Lineup Analysis (9/5/25)

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

A few days ago, I asked for any improvements for this lineup’s article. The biggest takeaway was to “not change a thing”. Some people didn’t like all the stats, so today’s edition has none except games played.

American League

Angels

• Niko Kavadas and Oswald Peraza split time at first base.

• Chris Taylor with three straight starts since coming off the IL.

Astros

• Ramón Urías started five straight games at second base.

Athletics

• Zack Gelof, a.k.a. The Strikeout King of West Sacramento 👑, started nine straight games.

• JJ Bleday started only five times in the last 10 games. He’s splitting time with Colby Thomas

Blue Jays

• With everyone healthy, Ty France and Davis Schneider have been pushed to the bench.

• Nathan Lukes started in 15 of the last 16 games.

Guardians

• Daniel Schneemann sits against lefties.

• The team is healthy with José Ramírez, Brayan Rocchio, and Steven Kwan being the only regulars.

Mariners

• No changes.

Orioles

• Over the last 10 games, Dylan Beavers started in seven of them.

• Samuel Basallo started in 12 of 17 games since being promoted.

• Jeremiah Jackson started 14 straight games while batting second. He has played six games at third base.

Rangers

• Cody Freeman with three straight starts at second base.

• Michael Helman started the last five games while playing center field and batting ninth.

Rays

• Carson Williams with 11 starts in 12 games since being promoted.

• Hunter Feduccia started in six of the last 10 games at catcher.

• Remains a nightmare to unravel.

Red Sox

• Masataka Yoshida with four starts in the last seven games.

• Nathaniel Lowe started in just three of the last seven games.

Royals

• Adam Frazier started in nine of the last 10 games.

• Since joining the team, Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen have started just one game. For both, it has been at DH.

• Kyle Isbel (vs RHP) and Tyler Tolbert (vs LHP) form the saddest outfield platoon known to man.

Tigers

• None.

Twins

• Edouard Julien and Kody Clemens split time at first base.

White Sox

• Steady for about the last two weeks.

Yankees

• Paul Goldschmidt pretty much only starts against lefties.

National League

Braves

• Marcell Ozuna with only four starts in the last eight games. Before that, he started 16 straight games.

• Ha-Seong Kim 김하성 starts at shortstop and bats fifth or sixth.

Brewers

• In turmoil with Jackson Chourio and Joey Ortiz coming off the IL.

• One player to track is Blake Perkins. He started three straight games in center field with Chourio moving over to left field.

Cardinals

• With the promotion of Victor Scott II, Nathan Church might be moving to the bench.

Cubs

• Michael Busch (vs RHP) and Justin Turner (vs LHP) form a first base platoon.

Diamondbacks

• Against a lefty starter, Blaze Alexander started in center field. In the outfield, he’s platooning with Alek Thomas. In the infield, it’s not yet obvious who he replaces.

• Tyler Locklear with seven straight starts at first base.

• Since his promotion, Jordan Lawlar started in four of six games while batting eighth or ninth.

• Adrian Del Castillo started in just four of the last 10 games.

Dodgers

• With Alex Freeland being optioned to AAA, Hyeseong Kim 김혜성 could see more time at second base.

Giants

• Drew Gilbert (vs RHP) and Luis Matos form a right field platoon.

Marlins

• Since returning from the IL, Connor Norby started in four of five games, batting in the middle of the lineup, and playing third base.

• Heriberto Hernández started in eight of the last nine games.

Mets

• Cedric Mullins started in only five of the last 10 games.

• Brett Baty and Mark Vientos are starting every game.

Nationals

• Josh Bell (vs RHP) and Andrés Chaparro (vs LHP) form a first base platoon.

• Robert Hassell III and Jacob Young split time in center field.

Padres

• Jose Iglesias started in six of seven games since Xander Bogaerts went on the IL.

Phillies

• The outfield contains two platoons: Brandon Marsh (vs RHP) and Weston Wilson (vs LHP), and Nick Castellanos (vs LHP) and Max Kepler (vs RHP).

So, is it safe to say Thomson plans to use straight platoons in left field (Brandon Marsh and Weston Wilson) and right field (Castellanos and Max Kepler) moving forward?

“Well, it looks that way,” Thomson said. “I mean, you can call it whatever you want, but at this point in the year, I’m going to put out the lineup that I think is the best lineup on any given day to win a ballgame.”

That lineup appears to consist of Marsh, Harrison Bader and Kepler against right-handers, and Wilson, Bader and Castellanos against lefties.

“Yeah, there’s still a bit of a rotation, if you want to call it that,” Thomson said. “If you want to call it a platoon, doesn’t matter to me.”

Pirates

• Alexander Canario (vs LHP) and Oneil Cruz (vs RHP) form a center field platoon.

• Cam Devanney started four straight at third base.

• Nick Yorke (vs LHP) and Spencer Horwitz (vs RHP) form a first base platoon.

• Miguel Andujar started only three times in the last 10 games.

Reds

• Since being promoted, Sal Stewart started in two of three games.

Rockies

• Yanquiel Fernández only starts against right-handed pitchers.

• Over the last 10 games, Ryan Ritter started in just five of them.