Lineup Analysis (8/7/21)

American League

Angels

• With Jared Walsh on the IL, Phil Gosselin (.272 .332 .370) has started nine of 10 games at first base.

• Since being called up, Jo Adell is batting fifth or sixth.

• With Anthony Rendon out for the season, Jack Mayfield (.176/.200/.206) is playing third base and batting ninth.

• Justin Upton (.230/.319/.442) has sat for three of the last six games.

Astros

• While normally stable lineup, it has been in flux with the trade of Abraham Toro and Yuli Gurriel and Alex Bregman hurt. On top of that, five of their last six games have been in NL parks.

• Aledmys Díaz (.287/.340/.480) has started eight straight games at first and third base since returning from the IL. He’s been hitting well enough to justify more playing time. I’m not sure the Astros will give him the playing time based on previous usage patterns. I found two stretches where everyone was healthy. In the first one (beginning of the season), he started four of 11 games (36%). During the longer second one (April 24th to June 5th), he started 17 of 39 (43%).

Athletics

• Starling Marte is batting second.

• Josh Harrison (.289/.361/.425) has started three straight games at second base.

• Matt Chapman (.215/.304/.371, .156/.217/.286 over the last 28 days) is now batting eighth. He has not been the same since he had the flu in early July.

• Yan Gomes (.272/.322/.461) is hitting 5th or 6th.

Blue Jays

• George Springer (.288/.371/.623) is back to leading off with Marcus Semien batting third.

• Randal Grichuk (.252/.283/.449) has been moved down to the seventh lineup spot. Since June 1st he’s hitting just .213/.242 /.399.

• Reese McGuire (.284/.329/.392) has finally released all his pent-up parking lot frustration and started in eight of 13 games since Danny Jansen went on the IL

Guardians (maybe)

• Myles Straw is leading off against lefties with Bradley Zimmer against righties.

• Austin Hedges (.171/.210/.265) has taken over the catching duties starting in four of the last six games. It’s not that he’s been great, but Roberto Perez has been beyond bad (.136/.246/.318). And Hedges is on a “heater” over the past two weeks (.240/.240/.360).

• Ernie Clement ( .203/.253/.230) and Owen Miller (.141/.214/.219) are getting a chance to show the major league club that they deserve to be in the majors and are failing miserably at the opportunity.

Mariners

• Since being traded to Seattle, Abraham Toro (.262/.335/.482) is batting fifth.

• Jake Fraley (vs RHP) and Dylan Moore (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

• With the team carrying three catchers, Luis Torrens (.210/.282/.429) has been the DH and even started a game at first base. He has struggled over the last two weeks hitting (.139/.225/.250).

• Jake Bauers (.215/.283/.278) has been relegated to the bench starting in only three of eight games since the Toro trade.

Orioles

• They’ve had one of the most consistent lineups this season.

• Ramón Urías (.284/.356/.420) is now batting 2nd with Austin Hays (.237/.291/.424) moving down to the fifth spot.

Rangers

• Nate Lowe (.249/.349/.386) has moved back up the lineup. I’m not sure why since he’s hitting .188/.316/.266 over the last month.

• Andy Ibáñez (.223/.277/.369, .225/.340/.475 over the last two weeks) has been hitting 5th and started in 13 straight games.

• Jason Martin (vs RHP) and Eli White (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

• DJ Peters (.222/.378/.361) has started in three straight games.

• When Jonah Heim (.212/.251/.397, 8 HR) starts, he usually bats from the fourth to the sixth slot. He hasn’t really earned the promotion by hitting .177/.190/.387 over the last month.

Rays

• I really don’t know what’s going on here.  I’ll try to make it simple. Here are the starts by players since Nelson Cruz was added to the team (12 games).

Name: Games started

• Wander Franco: 11
• Brandon Lowe: 11
• Randy Arozarena: 10
• Austin Meadows: 10
• Ji-Man Choi: 10
• Nelson Cruz: 9
• Yandy Díaz: 9
• Kevin Kiermaier: 8
• Joey Wendle: 7
• Manuel Margot (on IL for three games): 6
• Brett Phillips 5

While the order moves around a ton, the first seven look to be regulars with some time sharing for the last two outfield spots.

• I was a little surprised that Yandy Diaz was playing so much but he has hit .281/.328/.526 with 3 HR over the past month. He is getting a little more loft in his swing. Hopefully, it’ll stick this time.

Red Sox

• Franchy Cordero (vs RHP) and Bobby Dalbec (vs LHP) are in a first base platoon.

• Jarren Duran (.176/.204/.353) is sitting against most lefties and has started in 12 of the 18 games (5 of last 9) since being promoted (Note: now on the IL).

• Hunter Renfroe (.253/.312/.462) is now hitting ahead of Alex Verdugo (.273/.340/.417). Renfroe (.774 OPS) has been a bit better than Verdugo (.698) over the past month.

Royals

• Edward Olivares (.271/.300/.521) has started four straight since being promoted … again.

• Michael A. Taylor (.239/.299/.363) has started 12 straight games in center field.

Tigers

• The top of the lineup has been steady.

• Derek Hill (.273/.377/.303, 6 SB) has started 11 of 13 games.

• Zack Short (.589 OPS), Willi Castro (.620 OPS), and Harold Castro (.662 OPS) are splitting time in the three middle infield spots.

Twins

• Max Kepler has sat against the last two lefties. He’s posted a .588 OPS against them with a .783 OPS against righties.

• After batting third for most of the season, Trevor Larnach (.227/.323/.364) is now batting anywhere from the fourth to eighth spot. Since July 1st, he’s hitting .204/.278/.301.

White Sox

• Half of the lineup is now set and the rest is a complete mess. And the mess only get worse with the team in an NL park for the weekend.

• Seby Zavala (.211/.318/.500) has been the starting catcher in five of the last six games.

• Eloy Jiménez (.136/.174/.318) killed Gavin Sheets’s (.218/.289/.483) fantasy value since he’s batting fourth and the everyday DH.

• The outfield has too many bodies and not enough lineup spots to go around. Andrew Vaughn (.781 OPS), Brian Goodwin (.772 OPS), Adam Engel (.845 OPS), Leury García (.655 OPS), and Jake Lamb (.757 OPS) are all battling for three spots with the crunch getting worse with Jimenez headed to the outfield soon and Luis Robert about to come off the IL.

Yankees

• Anthony Rizzo is batting second.

• Joey Gallo has hit anywhere from second to fifth.

• Rougned Odor (.729 OPS) has played third base and hit seventh over the last two games.

• Greg Allen (.849 OPS), Brett Gardner (.619 OPS), and Jonathan Davis (4 PA this season) are splitting time in center field.

National League

Braves

• It looks like there might be two set platoon lineups, but the team has faced four straight lefties to start the week.

• Joc Pederson (.324/.387/.529) has sat against two of the last four lefty starters while Guillermo Heredia (.237/.318/.382) has manned center field in the other games.

Brewers

• Tyrone Taylor (.243/.327/.444, 9 HR, 5 SB) has started eight straight games in left field while hitting in front of Lorenzo Cain (.246/.331/.351, 3 HR, 6 SB).

• Eduardo Escobar (.248/.306/.488) has hit either third or fourth in the lineup playing at either first or third base.

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

Cardinals

• Eerily the same two platoon lineups all season.

Cubs

• The lineup looks to be straight out of AAA. Who are these guys?

• Rafael Ortega (.317/.368/.524, 6 HR, 5 SB) has led off for nine straight games.

• David Bote has started every game since the sell-off while hitting .202/.279/.344 so far this season.

• Frank Schwindel (.333/.385/.417) is playing first base and batting in the six-hole.

• With everyone else on a new team, Ian Happ (.179/.294/.329) is now batting third.

Diamondbacks

• What is going on here??????!!!!!!

• Daulton Varsho has started in 13 of the last 14 games with hitting .318/.400/.659 with 4 HR during that time.

• Nick Ahmed (.223/.283/.329) for some reason is still starting every day.

Dodgers

• Cody Bellinger (.168/.267/.291) is now batting seventh or eighth.

• There will be another lineup adjustment once Trea Turner comes off the IL.

• With Mookie Betts back in the lineup, Chris Taylor moved down to hitting sixth.

Giants

• The return of Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt from the IL and the trade to acquire Kris Bryant has everything in flux. It’ll take a few more games to get an idea of the team’s true intentions.

• The only obvious platoon is Tommy La Stella (vs RHP) and Wilmer Flores vs (vs LHP) at third base. The first base platoon got gutted with the addition of Brandon Belt. Austin Slater (.228/.303/.391) is still only facing lefties. LaMonte Wade Jr. (.244/.328/.541) only faces righties.

Marlins

• Lewis Brinson (.236/.263/.409) has hit cleanup in three of the last four games.

• Bryan De La Cruz (.240/.269/.240) has started seven straight games while batting sixth or seventh.

• Jorge Alfaro (.224/.273/.321) has played two of the last three games in left field.

Mets

• Since joining the team, Javier Báez (.242/.285/.478) has hit fourth or fifth.

• Since the All-Star game, Jeff McNeil is hitting .313/.371/.547 and move back to the top of the lineup.

Nationals

• Victor Robles (.196/.318/.290, 8 for 13 on the bases) has led off for five of the last six games.

• Yadiel Hernandez (.307/.365/.447) has started six straight games while batting fourth or fifth.

• Carter Kieboom has started 10 of 12 games since being promoted and is hitting .306/.409/.500 during that time.

Padres

• Since joining the team, Adam Frazier (.315/.379/.433) has started six of eight games while batting first or second.

• Even with Fernando Tatis Jr. on the IL, there are not enough positions available. The only full-timers look to be Tommy Pham, Manny Machado, and Jake Cronenworth. Trent Grisham and Eric Hosmer look to be almost full-timers.

• Trent Grisham has been moved down the batting order to the 6th to 8th spot. Over the last month, he is hitting .174/.269/.217.

Phillies

• Travis Jankowski (.284/.370/.383) has started five of the last six games and hit leadoff in the last two.

• Didi Gregorius has moved up to batting in the fifth spot while hitting .167/.200/.262 over the last two weeks.

Pirates

• Newcomer, Hoy Park, (.375/.444/.563) has hit leadoff over the last three games.

• There are quite a few below-replacement level parts moving around here.

• Rodolfo Castro (.196/.275/.543) has started in nine of the last 10 games while slowly moving up the lineup.

• After a hot start, John Nogowski has cooled off hitting .149/.212/.213 over the past week.

Reds

• Besides injuries, the lineup has remained consistent all year.

• The top half has been set all year and solidified even more with Nick Castellanos coming off the IL. Right now, Tyler Naquin (.729 OPS), Aristides Aquino (.797), Shogo Akiyama (.541), and Max Schrock (.945) must share one outfield spot.

Rockies

• There are just a few regulars who play every single day. Timeshares across the board.

• Brendan Rodgers (.283/.344/.480, 9 HR) has started 11 straight games while batting second.

• Sam Hilliard has started 12 of 17 games since his last callup and is hitting .255/.352/.617 with 5 HR over that time.