Lineup Analysis (9/12/20)

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September 12, 2020

American League

Angels

Astros

  • With Jose Altuve out, Aledmys Díaz has been playing second base. He’s hitting at the bottom of the lineup against righties but bats second against lefties.

Athletics

Blue Jays

  • Even with Bo Bichette out, Jonathan Villar (.626 OPS, 9 SB, 0 SB with Buffalo) has been moving down the lineup.
  • Rowdy Tellez was batting third or fourth before hitting the IL.
  • Travis Shaw is hitting higher in the lineup against righties after going on a two-week heater (.326/.396/.535).

Indians

Mariners

Orioles

  • DJ Stewart is forcing himself into the top of the Orioles lineup by crushing the ball and getting on base (.267/.488/.767, 5 HR).
  • Pat Valaika (.269/.309/.471) has started six of the last seven days playing all over the field (17 SS, 10, 1B, 9 2B, 4 3B, 4 OF).
  • Ryan Mountcastle (.383/.441/.633) is on fire (55% owned in CBS leagues).

Rangers

  • Leody Taveras (.224/.318/.414, 2 HR, 3 SB) continues to lead off.
  • Ronald Guzmán (.903 OPS) continues to be the everyday first baseman.
  • In a small sample (28 PA), Anderson Tejeda has been lights out (.259/.286/.593, 2 HR, 3 SB)

Rays

  • I get sick every time I try figuring out what is going on here, especially with both Lowes. There might be a versus left and right-handed pitcher lineup.
  • The only guys playing every day are Austin Meadows and Willy Adames.

Red Sox

  • The bottom of the lineup is in constant flux.
  • Bobby Dalbec has been an all-or-nothing power hitter (67% HR/FB%, 49% K%) so far in the majors while playing first base every day.

Royals

  • Adalberto Mondesi is now batting second … so he must have heated up … let see what the splits say: a .546 OPS over the last 14 days. I guess that’s better than the .490 OPS he was rocking before the “heater”.
  • Edward Olivares has great since being traded to the Royals (.387/.387/.677, 31 PA).
  • For some reason that is beyond stupid, Matt Reynolds (29-years-old, career .605 OPS) is back in the league and playing every day.

Tigers

  • An extremely steady top half of the lineup while trying to work in Daz Cameron (.100 OPS, 10 PA) and Isaac Paredes (.478 OPS, 59 PA) in the bottom half.

Twins

  • It is normally is a steady lineup, but some nagging injuries have it in flux.
  • Brent Rooker is filling in for Max Kepler in right field and is hitting OK (.278/.316/.500).

White Sox

  • The lineup order changes just a bit depending on the pitcher handedness but it’s the same hitters .
  • Nick Madrigal continues to hit like Nick Madrigal (.380/.404/.420).

Yankees

  • It’s the same second-division lineup every night.

National League

Braves

  • I’m not sure why but Dansby Swanson (.875 OPS) has moved down to fifth in the lineup.
  • Ozzie Albies (.548) is hitting at the lineup’s end since returning from the IL.

Brewers

  • Ben Gamel (.723 OPS) is leading off when there is a righty starter.
  • Luis Urías (.286/.355/.357) is playing third base on a regular basis.

Cardinals

Cubs

  • Since Kris Bryant has returned from the IL, David Bote (.743 OPS) continues to play and has started five of the last six.

Diamondbacks

  • Josh Rojas (.200/.256/.200, 1 SB) is playing every day and leading off against righties.
  • Catcher-qualified Daulton Varsho is playing all over the field but barely hitting (.564 OPS, 2 HR, 1 SB).

Dodgers

  • Chris Taylor (.760 OPS) has started in nine of the last 10 games.
  • AJ Pollock has remained healthy, started 14 of the last 15 while hitting, and is crushing the ball (.289/.327/.530, 9 HR, 2 SB).

Giants

  • While the order changes depending on the starter’s handedness, it’s the same nine hitters all the time.

Marlins

  • With almost everyone back (Jon Berti on IL), the lineup consists of the same players besides Matt Joyce sitting against lefties.

Mets

  • Andrés Giménez (.767 OPS, 2 HR, 7 SB) has started six straight games with Amed Rosario (.583 OPS, 3 HR, 0 SB) heading to the bench.
  • Brandon Nimmo sits against left-handed pitching with a varied cast of characters replacing him.
  • Dominic Smith and Robinson Canó have sat against two of the last four lefties. They aren’t droppable but lack of playing time can chip away at their value.

Nationals

Padres

  • The lineup contains the steady cast of characters, except the DH spot rotates through several guys with Eric Hosmer hurt.

Phillies

Pirates

Reds

  • They continue to regularly run out Jose Garcia and his .337 OPS.
  • Aristides Aquino has been playing more with a surprising slash line of .222/.417/.278. In a longer season, I’d love to see how the new plate discipline plays out, but not with just two weeks left.

Rockies

  • Kevin Pillar has settled into the center field job and is batting fifth (.597 OPS with the Rockies).
  • Charlie Blackmon has fallen hard after his hot start. In the first 21 games, he was hitting .446/.489/.663. In the last 21, it has been just .203/.267/.304.
  • Daniel Murphy (.643 OPS) has started in only three of the last seven games.
  • Garrett Hampson (.771 OPS) has started in seven of the last eight games.





 

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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mmoliterno
3 years ago

Swanson moved down because Freeman moved up to 2. Braves are consistently running Ronald, Freeman, Ozuna 1-2-3 which is about as optimal as you can do (shockingly for Snitker). D’Arnaud and Duvall have cleaned up with Dans at 5. I suspect it’s more or less locked in like this rest of season.

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feddy
3 years ago
Reply to  mmoliterno

They gotta put Ozzie up there

0