi Castro (.473 OPS the last two weeks) has only started one of the last four games.

White Sox

• Clint Frazier (.594 OPS) has started the last two games in the outfield.

• Jake Burger is back at third base with Yoán Moncada on the IL (back).

Yankees

• Jake Bauers (.763 OPS) has led off for the last two games (10 straight starts).

• Giancarlo Stanton has hit second in the last two games.

• Billy McKinney (.960 OPS) has started seven straight.

National League

Braves

• Steady.

Brewers

• Blake Perkins (vs LHP) and Jon Singleton (vs RHP) are in a platoon.

• Since coming off the IL, Luis Urías (.521 OPS) has started in seven of nine games.

Cardinals

• Steady.

Cubs

• Mike Tauchman (.296/.414/.338 with 2 SB in 88 PA) has started five straight while leading off with Nico Hoerner dropping down to second and Dansby Swanson to fifth.

• In his first game off the IL, Cody Bellinger hit sixth.

Diamondbacks

• Josh Rojas has only started three times in the last eight games. Rojas has been splitting time with Emmanuel Rivera who has only three starts in the last five games.

• Geraldo Perdomo (.299/.402/.478, 5 HR, 7 SB) looks to be the full-time shortstop.

Dodgers

• Jason Heyward (vs RHP) and Jonny DeLuca (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

• James Outman (.539 OPS in June) has only started in six of the last 10 games.

Giants

• It’s even tougher than normal to figure out what is going on since several guys have nagging injuries.

• Luis Matos (hitting .350/.415/.561, 10 HR, 15 SB across all levels) hit second in his debut against a lefty.

Marlins

• Garrett Cooper (.783 OPS, 3 HR over the last two weeks) has started four straight while hitting third or fourth in the lineup.

• Jon Berti (.469 OPS, 1 SB over the last two weeks) has started three straight at shortstop.

Mets

• Mark Vientos has started in four of six games (three at first base) and is stealing at-bats from Mark Canha who has started in only five of eight.

Nationals

• No changes.

Padres

• Consistent. The only possible issue is that Ha-Seong Kim 김하성 has sat in two of the last four days.

Phillies

• Kody Clemens (.254/.309/.412, 4 HR) has started at first base in eight of the last 10 games.

Pirates

• What a mess to figure out. It has some Tampa Bay vibes going on where it is easier to point out the four guys in full-time roles: Bryan Reynolds, Carlos Santana, Andrew McCutchen, and Ke’Bryan Hayes.

Reds

• Steadier with TJ Freidl (vs RHP) and Jose Barrero (vs LHP) in a center field platoon. Also through some lineup manipulation, T.J. Hopkins (vs LHP) and Will Benson (vs RHP) are in a platoon. Update: No idea now with Wil Myers coming off the IL and Barrero demoted.

• Stuart Fairchild (.776 OPS, 3 HR, 2 SB over the past month) has started in nine of 10 games in left field.

Rockies

• Jurickson Profar has led off in five of the six games while hitting .260/.333/.380 with 0 HR and 0 SB over the last two weeks.

• Ezequiel Tovar has hit second over the last five games while batting .289/.296/.481 with 2 HR and 1 SB over the last two weeks. It seems like the team is making lineup decisions based on the past two weeks.

• Rookie Coco Montes has started in three of the five games since being called up.