NL Lineup Analysis (5/16/19)

For a change, the meat of this week’s lineup update on the Padres does not involve the outfield. Also, changes could be on the way for the Cardinals and Nationals. Read all about it in the team-by-team lineup breakdown for each National League squad.

Arizona

The Diamondbacks have faced only one left-handed starter in their last nine games, but that has not meant steady playing time for Jarrod Dyson. He and Wilmer Flores have been splitting time against righties (with Ketel Marte typically moving to center field when Flores plays second base), so Dyson has started only five of the last nine games.

With Jake Lamb possibly getting close to a rehab assignment, playing time could get scarce for both Dyson and Flores. Given the success of Christian Walker at first base, third base looks like a likely landing spot for Lamb, which could push Eduardo Escobar to play more often at second base. That, in turn, probably means more starts for Marte in center field and fewer starts in general for Flores.

Atlanta

The arrival of Austin Riley shouldn’t make the Braves’ lineup any less steady than it’s been. It just means that Riley inherits the regular role that Ender Inciarte — now on the IL with a lumbar strain — had, as he had started 35 of the Braves’ 43 games. In his major league debut on Wednesday night, Riley batted sixth, pushing Ozzie Albies one spot down in the order. The catchers, Tyler Flowers and Brian McCann, will presumably fill the eighth spot previously held by Inciarte.

Chicago

With Anthony Rizzo (back) having sat the Cubs’ last three games, Daniel Descalso has received a brief bump in playing time, getting the start at second base on Sunday and Tuesday. However, with Rizzo possibly returning this weekend, Descalso will likely go back to a bench role, with David Bote and Addison Russell splitting time at second base.

With Ben Zobrist on leave, Albert Almora Jr. has settled in as the everyday center fielder, starting seven of the last eight games. The outfield alignment has been steady with Kyle Schwarber and Jason Heyward in the corners. Both of those outfielders have also moved up in the batting order. Heyward has led off each of the last six games against right-handed starters, and after batting eighth frequently over a period of several weeks, Schwarber has hit fourth, fifth or sixth in each of his last five starts. It’s probably not the time to run out and add Heyward, though, as he is batting .135 with a 19.1 percent hard contact rate in May.

Cincinnati

The top of the Reds’ batting order has finally stabilized, with Nick Senzel, Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez holding down the top three spots for five games running and for seven out of the last nine games. Jesse Winker and Yasiel Puig have settled into a platoon for the cleanup spot.

Second base has been a merry-go-round, and now it’s Derek Dietrich’s turn to get the bulk of the playing time there. He has started four of the last five games at the keystone, with Kyle Farmer getting the start in the one game where the Reds faced a lefty starter. Jose Peraza has been relegated to being Winker’s platoon partner in left field.

Colorado

With the Rockies having faced a string of seven straight left-handed starters, we got a chance to see how serious Bud Black was about his platoons at first base and center field. The former platoon has stuck, as Black has started Mark Reynolds over Daniel Murphy in five of the last six games. It remains to be seen if Ian Desmond will continue to start against lefties over David Dahl. There was room for both to be in the lineup during the Rockies’ two-game set at Boston, given the presence of a DH slot. However, in the final game of their series against the Padres on Sunday, Desmond sat with Nick Margevicius on the mound. We shouldn’t write Desmond off just yet, as he has gone 8 for 22 (.364) with a home run, a double and two triples over his last six games.

Ryan McMahon’s playing time has dwindled as a result of the parade of left-handed starters. Even with the team about to revert to a right-heavy schedule, McMahon could play sparingly going forward in light of the impending callup of Brendan Rodgers.

Los Angeles

Not much has changed in the Dodgers’ lineup, as Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez have been playing close to every day, while Joc Pederson, Chris Taylor and David Freese are holding down platoon roles. Alex Verdugo had been used almost exclusively against righties of late, so it’s notable that he started against Padres with Matt Strahm on the mound on Wednesday night. Hernandez moved to second base, and Muncy was out of the lineup — on his bobblehead night no less.

Verdugo batted seventh against the lefty, but in his previous five starts — all against righties — he hit either fifth or sixth. Corey Seager has been heading in the other direction in the batting order, hitting fifth or sixth in his last six starts after frequently batting second for much of the season.

Miami

All of the Marlins’ outfield spots seem to be up for grabs at this point. Garrett Cooper has started all three game the Marlins have played since he was activated off the IL on Saturday, but Harold Ramirez and Curtis Granderson have split the starts in left field, and Jon Berti and Rosell Herrera have both made starts in center field.

Brian Anderson has started each of those three games at third base, supplanting Martin Prado. He has also replaced Prado as the Marlins’ No. 2 hitter, moving up from the third spot, where he had customarily been hitting. We have yet to see what the lineup will look like with Ramirez and Cooper on the roster and an opposing lefty on the mound. Both hitters are right-handed, but so is Prado, who had been starting regularly against lefties.

Milwaukee

Keston Hiura has started all three games at second base since the Brewers called him up on Tuesday. After batting seventh for his debut against the Phillies, he has hit in the sixth spot for the subsquent two games.

Jesus Aguilar is still not hitting for much power, but he has become a more regular presence in the lineup, starting eight of the last 11 games. Over that span, he is 10 for 29 (.345) with two doubles and six walks.

New York

Thursday’s game against the Nationals could result in some big changes to the Mets’ outfield, at least for the short term. Michael Conforto exited the game in fifth inning after colliding with Robinson Cano, as he took Cano’s shoulder in the face. Also, in the third inning, Jeff McNeil left with abdominal tightness. The Mets deemed McNeil’s removal to be a precautionary move. If either or both players are out for any period of time, Juan Lagares and Keon Broxton figure to play as fill-ins.

It was widely presumed that Todd Frazier’s time as the Mets’ regular third baseman would come to an end once Jed Lowrie (knee) was activated. Now that he has sustained a hamstring injury, Lowrie’s return has been delayed, but that hasn’t meant that Frazier got to keep his role. J.D. Davis has started five of the last six games at third base. He has also hit out of the No. 2 spot in three of the last five games. Peter Alonso, who was normally hitting second, has now batted in the cleanup spot for each of his last six starts.

Philadelphia

Nothing major to report here. Gabe Kapler has flipped Cesar Hernandez and Odubel Herrera in the batting order, with Hernandez batting sixth on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and fifth on Thursday (with J.T. Realmuto sitting). Herrera hit seventh on Monday and Tuesday and sixth on Thursday. He also flipped Bryce Harper and Jean Segura for Thursday’s game against the Brewers, with Harper batting second and Segura batting third. It’s not yet clear if this arrangement is a one-and-done affair.

Pittsburgh

Melky Cabrera and Bryan Reynolds have been splitting the starts in left field. It will be interesting to see how much Reynolds plays in the four-game series at San Diego that begins Thursday night. The Padres’ first three scheduled starters are all left-handed, so Cabrera could fill in for Gregory Polanco in right field, while Reynolds takes care of left field. Polanco has started just two of five games in which the Pirates have been opposed by a lefty starter since he was activated on April 22.

The Padres series will also be an opportunity to see if Clint Hurdle is moving Kevin Newman into a super-utility role. Newman started the final two games of last weekend’s series against the Cardinals, as well as Monday’s opener against the Diamondbacks, and he played one game each at second base, third base and shortstop.

San Diego

Here’s the weekly Padres outfield update. Franmil Reyes has been a fixture in right field for awhile. Hunter Renfroe is now an everyday player. Wil Myers and Manuel Margot are splitting time in center field, with Myers getting the edge in playing time.

Greg Garcia and Ian Kinsler now appear to be in a platoon at second base. With the Padres having faced only one lefty starter in their last five games, Garcia has received a playing time windfall, and he has hit leadoff in each of his last five starts. Garcia is making a strong case to continue the arrangement, going 6 for 18 with two walks over those five games. If Garcia remains in the lineup against the three right-handed Pirates starters the Padres will face in their upcoming series, he should be on the radar of owners in OBP leagues for this Sunday’s FAAB runs.

San Francisco

The only lineup changes of note are a couple related to health issues. Buster Posey may return from the 7-day concussion IL on Friday, and if he does, he will presumably reclaim most of the starts behind the plate. Also, Pablo Sandoval has been filling in for Brandon Belt at first base while he deals with a knee injury.

St. Louis

With Gabe Kapler’s recent batting order changes, the Cardinals may have just inherited the title for the NL’s most stable lineup and batting order. Over their last eight games, Mike Shildt has departed from his standard lineup just three times: starting Yairo Munoz once at second base and once in center field and starting Jedd Gyorko once at third base.

That said, the stability may not last for long, as Shildt has been considering making changes to the top of the batting order.

Washington

Brian Dozier’s struggles have carried over into the first half of May, so we should wonder whether Thursday’s lineup against the Mets is a sign of things to come. Recently-acquired Gerardo Parra got his fourth start at first base and Howie Kendrick, who had just returned from missing time with a stiff neck, was in Dozier’s place at second base.

The infield is almost certainly due for a change soon, as Trea Turner (finger) may be ready to get activated on Friday for the beginning of their weekend series against the Cubs. Thursday may be the final day for Wilmer Difo to be a part of the Nationals’ starting lineup.