Lineup Analysis (7/24/26): National League

by
July 24, 2026


Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Sorry I for only getting to the National League today. I’ve been under the weather and don’t want to push it.

Note: Any noted rostership rates come from the NFBC RotoWire Online Championship, the same rates we use on the FanGraphs Player Rater. For reference, these leagues are 12-team Roto leagues with 30-man rosters (2 C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, MI, CI, 5 OF, UT, 9 P) and weekly add/drops. This rate can be compared to other rostership rates found in this article.

National League

Braves

• Since coming off the IL, Mike Yastrzemski (.672 OPS, 6 HR) started in three straight games, including one against a lefty. Brewer Hicklen (vs RHP) and Dominic Smith (vs LHP) appear to form a DH/OF platoon with Yastrzemski moving positions

Brewers

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• Garrett Mitchell (.819, 8 HR, 7 SB) started against the last three lefties.

• Andrew Vaughn (.868 OPS, 3 HR) started the last four games at first base with Sal Frelick (.630 OPS) on the IL.

• David Hamilton is about to come off the IL, so the playing time for Joey Ortiz and/of Cooper Pratt could take a hit.

Cardinals

• Nelson Velázquez (vs LHP) and Lars Nootbaar (vs RHP) form a left field platoon.

• Nathan Church (.658 OPS vs LHP, .627 OPS vs RHP) doesn’t face lefties, with Iván Herrera usually taking his place.

• Blaze Jordan (.613 OPS) continues to start at third base.

Cubs

• No changes

Diamondbacks

• Max Kepler (.656 OPS, 2 HR) now starts against all righties.

• Tim Tawa (.681 OPS) started in 10 of the last 11 games.

• Tyler Locklear (1.159 OPS, 15 PA) has been on fire but started in just three of five games.

• Since being promoted this time, Ryan Waldschmidt (.667 OPS) started in seven of 10 games.

Dodgers

• Tommy Edman (.974 OPS), Miguel Rojas (.752 OPS), and Max Muncy (.868 OPS) are splitting starts at second and third base. The position is about to become more crowded with Enrique Hernández about to come off the IL.

Giants

• Drew Gilbert (.659 OPS) started in 10 of the last 11 games.

• The team is carrying three catchers (Daniel Susac, Drew Cavanaugh, Jesus Rodriguez) and each has been the starting catcher over the last three games.

Marlins

• Javier Sanoja (.718 OPS, 3 HR, 5 SB) is now starting every game.

• Jakob Marsee (.600) started in just four of the last seven games with Esteury Ruiz (.836 OPS) starting instead.

Mets

• With Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. coming off the IL, full-time at-bats will be harder to get … until someone is traded. Carson Benge, Marcus Semien, Brett Baty, and the two guys coming off the IL are splitting time at the four spots.

• Eric Wagaman (vs LHP) and Jared Young (vs RHP) form a first base platoon.

Nationals

• Since being recalled, Harry Ford has started in three of seven games.

• This team continues to have several platoons and time shares. The only two players who have started in at least nine of the last 10 games are James Wood and CJ Abrams.

Padres

• Luis Rengifo (.584 OPS) started in four of the last five games at three different positions (2B, LF, DH).

• Ty France (.877 OPS, 16 HR) is now the regular first baseman with 10 straight starts.

Phillies

• With the promotion of Bryan De La Cruz, the outfield situation is muddy, with Brandon Marsh being the only rosterable outfielder.

Pirates

• Jared Triolo (.638 OPS) and Jacob Gonzalez (.736 OPS) split time, with Nick Gonzalez swapping between short and third base.

• Tyler Callihan (vs RHP) and Marcell Ozuna (vs LHP) form a DH platoon.

Reds

• Since coming off the IL, Ke’Bryan Hayes (.418 OPS) started in five of nine games.

• Dane Myers (.759 OPS, 3 HR, 6 SB) started in four of five games since coming off the IL.

Rockies

• No changes





 

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.

1 Comment
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docgooden85Member since 2018
1 month ago

Wagaman has been in AAA since Monday. I watched the Syracuse vs Scranton/Wilkes-Barre game yesterday on TV and can confirm he was playing in the Non-Show as of then.

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