Lineup Takeaways - Week 7 Lineup Trends

Mike Kurland takes a deep look at Week 7's fantasy baseball risers and fallers based on recent lineup trends, highlighting strong and weak platoons, and players who may benefit from lineup slot.

Week seven of the MLB season is in the books. There are new injuries, players landing on the COVID injured list, and many more developments that are causing lineups to alter. Let’s try to figure out what is noise and what really matters.

Just a reminder, I have added a 'Fantasy Fallout' section to the team breakdowns. This is meant to highlight lesser rostered players who may have fantasy relevance. As we get more tangible info and stats, the notes will evolve with it.

All roster percentages are based on Yahoo! formats.

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National League

NL East

Atlanta Braves

• More of the same overall with this lineup. Need to monitor the Ronald Acuna injury situation. Initial X-Rays were negative.
• Cristian Pache has landed on the 10-day IL with a right hamstring strain. We have seen Ender Inciarte and Guillermo Heredia each start a game in center field since.
• Edhire Adrianza started in right field with Acuna out. He led off as well.

Fantasy Fallout

• Of the three names discussed, only Guillermo Heredia should be considered. He should only be considered in NL-Only formats for now.

Miami Marlins 

• Isan Diaz has not sustained regular at-bats and with Jazz Chisholm back. I expect him to fall into a bench role.
• Jon Berti has managed to find himself in the lineup in four of the last five games while playing three different positions. That’s how he can remain fantasy relevant and sustain somewhat regular at-bats.
• Magneuris Sierra has found himself starting four straight games in center field. This has affected Cooper’s playing time and relegated him to a weak-side platoon over the last few games. It’s a situation to monitor.

Fantasy Fallout

• Over the last week, Adam Duvall has hit two home runs while batting .261. He even has a stolen base. He continues to hit in the middle of the order and is a fringe 12-team option if you need a fifth outfielder and some power upside.
• Magneuris Sierra over the last four games since starting regularly: .308/.308/.385 with just two runs. That has value in deep NL-Only formats. This comes with stolen base potential, even though he hasn't swiped one yet.

New York Mets

• Not much has changed. Still waiting on Brandon Nimmo and J.D. Davis to return. Jonathan Villar and Kevin Pillar remain starting with them out.
• Jeff McNeil remains at the top of the order in Nimmo’s absence. However, he left Sunday’s game due to left hamstring tightness. He is set to receive an MRI.
• Sunday was not kind to the Mets as Michael Conforto is set to undergo an MRI for the injury he sustained to his right hamstring in that game.

Fantasy Fallout

• Kevin Pillar could carry some 15-team relevance. He has two home runs and two stolen bases on the year while hitting .247 in the process. He is doing Kevin Pillar things.
• Jonathan Villar could be in consideration in deeper mixed leagues as well if you are in desperate need of stolen bases. He has three on the season, but there is little else to be excited about in this profile.

Philadelphia Phillies

• Nick Maton has played the last couple of games since Didi Gregorius is out dealing with an elbow injury. The team is otherwise consistent.
• Bryce Harper exited Saturday’s game with right shoulder tightness. He is DTD.
• Odubel Herrera has stuck in center field so far while hitting in the bottom of the lineup.

Fantasy Fallout

• Odubel Herrera has really turned it on over the last week and has 15-team mixed league appeal.

• Not mentioned in the lineup analysis, but Andrew McCutchen over the last two weeks has been hitting very well. He is batting .300 with a 1.059 OPS with five home runs and a stolen base. He was being dropped in leagues, so if he is somehow still available in yours, change that.

Washington Nationals 

• We have seen some mixing up of things in the middle of the order. Kyle Schwarber has been hitting cleanup, Starlin Castro fifth, and Josh Bell down to sixth.
• To date, the only appearance Josh Bell has made against a LHP was as a DH in an AL matchup.

Fantasy Fallout

• Over the last two weeks, Kyle Schwarber has been Kyle Schwarber of old. Starlin Castro has also been very solid and deserving of moving up the lineup as well. Both are fringe 12-team mixed league options.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs

• Matt Duffy has led off against a few LHP lately and has started each of the last five games between third base and left field. Although, with Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ back, the playing time could slow down. Also, they have had a DH in the last few games. Another likely reason for the additional playing time.
• Since returning to the lineup, Ian Happ has hit in the bottom half of the lineup both games. This includes batting ninth against a LHP.

Fantasy Fallout

• There is still time to buy low on Ian Happ (or add him off the wire). Just prior to his injury he was turning it on and has picked up where he left off. Over his last seven starts, he has hit .292 with a .917 OPS and two home runs. It is a small sample, but it is still early in the season and Happ is showing signs of life. Let's see where this goes.
• Nico Hoerner should be added again. Now that he is back, we should continue to get the batting average and stolen bases. Anything beyond that is a bonus. This makes him a fringe 12-team mixed league option.

Cincinnati Reds

• Nick Senzel has run with the leadoff spot. However, the injury he sustained to his heel after colliding with the wall has kept him out the last few games. Jesse Winker and Tyler Naquin have each led off a game since. Some good news is that Senzel has started four games at second base and should gain eligibility soon, assuming the injury is not going to keep him down too long.
• Tyler Naquin has run with the starting center field job.
• Shogo Akiyama has been nothing more than a depth piece to this point in the season.

Fantasy Fallout

• Shogo Akiyama should not be rostered in pretty much any format.
• Tyler Naquin has NL-Only and 15-team mixed relevance. Over the last two weeks, he has given us two home runs and a stolen base while hitting under .250 (.238 to be exact). If you can take on the batting average, then the power and speed combo is useful.

Milwaukee Brewers

• Lorenzo Cain has been hitting second with regularity and the playing time has also increased. He is back in game shape by now, and as long as he can stay healthy, he will stick at the top of the order.
• Travis Shaw has started twice at first base. He could gain eligibility shortly.
• With Christian Yelich on his way back, we will be falling into that outfield rotation. They will want to keep Cain and Yelich healthy, so I would expect regular days off for both.

Fantasy Fallout

• Lorenzo Cain has been a nice source of power and speed, giving us three of each in semi-regular playing time. He has a secure job and a spot at the top of the lineup. You could do worse than rostering Cain.
• Travis Shaw and Jackie Bradley Jr. have been depth pieces at best lately. Shaw has not been good, but at least he isn't a complete drag whereas JBJ is hard to roster anywhere right now.

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Kevin Newman has bumped up to the two-spot. He has batted there in the last four games.
• Will Craig got the call-up and has started at first base the last three games while batting as high as fourth and as low as eighth. With Phillip Evans and Colin Moran out for a bit, Craig will get every opportunity to earn playing time moving forward.
• We have seen Ka’ai Tom play less frequently with Ben Gamel getting more run of late.

Fantasy Fallout

• Even with the increased role, Gamel should remain on your waiver wire. He has not given us anything since starting over the last five games, batting .143 in the process with just a single run.
• Kevin Newman is a middle infield option in 15-team mixed leagues and deeper. He has a stolen base over the last week while batting just .229. He has a secure job and getting at-bats at the top. He could even sprinkle in a few steals and that is what carries his relevance.

St. Louis Cardinals

• With Paul DeJong hitting the IL, Tommy Edman has moved over to shortstop. This will lead to eligibility at shortstop if he does not already have it in your league. He has three starts there so far.
• Matt Carpenter should grab a good amount of playing time at second base, at least against RHP.

Fantasy Fallout

• I would not bother with Carpenter unless it is an NL-Only league.

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Pavin Smith has now led off each of the last seven games and that includes against a LHP where he previously did not lead off against them.
• Asdrubal Cabrera and Carson Kelly hit the IL. Daulton Varsho got a start at catcher and could start enough to retain eligibility.
• Josh Rojas has batted second in the last two games and in three of four. He would typically move down against a LHP, but now that Kelly and Cabrera are out, he might not shift down against LHP.
• With all the injuries piling up, we are seeing Josh VanMeter and Andrew Young play more. Both could continue to play regularly until other players get healthy.
• Domingo Leyba was just brought up from Triple-A. He should play over the previously mentioned players, but we will see. They weren’t exactly quick to play Varsho upon his initial call-up.

Fantasy Fallout

• If you need some upside, Leyba could be for you. In the minors he has flashed a solid hit tool and plate discipline. In Triple-A in 2019, the power came around as he posted 19 home runs. In a short stint in 2021, he posted four home runs in just 37 plate appearances. This suggests the power gains were carrying over. He should get some regular run and is worth a speculation add in deeper leagues.
• Over the last three weeks, Josh Rojas has been a different player. He has a .364/.391/.652 triple slash with four home runs and a stolen base. It has clicked for him and with the uptick in production, and with all the injuries the team is going through, there is no reason to think he is losing any at-bats anytime soon.
• Varsho has not done much this year, but he still carries the same upside as he did entering 2021. He could be worth targeting given the path to playing time has cleared up.

Colorado Rockies

• Connor Joe has played first base and hit second in the last four games. We have no real update on C.J. Cron, so this could allow Joe to run with the job for a little while.
• Josh Fuentes continues to start most days at third base. This includes four straight while batting fifth in the last three games.
• Garrett Hampson has only started four of the last seven games. He might have just received a couple of games off, but it is something to monitor.
• This could be due to Yonathan Daza playing more. Daza has started in each of the last five games and this causes a squeeze for playing time in the outfield.

Fantasy Fallout

• With Brendan Rodgers on the mend, we could see Josh Fuentes or McMahon shift to first base and Joe could be out of a starting gig. Or it can simply get messy as it usually does for the Rockies.
• Hampson may have been losing some playing time, but with Charlie Blackmon currently sidelined with a groin strain, he should continue to start. When Blackmon returns, the playing time could become messy. Yes, the word messy and the Rockies go hand-in-hand.

Los Angeles Dodgers

• With Corey Seager hitting the IL, Gavin Lux has shifted to shortstop in the first game since the injury. This should lead to shortstop eligibility.
• With Cody Bellinger joining the team soon, Chris Taylor will likely stick at second base for a while.

San Diego Padres

• The team has been hit hard by COVID. Wil Myers and Fernando Tatis Jr. have both tested positive and others, including Eric Hosmer and Jurickson Profar among them, are also out due to contact tracing.
• This has opened up playing time for Brian O’Grady and Ha-Seong Kim in the short term.

Fantasy Fallout

• With everything going on, Ha-seong Kim could get some extended run here. Over the last two weeks, he has posted a home run with two stolen bases, but is hitting below .200. The speed could play up in a 15-team mixed league, but I would reserve rostering him for NL-Only leagues.

San Francisco Giants

• The team has been relatively consistent with its core of players.
• Brandon Belt has been dealing with side tightness and Darin Ruf has started the last two games in his absence. Otherwise, it has been business as usual since last week’s update for this lineup.
• Alex Dickerson did return to the lineup and will play against RHP. This will bump Steven Duggar back to the bench.

American League

AL East

Baltimore Orioles

• Freddy Galvis has inched his way up the lineup. Has been batting in the middle of the order, but did bat seventh on Sunday. It just seems like it's constantly changing in the middle and back end of the order. The same names are in the lineup every day, they are just moved around.
• Ryan Mountcastle has also hit his way up to the middle of the order, having hit fourth or fifth in his last five starts.
• DJ Stewart did miss a few games in the middle of the week due to a hamstring injury, but has returned and played two of the last three games.
• Anthony Santander is on a rehab assignment. Things are about to get crowded in Baltimore.

Fantasy Fallout

• Galvis will run hot and cold. He is no more than a middle infield option in 15-team leagues or deeper.
• The outfield situation is interesting, with all performing well over the last 14 days. They seem committed to Mountcastle and Hays, so it is Stewart I would guess that hits the bench when Santander returns.

Boston Red Sox

• Michael Chavis and Marwin Gonzalez alternate leading off. Chavis against LHP and Marwin Gonzalez against RHP.
• Hunter Renfroe has solidified an everyday spot in the lineup and hits sixth or seventh.
• J.D. Martinez has now played eight games in left field. Eligibility is coming!

Fantasy Fallout

• Michael Chavis and Marwin Gonzalez are strictly AL-Only options or deep league desperation starts. Neither offers much upside.
• Since May began, Hunter Renfroe is hitting .283 with a .817 OPS and has 11 RBI and four home runs. He always offers power upside, so if you need any, this is your guy.

New York Yankees

• Giancarlo Stanton was scratched with quad tightness and has missed the last three games. I would say this is precautionary, but it is Stanton we are talking about.
• This has allowed Luke Voit to move up to the two-spot.
• Aaron Hicks hit the IL. This has led to Miguel Andujar playing left field over the last two games. Andujar has now started in each of the team's last four games. This playing time could dry up if Stanton returns soon and pushes Aaron Judge from DH back into the field.

Fantasy Fallout

• Miguel Andujar since coming back up has hit just .120 and only given us two runs. No other counting stats. He is better than this. However, if or when Stanton returns to the lineup, he is getting squeezed out of the lineup anyway.

Tampa Bay Rays

• Yandy Diaz and Manuel Margot have become part of the core that plays daily. Margot has started the last eight of nine games and Diaz has started 12 straight games. Both bat in the top half of the order.
• Brandon Lowe has only started in two of his seven games against LHP. He has been put back into a platoon role.
• With Kevin Kiermaier on the shelf, Brett Phillips has remained a consistent part of this lineup. He is batting at the bottom of the order, but is playing every day.
• Mike Brosseau has started at second base in seven of the last nine. Is it me, or are the Rays playing more players more regularly than we have seen over the last couple of seasons?

Fantasy Fallout

• Over his last 12 starts, Yandy Diaz has been hitting well. .349/.462/.442 with a wOBA of .405 and 168 wRC+. However, it has been an empty batting average. It is good to see him swing the bat well, but until that power comes around, he is only relevant in 15-team mixed leagues or deeper.
• Brandon Lowe has played himself into a platoon role, but at least he is crushing RHP.

• If you need to chase some stolen bases, Brett Phillips is playing every day and has five steals on the season. It is not pretty, but it is a source of steals.

Toronto Blue Jays

• This lineup remains one of the more consistent in baseball.
• George Springer remains out and it is not clear when he will return. The hope is by the end of the month.

AL Central

Chicago White Sox

• Leury Garcia has entered the mix as the two-spot hitter. He has hit there in two of the last three. He has been alternating with Adam Eaton. It might not last, but it is worth noting for the deeper leagues out there.
• Nick Madrigal was bumped back to the nine-spot.

Fantasy Fallout

• Nick Madrigal has really struggled over the last week and this could explain why he has stuck to the bottom of the lineup. This coincides with Leury Garcia hitting better and thus the swap in the order.

Cleveland

• Amed Rosario has been batting second against RHP and drops to the five-spot against LHP. No matter what, he remains in a prime lineup spot.
• Josh Naylor has now started five games at first base. Two starts have been over the last week. Eligibility should be coming sooner than later at this rate.
• Jake Bauers is back to playing first base against RHP. Typically, he sets in at the back end of the lineup.

Fantasy Fallout

• Josh Naylor has slowed down over the last week. He has hit just .217 with one home run. The hit tool is solid and he should turn it around again.
• Jake Bauers should not be starting for Cleveland, let alone your fantasy teams.
• Amed Rosario might be showing signs of life. Over the last week, he has hit .263 with a stolen base. Not flashy, but stolen bases are stolen bases and he plays every day. There is a mix of opportunity with potential for helping in a tough category to fill.

Detroit Tigers

• Akil Baddoo has become the fourth outfielder with JaCoby Jones settling into center field of late (four of the last five games) and Nomar Mazara and Robbie Grossman holding down the corners.
• The rest of the lineup has settled into place.

Fantasy Fallout

• Akil Baddoo was a good story, but has since struggled after the hot start. The strikeout rate is sitting at 38.1%, and even though it comes with some power and speed to this point (four home runs and three stolen bases), it comes with a .221 batting average and inconsistent playing time. Unless he fixes the holes in his swing, the playing time might not come.

Kansas City Royals

• Adalberto Mondesi is not being rushed back but he is in Triple-A on a rehab assignment. He should be up sooner than later.
• We have seen Carlos Santana move to the two-spot and Andrew Benintendi bounce around between the three and five spots in the process.
• Hunter Dozier is on the IL after that run-in with Jose Abreu. This opens up playing time for Hanser Alberto or Kelvin Gutierrez in the process.

Minnesota Twins

• Kyle Garlick has led off against the last two LHP. He typically only plays against LHP.
• Max Kepler remains in the bottom third of the order.
• Trevor Larnach is in a platoon. Yes, it is the strong side of said platoon, but still notable they are willing to platoon the rookie. He sits in the middle of the order when he is in.
• Jorge Polanco has hit his way up the lineup against RHP. He has batted third in the last three starts against RHP. He bats fifth against LHP.
• Miguel Sano’s playing time has been sporadic.

Fantasy Fallout

• Jorge Polanco has really turned it on over the last 14 days. Yes, I buy it. He has the hit tool and track record to back up this production. Sure, he is running hot, but he is also having some correction to the mean going on here.

AL West

Houston Astros

• This lineup remains one of the most consistent lineups in baseball. Nothing of note this week. 

Los Angeles Angels

• David Fletcher is dealing with a minor groin injury. Just before the injury, he dropped to ninth in the order for a game.
• It has been a bit of a revolving door in the leadoff spot over the last few games now. Hard to say who leads off as of now.
• Mike Trout did move to the two-spot with Shohei Ohtani moving to the three-spot in the process. This means more RBI potential for Ohtani with more runs likely incoming for Trout.
• Justin Upton has been trending downward in the lineup, batting seventh as recently as his last start. Has only played two of the last four games as well.

Fantasy Fallout

• David Fletcher's drop in the lineup can be attributed to his decline in production to start the year. Although the plate discipline is still as good as it typically is, the walks have taken a notable hit. They are down to a career-low 3%, leading to a lowly .271 OBP. That won't work and his on-base skills are what keeps him at the top. It is partly due to his .250 batting average as well. He is a career .286  hitter with a career .337 OBP and the OBP has been at least .350 over the last two seasons. I would expect better days ahead for Fletcher, but he is someone to bench until then.
• Justin Upton is streaky. He will run hot and cold with little in between. He is cold right now and can be dropped in shallower formats until he gets going again.

Oakland Athletics

• Seth Brown has started seven of the last eight games while batting second against all RHP during that span. He moves down to seventh against LHP with Mitch Moreland batting second against LHP.
• Jed Lowrie is falling towards the six-spot more often than not lately. He might stick there unless the Brown/Moreland combination doesn’t cut it in the two-spot.
• Chad Pinder has started at shortstop over Elvis Andrus in each of the last two games while batting seventh.
• Sean Murphy has fallen to the eight-spot.

Fantasy Fallout

• Seth Brown was an add going back to last week. Power upside meets playing time and a prime lineup spot. He is worth taking a shot on.
• Chad Pinder also deserves a look in most leagues. Deep 12-teamers and beyond.

Seattle Mariners

• Since the call-up, Jarred Kelenic has been leading off.
• J.P. Crawford has hit his way up the lineup as he has batted fifth of late. I'm not sure how given he has not hit well.
• Ty France and Eli White hit the IL. This opens up the playing time for Jose Marmolejos and Donovan Walton.

Fantasy Fallout

• Crawford has not hit well over the last week or two, but the move up the lineup is worth noting as there is everyday at-bats to be had and opportunity. Dylan Moore has shown signs of life over the last week.

Texas Rangers

• Similar names moving around their typical spots. A lot of movement but similar names throughout.
• Since his activation, Khris Davis has started just four games of the seven. Two have been against LHP and he will get all those starts. He is in a platoon with David Dahl, who has sat both games against LHP that Davis started.

Fantasy Fallout

• Dahl deserves to be in a platoon right now. Khris Davis is known for hitting LHP well and Dahl has struggled against them so far in 2021.

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