Lineup Analysis (8/20/21)

American League

Angels

• Shohei Ohtani has hit leadoff for 10 straight games.

• Jo Adell is hitting .213/.273/.328 (29% K%) with 1 HR since being recalled.

Astros

• Jake Meyers (.313/.371/.563) has started seven of eight games since being called up to fill in for an injured Kyle Tucker.

• Aledmys Díaz (.302/.350/.482) has started 20 straight games since coming off the IL.

• Chas McCormick is hitting .333/.377/.474 since becoming a regular in the outfield in August.

Athletics

• While Jed Lowrie (.258/.333/.410 with 21 HR) has been hitting and batting 4th or 5th in the lineup, he’s only started five of the last eight games.

• Stephen Piscotty (vs LHP) and Seth Brown (vs RHP) are in an outfield platoon.

• Mitch Moreland, Josh Harrison, and Tony Kemp are sort of sharing 1.5 lineups spots. It comes down to how the DH spot is being used each game.

Blue Jays

• Consistent.

• Corey Dickerson (.282/.333/.538) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.  (.266/.298/.435) are splitting time in left field.

• Santiago Espinal (.297/.353/.395 with 2 HR and 4 SB) has started seven of the last eight games at third base.

Guardians (maybe)

• Andrés Giménez (vs RHP) and Ernie Clement (vs LHP) are in a second base platoon.

• Bradley Zimmer (.250/.359/.370 with 10 SB) does not start against lefties. It works out that Owen Miller or Yu Chang will start in his place.

Mariners

• The outfield is crowded with Jake Fraley, Jake Bauers, and Dylan Moore all splitting time at the final spot.

• Catcher-qualified Luis Torrens (.217/.283/.438 with 14 HR) is the primary DH.

Orioles

• Ramón Urias (.262/.338/.398) has started five straight games.

• Jorge Mateo (.340/.353/.500 with Baltimore) has started all 12 games since signing while playing shortstop, second base, and outfield.

Rangers

• DJ Peters (.167/.190/.370) has started 15 straight games and is hitting anywhere from fourth to sixth in the lineup.

• Yonny Hernandez (.262/.333/.286 with 3 SB) is now leading off.

• Catcher-qualified Yohel Pozo (.211/.211/.368) has started five of the last six games at DH.

Rays

• It’s always a nightmare to figure out.

• Yandy Díaz (.251/.360/.374) has been playing off and on while he deals with a thumb issue.

• Ji-Man Choi (vs RHP) and Jordan Luplow (vs LHP) are in a first base platoon.

• Kevin Kiermaier, Manuel Margot, and Brett Phillips are splitting time in center field.

Red Sox

• Whenever J.D. Martinez goes to DH, Kyle Schwarber starts the game on the bench.

• Travis Shaw (vs RHP) and Bobby Dalbec (vs LHP) might be in a first base platoon.

Royals

• Nicky Lopez (.277/.347/.354) bats second against righties.

• Besides Andrew Benintendi being settled in left field, the team just cyles through Hunter Dozier, Ryan O’Hearn, Jarrod Dyson, and Michael A. Taylor for the other two outfield spots.

Tigers

• Lots of changes influencing the lineup with Zack Short and Daz Cameron rejoining the team and Eric Haase going on the IL.

• Renato Núñez (.184/.216/.469) has started six of the last seven games.

• Since Akil Baddoo went on the IL, Victor Reyes (.212/.237/.356) has started eight straight in center field.

Twins

• Since coming off the IL, Josh Donaldson has primarily been the DH with Luis Arraez playing third base. Arraez has been hitting fourth and fifth.

• Miguel Sanó has started 28 straight games at first base while hitting .262/.372/.524 with 6 HR during that time frame.

• Nick Gordon, Jake Cave, and Rob Refsnyder are sharing center field duties.

White Sox

• The last outfield spot is being filled by Brian Goodwin, Jake Lamb, and Andrew Vaughn.

• Luis Robert has been on fire hitting .394/.412/.636 since coming off the IL.

Yankees

• Andrew Velazquez (.269/.269/.385) and Tyler Wade (.269/.345/.327) are splitting time at shortstop while Gleyber Torres is on the IL.

• Rougned Odor (.221/.301/.414) has started 10 straight games, mainly at third base.

National League

Braves

• Consistent.

• Jorge Soler (.238/.368/.429 with ATL) is batting second.

• Joc Pederson (vs RHP) and Guillermo Heredia (vs LHP) are in a centerfield platoon.

Brewers

• Avisaíl García has started five straight while hitting .345/.472/.897 with 5 HR over the past two weeks.

• Rowdy Tellez (vs RHP) and Luis Urías (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Cardinals

• Consistent.

• With Dylan Carlson on the IL, Tommy Edman is leading off and Lars Nootbaar (.229/.321/.479) is in right field, batting 5th or 6th.

Cubs

• Frank Schwindel (.329/.361/.633 with 5 HR) has hit second for six straight games.

• Matt Duffy (.272/.346/.321) has started three of the last four games at third base with Patrick Wisdom (.569 OPS over the last two weeks) sitting.

• David Bote has started nine straight games and his hitting .198/.258/.321 since coming off the IL.

Diamondbacks

• What a mess to untangle. Here are the number of starts since Josh Rojas came off the IL nine games ago.

Name: Games started
Ketel Marte: 8
Pavin Smith: 8
Josh Rojas: 7
Nick Ahmed: 7
Asdrúbal Cabrera: 7
Carson Kelly 6
Christian Walker: 6
David Peralta: 6
Josh VanMeter: 5
Drew Ellis: 5
Daulton Varsho: 5

Most of them are suspect talents and they are just not playing enough to be fantasy relevant.

Dodgers

• Basically, it’s the same players all the time with Billy McKinney (.205/.295/.385) playing some outfield to give the others some rest (Taylor or Bellinger can move to the infield).

• AJ Pollock (.306/.356/.522 with 15 HR and 8 SB) has been slowly moving up the lineup.

Giants

• When healthy, Kris Bryant and Brandon Crawford are the only regulars. Everyone else is in a platoon with Evan Longoria being the only exception. It’s tough to know Longoria’s status since he’s only started in three of five games since returning from the IL.

Marlins

• Bryan De La Cruz (.319/.342/.435) has started eight straight games.

• Jesus Sanchez (.255/.298/.439 with 4 HR) has hit cleanup for four straight games.

• Alex Jackson (.160/.222/.360) has started at catcher in seven of the last 10 games.

Mets

• Brandon Nimmo (.276/.399/.379) has led off for 13 straight games.

• Jeff McNeil is now moved up to hitting second after posting a .376 OPS over the past two weeks.

• J.D. Davis (.295/.391/.462) has started 10 straight games while hitting anywhere from fourth to sixth in the lineup.

• With both Javier Báez and Francisco Lindor on the IL, Jonathan Villar (.244/.321/.424 with 14 HR and 10 SB) has started 15 straight games.

Nationals

• Victor Robles (.209/.315/.306 with 8 SB) has led off for nine straight games.

• Alcides Escobar (231/.279/.313) is still batting second.

• Carter Kieboom (.270/.356/.419 with 3 HR) has started 19 straight games.

• Josh Bell (.241/.304/.459 with 20 HR) is no longer in a platoon with Ryan Zimmerman, having started in 15 of 16 games with five of those games against a lefty starter.

Padres

• Tommy Pham and Wil Myers are splitting time in left field.

• Adam Frazier continues to bat first or second while just hitting .241/.277/.291 since joining the Padres.

• Trent Grisham (.259/.352/.449) has been locked into hitting eighth (i.e. right before the pitcher) in six straight games.

Phillies

• Ronald Torreyes (.268/.314/.391 with 6 HR and 2 SB) is the everyday third baseman. Alec Bohm (.248/.305/.346) has been relegated to the short side of a first base platoon with Brad Miller since Rhys Hoskins is on the IL.

• While sometimes Odúbel Herrera (.222/.288/.341) leads off, he’s only started in six of the last 10 games.

Pirates

• Besides Ke’Bryan Hayes, Gregory Polanco, and Bryan Reynolds, no one has a permanent lineup spot.

• After starting off on fire, Hoy Park (.222/.276/.352) is struggling and has only started two of the last four games.

Reds

• With Jesse Winker on the IL, Tyler Naquin (.257/.323/.438) has been playing every day in centerfield. Aristides Aquino and Shogo Akiyama are splitting time in the other outfield spot.

• Mike Moustakas (vs RHP) and Eugenio Suárez (vs LHP) are in a third base platoon.

Rockies

• Connor Joe (.286/.364/.481 with 7 HR) has led off for nine straight games.

• Garrett Hampson, Sam Hilliard, and Yonathan Daza are in a centerfield ménage à trois with everyone’s playing time getting screwed over.