Lineup Analysis (8/21/26)

by
August 21, 2026


Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

American League

Angels

• No changes

Astros

• No changes

Athletics

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• With all the injuries to the team (Kurtz, Langeliers, Rooker, Soderstrom, Kuroda-Grauer, Clarke), this lineup is pathetic. Lawrence Butler couldn’t make the lineup earlier in the year, and now he’s batting cleanup.

Blue Jays

• Charles McAdoo (.750 OPS, 2 HR, 1 SB) started in nine of the last 10 games at first, third, and outfield. He leads off against lefties.

• Brett Bateman (.626 OPS) hit leadoff in five of the last six games.

Guardians

• Angel Genao (.844 OPS, 1 HR, 1 SB) moved up the lineup and is now batting fifth or sixth.

• Petey Halpin (.550 OPS, 9 SB), Jo Adell (.692 OPS, 19 HR), and Angel Martínez (.699 OPS, 12 HR, 10 SB) split time between two outfield spots.

Mariners

• Brendan Donovan (.779 OPS) hit leadoff in the last five games.

• Rookie Brock Rodden (.875 OPS, 24 PA) started the last six games at shortstop.

Orioles

• Christian Encarnacion-Strand (.786 OPS) and Coby Mayo (.714 OPS) split time at third base, with Encarnacion-Strand starting to get the edge with four starts against the last five righties the team faced.

• None of the outfielders are getting regular starts.

Rangers

• Justin Foscue (vs LHP) and Nicky Lopez (vs RHP) form a second base platoon.

• Evan Carter (.682 OPS vs RHP, .298 OPS vs LHP) started nine straight games, including four against lefties.

• Cody Freeman (.614 OPS) is on the short side of a third base platoon.

Rays

• Chandler Simpson (.700 OPS, 35 SB) hit leadoff in the last three games.

Red Sox

• It’s Mickey Gasper (.716 OPS) season again with three straight starts as the DH.

Royals

• I don’t even get to analyze the lineup with Maikel Garcia since he came off the IL and probably back on it since my last article.

• Nick Loftin (.696 OPS, 5 HR, 2 SB) hit leadoff in seven of the last 10 games.

Tigers

• With Riley Greene on the IL (hamstring), Brett Callahan (vs RHP) and Ben Malgeri (vs LHP) form a left field platoon.

• While moving around the field, Javier Báez (.635 OPS) started in seven of 10 games.

Twins

• Luke Keaschall hit leadoff in the last three games.

• The outfield remains crowded with Alan Roden (.589 OPS) and Trevor Larnach (.775 OPS) splitting time in left field.

White Sox

• Tristan Peters (vs RHP) and Brenton Doyle (vs LHP) form a centerfield platoon.

Yankees

• José Caballero (83% rostered, 53% started) started just three times in the last 10 games.

National League

Braves

• Jim Jarvis (.579 OPS) and Mauricio Dubón (.700 OPS) split time at shortstop.

Brewers

• Sean Murphy (.289 OPS) started in five of the last 10 games, all at catcher.

Cardinals

• Nathan Church (vs RHP) and Everson Pereira (vs LHP) form a center field platoon.

Cubs

• Pedro Ramírez (.760 OPS, 2 HR, 7 SB) started five straight games with Dansby Swanson on the IL.

Diamondbacks

• With Ketel Marte doing his own thing, Ildemaro Vargas (.715 OPS, 9 HR) started the last three games at second base and hit leadoff.

• Jordan Lawlar (.688 OPS) started all three games in center field since coming off the IL.

• Jose Fernandez (.661 OPS, 7 SB) started the last three games at third base with Nolan Arenado (intercostal) banged up.

Dodgers

• No changes.

Giants

• Since coming off the IL, Victor Bericoto (.706 OPS) started in five of eight games.

• Christian Koss (.470 OPS, 2 SB) started 12 straight games while batting ninth.

• Drew Cavanaugh (.587 OPS) is the regular catcher.

Marlins

• Esteury Ruiz (.820 OPS, 6 HR, 29 SB) started four times in the last five games.

• Javier Sanoja (.742 OPS, 6 HR, 6 SB, 348 PA) started eight times in the last 10 games.

Mets

• Luis Robert Jr. (.652 OPS) and Brett Baty (.611 OPS) split time in the outfield.

• Christopher Morel (vs LHP) and Jared Young 제러드 (vs RHP) form a first base platoon.

Nationals

• Andrés Chaparro (.875 OPS, 8 HR) started against four of the last six righties.

• Brady House (.696 OPS, 9 HR, 252 PA) started at third base in eight of the last nine games while batting in the top half of the lineup.

Padres

• Austin Hays (vs LHP) and Gavin Sheets (vs RHP) form a DH platoon.

Phillies

• No changes

Pirates

• Catcher-qualified Rafael Flores (1.140 OPS, 6 HR) started in seven of the last 10 games, including four games at first base.

• With Oneil Cruz off the IL, the outfield and DH position got crowded. It’s not obvious who will sit the most. So far, Cruz, Jake Mangum, and Nick Gonzales have sat.

• Jared Triolo (vs RHP) and Nick Yorke (vs LHP) form a third base platoon.

Reds

• Since being promoted, Michael Toglia (.371 OPS) started in seven of ten games.

• Héctor Rodríguez (.336 OPS) started just five times in the last 10 games.

Rockies

• Connor Norby (.656 OPS, 4 HR, 8 SB in 260 PA) started seven times in the last eight games.

• Since being promoted, the 23-year-old Adael Amador has started in three of four games.

• Zac Veen (vs RHP) and Jordan Beck (vs LHP) form a right field platoon.





 

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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JimMember since 2016
14 hours ago

Sean Murphy plays for the Braves not the Brewers.

1