Lineup Analysis (8/14/26)

by
August 14, 2026


USA TODAY NETWORK

American League

Angels

• Wade Meckler (.776 OPS) started eight straight games, including two against a lefty.

Astros

• Daulton Varsho (.663 OPS), Cam Smith (.691 OPS), and Taylor Trammell (.746 OPS) have become the regular outfielders.

Athletics

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• With Zack Gelof off the IL, Tommy White (.528 OPS) still starts (nine of last 10 games) but is now playing at first base.

Blue Jays

• Charles McAdoo (.611 OPS, 2 HR) started four straight games while leading off for three of them (against lefties).

• Brett Bateman (.644 OPS) started six of the last seven games in the outfield.

• Myles Straw (.611 OPS) started in eight of the last 10 games.

Guardians

• Since being promoted, Angel Genao (.811 OPS) started in seven of eight games.

Mariners

• Since coming off the IL, Brendan Donovan started in seven of nine games with all but one at third base.

• With the demotion of Colt Emerson (.581 OPS), Leo Rivas (.424 OPS) started at shortstop.

Orioles

• Jackson Holliday (.723 OPS) batted third over the last six games.

• Christian Encarnacion-Strand (.801 OPS) started just three times in the last six games, all against righties.

• Tyler O’Neill (.702 OPS, 10 HR) started six straight games, all against righties.

Rangers

• With Corey Seager off the IL, Nicky Lopez lost his full-time shortstop job.

Rays

• When starting, Liam Hicks (.816 OPS) bats fourth.

Red Sox

• Nick Sogard (.694 OPS) started 13 straight games.

Royals

• After seven straight starts, John Rave (.797 OPS) started just twice in the next six.

• Since coming off the IL, Kyle Isbel (.620 OPS) started in seven of nine games.

Tigers

• Javier Báez (.700 OPS) started in six of the last seven games.

• Riley Greene (vs RHP) and Ben Malgeri (vs LHP) form an outfield platoon.

Twins

• Kaelen Culpepper (.639 OPS) started six of eight games since being promoted.

White Sox

• No changes.

Yankees

• José Caballero started just twice in the last eight games with Ryan McMahon (vs RHP) and Amed Rosario (vs LHP) forming a third base platoon.

• As expected, Luis García Jr. (vs RHP) and Paul Goldschmidt (vs LHP) form a first base platoon.

National League

Braves

• Ha-Seong Kim 김하성 (.233 OPS) started once in nine games since coming off the IL.

• Lane Thomas (vs LHP) and Mike Yastrzemski (vs RHP) form an outfield platoon.

Brewers

• Garrett Mitchell sat against the last two lefties after seeming like he was no longer in a platoon.

• Andrew Vaughn (.856 OPS, 5 HR) has eight starts in the last 10 games. He now has 10 games at third base.

Cardinals

• Blaze Jordan, César Prieto, and José Fermín split time at third base, making all three fantasy irrelevant.

• Everson Pereira (.767 OPS, 5 HR) has only started against lefties.

Cubs

• Ian Happ (.529 OPS vs LHP) sat against three of the last five lefties.

• Pedro Ramírez (.788 OPS, 2 HR, 7 SB) started in just five of the last 10 games.

Diamondbacks

• Tim Tawa (.662 OPS, 6 HR, 6 SB in 199 PA) has 15 straight starts.

Dodgers

• Hunter Feduccia (.665 OPS) gets the most starts at catcher with Will Smith and Dalton Rushing on the IL.

Giants

• Victor Bericoto (.784 OPS, 4 HR) started both games since coming off the IL while batting fifth.

• Drew Gilbert (.680 OPS) started six straight games in center field.

• Christian Koss (.433 OPS, 2 SB) started six straight games at third base.

• Osleivis Basabe (.755 OPS, 3 HR, 43 PA) started 11 straight games since being promoted.

Marlins

• Besides a few guys, it is tough to find regulars on the team.

• Since coming off the IL, Owen Caissie (.727 OPS) started in nine of ten games, all against right-handed starters.

• Since being promoted, Agustín Ramírez started in four of nine games while posting a .721 OPS (37% K%).

• Esteury Ruiz (.868 OPS, 6 HR, 28 SB) continues to struggle for playing time with just five starts in the last 10 games.

Mets

• Luis Robert Jr. (.787 OPS in August) started in seven of the last 10 games.

• Jorge Polanco (.421 OPS) and Brett Baty (.613 OPS) have only started in six of the last 10 games.

Nationals

• Abimelec Ortiz (vs RHP) and Andrés Chaparro (vs LHP) form a first base platoon.

• Brady House (.681 OPS) and Jorbit Vivas (.665 OPS) split time at third base.

• Andrew Pinckney (.925 OPS) and José Tena (.708 OPS) split playing time.

Padres

• Austin Hays (1.000 OPS, 9 PA), who started two straight games, might start taking playing time from Luis Rengifo (.861 OPS) and Gavin Sheets (.706 OPS).

Phillies

• Bryson Stott (at 3B) and Alec Bohm (at 1B) each got a new position qualification.

Pirates

• Jared Triolo (.651 OPS) and Jacob Gonzalez (.682 OPS) split time in the infield. Triolo has been an on-base machine (.319/.418/.404) in the second half.

Reds

• Ke’Bryan Hayes (.426 OPS) started at third base in eight of the last ten games.

• Héctor Rodríguez (vs RHP) and Noelvi Marte (vs LHP) form a right field platoon.

Rockies

• Jordan Beck (vs LHP) and Zac Veen (vs RHP) might be in a right field platoon. The stats back it up, but it’s tough to know after two games.

• Connor Norby (.630 OPS) started the last two games at second base.





 

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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