Lineup Analysis (9/24/22)

American League

Angels

• Catcher-qualified Matt Thaiss (.213/.296/.340, 2 HR) has started in six of the last 10 games.

• Matt Duffy (.630 OPS, 2 HR) has started in 12 of the last 13 games.

• The 22-year-old Livan Soto (6 HR, 18 SB, .281 AVG in AAA) has started in four of the last five games at short.

Astros

• The team has started resting the regulars so Aledmys Díaz has made three straight starts.

Athletics

• Tony Kemp (.658 OPS, 7 HR, 10 SB) is now starting against lefties and righties. He has leadoff for eight straight games.

Blue Jays

• Same as previous weeks.

Guardians

• Will Brennan (combined .314/.371/.479 with 13 HR and 20 SB in the minors) has started two straight games in the outfield.

Mariners

• Dylan Moore (.756 OPS, 6 HR, 18 SB) has started four of five since coming off the IL.

• Jesse Winker (vs RHP) and Sam Haggerty (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Orioles

• Loaded with platoons.

• Gunnar Henderson (.312/.361/.532, 5 HR) has started nine straight and is now batting in the top half of the lineup.

Rangers

• Even though Josh Jung is struggling some (.627 OPS, 3 HR, 49% K%), he has started 13 straight games.

Rays

• Jonathan Aranda (.278/.361/.463, 2 HR in 61 PA) has started six straight games at three different infield positions.

Red Sox

• Triston Casas (.534 OPS) is only starting against righties.

• For some unknown reason, Yu Chang (.637 OPS) has started in four of the last five games.

Royals

• Edward Olivares (.797 OPS, 4 HR, 2 SB) has started six straight games.

• Nate Eaton (.737 OPS, 1 HR, 10 SB) has started seven straight games.

Tigers

• Kerry Carpenter (.833 OPS, 6 HR) has started in five of the last six games.

• Spencer Torkelson (.262/.348/.426, 16% K% in September) has started in 15 of the last 16 games.

• Akil Baddoo (.206/.325/.441 in September) has started seven straight (all vs RHP).

Twins

• Matt Wallner (.277/.412/.542, 27 HR, 9 SB in the minors, .819 OPS in the majors) has started eight straight in right field.

White Sox

• No actionable changes.

Yankees

• Harrison Bader (.680 OPS, 16 SB) made three starts but then sat against the first lefty. I’m guessing it was just for some rest because Bader is right-handed.

• Even with Bader coming off the IL, Oswaldo Cabrera (.671 OPS, 3 HR, 1 SB) continues to start (12 straight).

National League

Braves

• Marcell Ozuna and Eddie Rosario aren’t playing enough to be rosterable.

Brewers

• Andrew McCutchen, Jace Peterson, Luis Urías, Garrett Mitchell, Tyrone Taylor, and Keston Hiura aren’t playing enough to be rostered.

Cardinals

• The Cardinals used to have an easy lineup to figure out but now it is a nightmare. They are running a ton of platoons.

• Not a single outfielder is getting regular at-bats.

• It’ll be interesting to see how Albert Pujols gets used over the rest of the season since he has hit #700.

Cubs

• A mess. Right now, I don’t know if anyone besides Ian Happ is rosterable.

• David Bote (.239/.280/.413, 2% BB%, 34% K% in Sep) has started in nine of the last 10 games. The run might end when/if Nico Hoerner gets healthy.

Diamondbacks

• Josh Rojas (.566 OPS in September) is droppable since he is not playing (sat four straight games).

• Emmanuel Rivera (.700 OPS, 12 HR) has started four straight and has hit either third or fifth in the lineup.

Dodgers

• Trayce Thompson (.820 OPS, 11 HR, 3 SB) is getting semi-regular starts (seven of the last 10) to give the regular outfielders a rest heading into the postseason.

Giants

• Same, nearly everyone gets a platoon.

• David Villar (.215/.322/.438, 7 HR) has started nine straight games.

Marlins

• Bryan De La Cruz (.317/.383/.585, 19% K%, 3 HR in Sept) has started in nine of the last 10 games.

• With Joey Wendle on the IL, Jordan Groshans (.290/.333/.387) has started in nine of the last 10 games.

Mets

• No changes.

Nationals

• Victor Robles (.227/.280/.310, 5 HR, 14 SB) has seven starts in center field.

• Ildemaro Vargas (vs RHP) and Cesar Hernandez (vs LHP) are in a third base platoon.

Padres

• Josh Bell (.196/.313/.288 with San Diego) has only started in four of the last seven games with Wil Myers (.660 OPS) getting the other starts at first base.

• José Azocar (.279/.323/.363) has started in centerfield in six of the last seven games with Trent Grisham (.641 OPS) getting the other one.

Phillies

• Brandon Marsh, Matt Vierling, Nick Maton, and Dalton Guthrie aren’t playing enough to be rosterable.

Pirates

• Several platoons and with the team facing only four righties next week, most of the players are unrosterable.

• Rodolfo Castro (.755 OPS) has started 20 straight games.

Reds

• Several platoons and the team is scheduled to face just five righties next week.

• Aristides Aquino (.832 OPS, 5 HR, 26% K% in September) sat on Thursday for the first time in 17 games.

Rockies

• It’s tough to know if anyone is in a platoon since the team hasn’t seen a lefty for two weeks.

• Michael Toglia (.230/.278/.446, 2 HR, 33% K%) has started in 20 of the last 21 games.

• Alan Trejo (.743 OPS, 3 HR, 0 SB, 2 CS) has started in eight of the last ten games.