Lineup Analysis (9/2/22)

With rosters expanding yesterday, lineups are going to be a mess to figure out will the changes. Better decisions can be made in just a couple more days. Today, I just gave each team a quick look for obvious changes and will focus on players losing playing time.

American League

Angels

• Mike Ford (.991 OPS, 2 HR, 27 PA) has started seven straight games at first base.

Astros

• After not starting much at all, Christian Vázquez has started in four of the last six games.

• Jeremy Peña has moved up to second in the lineup and Yuli Gurriel has moved down.

Athletics

• The 24-year-old Dermis Garcia (.940 OPS, 2 HR) has started four straight at first base after hitting .264/.349 /498 with 13 HR and 4 SB in AAA. Strikeouts will be an issue with a 30% K% in AAA and a 42% K% in the majors.

Blue Jays

• Out of the last 10 games, Whit Merrifield (93% rostered in NFBC 12-teamers) has only started in five of them.

Guardians

• Myles Straw (.522 OPS) is finally losing playing time to Will Benson (.353 OPS).

Mariners

• Sam Haggerty (4 HR, 10 SB, .820 OPS) has two straight starts and might be healthy. Monitor his playing time going forward.

Orioles

• This is a mess right now with Gunnar Henderson, Kyle Stowers, and Jesús Aguilar getting added. So far Austin Hays and Jorge Mateo have sat.

• Ramón Urías (.716 OPS) is batting fourth for three straight games.

Rangers

• Kole Calhoun (vs RHP) and Mark Mathias (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

• Bubba Thompson (.276 AVG, 9 SB) has started seven of eight in centerfield.

Rays

• Harold Ramírez (.814 OPS) has made 12 straight starts while batting fourth.

• Since coming off the IL, Manuel Margot has started in nine of 11 games while hitting .282/.326/.385 with 0 HR and 1 SB.

Red Sox

• The bottom half has no one with consistent playing time including Trevor Story (three starts in the last five games). Enrique Hernández (.696 OPS since coming off the IL) might be set in CF.

Royals

• Drew Waters (.713 OPS, 29% K%, .057 xISO) has started in eight of the last nine.

• Nick Pratto (.725 OPS, 6 HR, 141 PA) has six straight starts with Vinnie Pasquantino on the IL.

Tigers

• Kerry Carpenter (.863 OPS, 2 HR) has only started in five of the last 10 games.

Twins

• Injuries to Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco have some subpar talent (e.g. Garlick, Cave, Celestino) in the lineup.

• Sandy León (.496 OPS) has started at catcher in six of the last 10 games.

White Sox

• This lineup is so pathetic, Elvis Andrus has leadoff for the last two games.

Yankees

Oswaldo Cabrera (.235/.278/.333, 0 SB, 2 CS, 0 HR) finally sat after 13 straight starts.

National League

Braves

• Ronald Acuña Jr. is now the primary DH with his knee bothering him. This means that William Contreras and Travis d’Arnaud can’t DH on their off days. Also, Eddie Rosario is getting full-time outfield at-bats.

Brewers

• Luis Urías has only started once in the last five games with Jace Peterson playing at third instead.

• Garrett Mitchell has started four of the last five games in center field.

Cardinals

• Brendan Donovan hits second against righties.

• Dylan Carlson (.633 OPS vs RHP) is on the short side of a platoon with Corey Dickerson (.367 OPS vs LHP).

• Paul DeJong has started in only three of the last 10 games.

Cubs

• Alfonso Rivas (.654 OPS) and P.J. Higgins (.696 OPS) are splitting time at first base.

Diamondbacks

• This lineup is a major mess with five acceptable outfielders (Varsho, Carroll, McCarthy, Thomas, Garrett) and three splitting between second and third (Marte, Rojas, and Rivera).

Dodgers

• Cody Bellinger, Joey Gallo, Chris Taylor, Gavin Lux, and Trayce Thompson may not be playing enough to be rosterable in shallow formats.

Giants

• The only regulars are Thairo Estrada, Wilmer Flores, and Brandon Crawford. Everyone else is in some form of a timeshare.

Marlins

• JJ Bleday (vs RHP) and Peyton Burdick (vs LHP) are in a center field platoon.

• Through cycling through who is DH, Lewin Díaz (vs RHP) and Luke Williams (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

• Brian Anderson (.169/.279/.356 in August) has 14 straight starts while normally batting cleanup.

Mets

• I’m not sure what is going on with third base and with Tyler Naquin since the team has faced lefty starters in four of the last five games.

Nationals

• Ildemaro Vargas (.276/.330/.448, 4 HR, 2 SB) has started 20 straight games.

Padres

• José Azocar (vs LHP) and Trent Grisham (vs RHP) are in a center field platoon.

Phillies

• Consistent.

Pirates

• A mess filled with mainly quad-A players.

• If a fantasy team is looking for power, track how much Jack Suwinski (14 HR in 258 PA) is playing.

Reds

• Ignorable.

Rockies

• The 23-year-old Michael Toglia has started three straight games. Across two minor league levels this season, he hit .249/.341/.511 with 30 HR and 7 SB.

• Sean Bouchard (.300/.404/.635 with 20 HR and 12 SB in AAA) has started three straight in left field