Lineup Analysis (6/30/23)

American League

Angels

• What a mess with the trades for Mike Moustakas and Eduardo Escobar. Hunter Renfroe got pushed off first base and back to the outfield where he shares two spots with Mickey Moniak and Taylor Ward.

• David Fletcher has started in five of the last six games at shortstop. Since being recalled he’s posting a .900 OPS.

Astros

• Mauricio Dubón (.286/.309/.407, 4 HR, 5 SB) has only started five times in the last 10 games.

• The outfield situation is even more of a mess with Bligh Madris getting some time in the outfield.

Athletics

• Esteury Ruiz is now batting ninth against righties with Tony Kemp now leading off against those righties.

• Jace Peterson (.623 OPS) has started in 15 of 16 games.

Blue Jays

• Steady with a Kevin Kiermaier injury causing a little flux.

Guardians

• Steady lineup with Will Brennan and Josh Naylor becoming regulars.

• Bo Naylor has started in seven of 10 games since being promoted.

Mariners

• Jarred Kelenic (vs RHP) and Dylan Moore (vs LHP) are in a left-field platoon.

• José Caballero (.738 OPS) and Kolten Wong (.455 OPS) are splitting time at second base.

• Mike Ford (.779 OPS, 6 HR) has started in eight of the last 10 games.

Orioles

• The lineup is in flux with the promotion of Jordan Westburg and Cedric Mullins coming off the IL. Ryan Mountcastle is to come off the IL soon, so there will be fewer spots to go around. Even with the additions, Aaron Hicks has started in 11 straight games.

Rangers

• Steady.

Rays

• Still, just the three regulars (Yandy Díaz, Wander Franco, and Randy Arozarena) with Brandon Lowe expected off the IL any day now to confuse the situation even more.

Red Sox

• Rob Refsnyder (vs LHP) and Jarren Duran (vs RHP) are in a left-field platoon.

• David Hamilton (.369 OPS), Christian Arroyo (.661 OPS), and Enrique Hernández (.628 OPS) are splitting time at the two middle infield spots.

• Triston Casas (career .817 OPS vs RHP, .611 vs LHP) has not started against the last three lefties.

Royals

• Nick Pratto (career .738 OPS vs LHP, .698 OPS vs RHP) has sat against three of the last four lefties with Matt Duffy, for some stupid reason, playing instead.

• Samad Taylor (.451 OPS) has started in only three of the last five games.

• Kyle Isbel is back but still only starting against righties.

Tigers

• Besides Javier Báez, Spencer Torkelson, and Andy Ibáñez, there are no lineup regulars.

• Jake Marisnick (.554 OPS, 0 HR, 0 SB) has started three straight games in centerfield while batting ninth.

Twins

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

• The team has too many mediocre outfielders (Michael A. Taylor, Joey Gallo, Willi Castro, Max Kepler, and Alex Kirilloff) with none getting enough playing time to matter.

White Sox

• Zach Remillard (.871 OPS) and Elvis Andrus (.538 OPS) are splitting time at second base.

• Seby Zavala (.540 OPS, 6 HR) has started at catcher in five of the last seven games.

Yankees

• The team has gone with a veteran lineup (thanks BRef) the last two days but it has been against a lefty starter.

The lefty starter was the first one the team faced in June. Two platoons popped up. Billy McKinney (vs RHP) and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (vs LHP) are in one in leftfield. For the other one, Jake Bauers sits versus lefties but the other half isn’t clear

National League

Braves

• Steady

Brewers

• William Contreras has hit second in seven of the last nine games.

• The 26-year-old Blake Perkins (.267/.323/.383, 2 HR, 2 SB) has started five straight in the outfield.

Cardinals

• Lars Nootbaar (vs RHP) and Nolan Gorman (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Cubs

• Mike Tauchman (career .710 OPS vs RHP, .701 OPS vs LHP) is sitting against lefties.

• Nick Madrigal (.674 OPS, 0 HR, 7 SB) has seven straight starts with Patrick Wisdom on the IL.

• Jared Young has started in the last two games. The 27-year-old was hitting .326/.426/.605 with 13 HR and 4 SB in AAA.

Diamondbacks

• Evan Longoria (.874 OPS, 11 HR) has started at third base in four of the last six games.

Dodgers

• James Outman has made nine straight starts but just has a .593 OPS with 0 HR and 1 SB over the past two weeks.

• The bottom half of this lineup is bad and constantly changing.

Giants

• With Mike Yastrzemski on the IL, Blake Sabol has started six straight, five in left field.

• J.D. Davis (.829 OPS, 10 HR) has started nine straight.

Marlins

• Jazz Chisholm Jr. has hit cleanup since coming off the IL.

• Jean Segura has started all three games at third base since coming off the IL.

• Joey Wendle (.842 OPS over the last two weeks) has started seven of eight at shortstop.

• Nick Fortes (.224/.275/.315, 4 HR, 3 SB) is getting over half the catcher starts.

Mets

• Tommy Pham has started 19 straight games with Mark Canha regulated to the short side of a DH platoon.

Nationals

• Derek Hill (.419 OPS) has started seven straight games in centerfield while batting mainly in the eighth spot.

Padres

• Ha-Seong Kim 김하성 had leadoff for six of the last seven games but is now dealing with a hamstring issue.

Phillies

• Steady.

Pirates

• Nick Gonzales (.683) has started in five of the last six games at both shortstop and second base.

• Henry Davis (.351/.415/.486 1 HR, 2 SB) has started 10 straight games and is up to batting third. None of the games have been at catcher.

Reds

• Steady.

Rockies

• Ezequiel Tovar (.265/.300/.429, 7 HR, 4 SB) is now batting second.

• C.J. Cron is off the IL and batting fifth.

• Elehuris Montero (.538 OPS, 39% K%) has started six of the last seven games, all at first base.