Buys, Sells, and News from NL Lineups: 07/05

Back at it with National League lineups. There is plenty to catch up on from the last ten days of baseball. The five hottest hitters in the National League over that time period have been: Ronald Acuna Jr, Mookie Betts, Tommy Pham, Matt Olson, and Alec Bohm. Disclaimer: This article is written the day before publishing. Not all statistics will be 100% accurate from the night before. I will do my best to update any important news or notes that come through at the last second. Keep reading to stay up to date on the latest trends from all 15 National League teams.

Sticking with the new format for this one. Let me know what you think!

More great fantasy baseball advice and analysis: Waiver Wire & FAAB Recommendations | Daily MLB Injury Report | MLB DFS Picks | Line-up Analysis | Dynasty Rankings and Strategy | MLB Bullpen Updates | MLB Player Props | Prospect Rankings & Analysis | Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers

National League Lineup Takeaways

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies

• Darick Hall is back with the Major League team
  • The Phillies optioned Kody Clemens as a result
  • Hall is likely to be in the lineup against right-handed pitchers while Edmundo Sosa enters the lineup against lefties
  • Hall has plenty of power and is worth a look in deep leagues where you need corner infield help
• Bryce Harper could play first base before the All-Star Break
  • Harper returning to the field would take Darick Hall’s playing time away and open up more time for Cristian Pache
  • Very quietly, Pache is batting .310/.356/.524 on the season and looks like a completely different hitter
  • This also could lead to more playing time for Brandon Marsh who has been on the bench more often against lefties
• Nick Castellanos is batting third in the lineup and swinging it extremely well
  • Since June 11, Castellanos is batting .333/.364/.611 with five home runs and three stolen bases
  • Castellanos appears to be fully bouncing back from his down 2022 season and should continue to be a strong option moving forward

Atlanta Braves

• Sean Murphy is healthy again,, but still out of the lineup two or three times a week
  • Maybe the Braves are easing Murphy back into action, or maybe this is going to be the new normal moving forward with Travis d’Arnaud in need of playing time
  • Murphy is still an elite option at the catcher position, but you might need to roster a backup catcher to pair with him due to the playing time
  • d’Arnaud has seven home runs in just 34 games and is worth a look in deep two-catcher leagues. Even with inconsistent playing time, he still might be an upgrade to other catchers
• Orlando Arcia has cooled off at the plate
  • He continues to bat eighth in the lineup but is batting just .200/.250/.350 since June 15^th.
  • Selling high on Arcia continues to be the recommended course of action as his season-long.351 BABIP is unsustainable
  • Vaughn Grissom is batting .318 in Triple-A and remains an option to come up and earn playing time as the season moves along
• Marcell Ozuna continues to be an underrated fantasy asset
  • Ozuna is batting toward the middle of the lineup and is up to 16 home runs on the season
  • He currently has a 13-game hit streak and is batting .288/.351/.558 since June 10th
  • He should be rostered in all leagues and picked up wherever he is still available

Washington Nationals

• Corey Dickerson is sliding down in the lineup
  • Dickerson is batting sixth or seventh the past couple of games while batting .133 since June 16^th
  • He is still only playing against righties and could see his playing time decrease if he continues to struggle
  • Stone Garrett is the most likely candidate to see an increase in playing time if Dickerson moves to the bench
• Joey Meneses has sat twice in the past week against righties
  • He continues to bat in the middle of the lineup when playing, but has been struggling at the plate
  • He has not hit a home run since May 7^th and is batting just .209 since June 10^th.
  • He is not worth rostering outside of deep leagues
• Derek Hall continues to play everyday batting ninth in the lineup
  • He has a negative wRC+ on the season and should not be expected to maintain an everyday role
  • He should not be rostered in any leagues

Miami Marlins

• Jazz Chisholm came back from the IL, before landing on the IL again
  • Chisholm had returned to the cleanup spot in the lineup and hit two home runs since returning
  • He injured his oblique in the game on Sunday resulting in another IL stint
  • Jonathan Davis will likely step back into an everyday role but is not worth adding
• With no lefties on the schedule, Jesus Sanchez has sat twice against righties in the past week
  • Since returning from the IL on May 30^th, Sanchez is slashing under .220 with just one home run since June 9^th
  • Sanchez is not worth rostering outside of deep leagues and could keep seeing his playing time decrease if his struggles continue
• Joey Wendle has been swinging it well over the past few weeks
  • Wendle is batting sixth or seventh in the lineup most games and hitting for good average
  • He has a .352 BABIP on the season and a .388 BABIP since June 10^th. He is not worth rostering outside of NL-only leagues where you need consistent at-bats.

New York Mets

• Starling Marte might be seeing his lineup time decrease
  • He sat two straight games Friday and Saturday and moved down to sixth in the lineup on Sunday
  • Marte has just an 81 wRC+ on the season and a .214 batting average since June 20^th
  • He continues to be a reliable source of stolen bases, but with just one home run since June 6^th, he is essentially a one-category contributor
  • If his playing time decreases, he is a drop candidate
• Brett Baty is batting seventh or eighth and playing against lefties
  • Baty’s .244/.312/.360 slash is underwhelming, but his barrel rate and contact metrics remain strong
  • I am holding Baty and looking to acquire him in dynasty leagues
• Tommy Pham is moving up in the lineup
  • With Marte moving down, Pham seems to be taking over the second spot
  • He is up to nine home runs, nine steals, and an average just under .300.
  • Pham is batting .366 since June 4^th and should be rostered in all leagues

NL Central

Chicago Cubs

• Jared Young is getting consistent time in the lineup
  • Young is primarily playing first base and even moved up to third in the lineup on Monday
  • Since coming up, Young is hitting the ball extremely hard and playing well
  • He is worth a speculative add as he continues to get regular at-bats
• Seiya Suzuki was battling an injury but has since returned to the lineup
  • Suzuki is struggling offensively but continues to bat in the middle of the lineup
  • Looking at Suzuki’s numbers, he should start seeing better luck
  • He is hitting the ball hard 50.9% of the time, a barrel rate over nine percent, and has elite chase and whiff rates
  • Now is the perfect time to buy low on anybody looking to move on
• Christopher Morel continues to bat in the middle of the lineup
  • Morel is still playing well and has a 149 wRC+ on the season
  • His strikeout rate has jumped back over 30% recently which is likely to continue
  • He continues to profile as a high-variance player with big-time upside when he is hot

St. Louis Cardinals

• Luken Baker is back up and appears to be on the short side of a platoon
  • Baker will likely take the playing time against lefties away from Nolan Gorman
  • Gorman’s barrel rate has come crashing down (2.9% since June 10^th) and he continues to struggle with strikeouts
  • Gorman is not a must-roster and could continue to see his playing time decrease if his struggles continue
• Lars Nootbaar is getting the ball in the air more
  • Nootbaar has a launch angle of eight degrees since returning from the IL which should help him tap into his power and increase his average
  • His value is the highest in OBP leagues

Milwaukee Brewers

• Luis Urias was optioned to Triple-A
  • Urias was given a short leash after missing time with injury and is not worth holding onto
  • Brice Turang was recalled and figured to play every day
  • Turang has been batting in the back half of the lineup and most importantly playing every day against lefties
  • Turang does not offer much upside but has plus speed making him an intriguing add in deep leagues where you are desperate for middle infield
• William Contreras is moving up in the lineup
  • Contreras is batting second most games and moving up to leadoff on occasion
  • He is batting .279 since June 18 but continues to struggle elevating the ball
  • His average launch angle since June 5 is 0.4-degrees and now might be the perfect opportunity to buy low
• Jesse Winker continues to sit against lefties but is swinging it well since returning from the IL
  • Winker is barreling the ball up more as of late which should help him improve his season-long 2.8 HR/FB%
  • Based on his track record, Winker is an interesting pick-up in deep leagues where you are desperate for offensive production

Cincinnati Reds

• Elly De La Cruz continues to be up and down despite the hype
  • Since hitting for the cycle, De La Cruz is batting .154 with a strikeout rate of 40%
  • The tools are incredible, but his average launch angle is less than four degrees and he is whiffing over 38% of the time on everything except fastballs
  • I still do not hate the idea of selling high in redraft leagues where you can maximize your return
• TJ Friedl is moving out of his platoon
  • Since returning from the IL on June 10, Friedl is batting .276/.368/.447 and walking almost as much as he is striking out
  • Friedl has zero barrels since returning and just a 1.7% rate on the year
  • He should provide a strong average but is unlikely to provide much power upside
  • He should be rostered everywhere that you need help in average and runs
• Will Benson still is not owned in enough leagues
  • Benson is also moving out of a platoon role and continues batting toward the bottom of the lineup
  • Benson is batting .359/.462/.577 with as many walks as strikeouts since May 26^th
  • He also has three home runs and six stolen bases and needs to honestly be rostered in all leagues at this point
  • There is a chance he could move up in the lineup if he continues this strong performance

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Nick Gonzales continues to bat sixth in the lineup since his promotion
  • Gonzales has two home runs already and a ten percent barrel rate to go with it
  • There are some serious red flags in his profile including a 20% whiff rate and a 43.9% whiff rate
  • The power upside is obvious, but do not expect much average or consistent production
• Ke’Bryan Hayes is on the IL
  • With Hayes out, Jared Triolo is up and playing third base every day batting toward the bottom of the lineup
  • Triolo was a third-round pick back in 2019 and has had strong offensive numbers throughout the Minor Leagues
  • His power is below average and he was struggling to keep his strikeout rate in check at Triple-A. He is not worth adding at this point
• Carlos Santana has been red-hot over the past week
  • He has three home runs since June 27^th and is finally starting to barrel the ball
  • Santana continues to bat fourth in the lineup and although I do not expect his average to stay this high, he has a history of being a solid power contributor, especially in OBP leagues
  • I am not rushing to pick him up, but he is worth keeping an eye on if you need help at first base in deep leagues

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Miguel Vargas is seeing his playing time decrease
  • Vargas’ average has dipped below the Mendoza Line and is batting .100 since June 20
  • Vargas is worth holding onto in dynasty leagues, but the power output has been disappointing and he is a fine drop in redraft leagues
  • Mookie Betts is seeing more playing time at second base right now, but Michael Busch could come back up and play second if the Dodgers want to give him another chance
• Jason Heyward is getting regular playing time against righties with Vargas seeing less time in the lineup
  • Heyward is batting .423 since June 21^st and continues to be a pleasant surprise
  • With consistent playing time in a strong lineup, Heyward is worth a look in 15+ team leagues where you are looking for help in the outfield. You just need to be aware of the schedule as he is not in the lineup against lefties
• Now might be your only chance to buy low on Will Smith this season
  • Since June 8, Smith has a .220 BABIP despite a 20.5%-line drive rate
  • Smith has an 89^th percentile xwOBA this season and continues to be one of the best offensive options at catcher

San Diego Padres

• Ha-Seong Kim is now batting leadoff for the Padres
  • Batting at the top of the lineup should provide Kim with more run-scoring opportunities
  • He is quietly up to ten home runs and 13 stolen bases on the year while batting .304 since June 10
  • He is an incredibly underrated asset and a strong fantasy option with added value due to his positional versatility
• Xander Bogaerts has moved down to fifth in the lineup
  • After a strong month of April, Bogaerts has been a massive disappointment
  • From May 1^st forward, he is batting .232/.310/.332 with just two home runs
  • He has heated back up over the past two weeks batting .282/.349/.487 since June 23rd
  • Hold onto Bogaerts, but adjust your expectations to somewhere between his May 1st forward slash and his June 23rd forward slash
• Jake Cronenworth is batting sixth or seventh most nights
  • Cronenworth has not hit a home run since June 11^th and is batting just .185 over that time
  • His BABIP is uncharacteristically low, but with no power upside Cronenworth is not a player worth rostering in shallow leagues

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Evan Longoria is getting the majority of at-bats at third base
  • Longoria is batting fifth or sixth in the lineup
  • He has six home runs in his last 57 plate appearances and quietly has a 14.6%-barrel rate. He is still not getting full-time at-bats but is worth keeping an eye on as a potential upgrade at third base
  • His increased playing time has taken at-bats from Emmanuel Rivera who is no longer worth rostering
• Dominic Fletcher is back with the team and rotating between all three outfield spots
  • Fletcher’s increase in playing time is likely directly tied to Corbin Carroll battling injury (he has pinch-hit) and he is unlikely to be a full-time player in most situations
  • Alek Thomas is rotating between seventh and ninth in the lineup but has just two hits in his last 19 plate appearances. Fletcher could start to take playing time away from Thomas if he does not pick things up
• Since moving into the leadoff spot in the lineup on June 17^th, Geraldo Perdomo is batting just .224
  • Perdomo has not homered since May 28^th and really should only be rostered in deep leagues where you need middle infield help
  • Nick Ahmed has started three games in the past week and continues to get all of the starts against left-handed starters

San Francisco Giants

• Mike Yastrzemski is back from the IL
  • Yaz batted fifth in his return to the lineup on Monday
  • He should continue to be a strong source of power (10 home runs in just 217 plate appearances) so long as he can stay healthy
  • His return to the lineup likely will take playing time away from the combination of Austin Slater and potentially Blake Sabol
• Thairo Estrada landed on the IL with a fractured hand
  • Unfortunate news from one of the top second basemen in fantasy baseball
  • The combination of Brett Wisely and Casey Schmitt are most likely to see increases in their playing time with Estrada out
  • Schmitt’s quality of contact is encouraging for a rookie, but he continues to swing at everything limiting his fantasy relevance. I am holding in keeper/dynasty leagues but not recommending he be added in redraft formats
• Luis Matos continues to be in the lineup on a regular basis batting somewhere in the back half
  • Matos’ 81 wRC+ is uninspiring, but he is walking as much as he is striking out early in his Major League career
  • His average launch angle and exit velocity continue to be areas of concern and his real value can be found in OBP leagues
  • The future is likely bright for Matos and he should start seeing improvements to his .260 BABIP

Colorado Rockies

• Nolan Jones is losing playing time
  • To be honest, I have no idea why Jones is not being put in the lineup more
  • He is bringing his strikeout rate down recently while still managing to hit for a good average and hitting the ball hard
  • There is a possibility the Rockies are trying to inflate the trade value of Randal Grichuk before the deadline, but Jones deserves more at-bats
  • Now might be a good opportunity to buy low in a redraft/keeper format
• Kris Bryant is back from the IL and is batting somewhere in the top half of the lineup
  • Bryant has never been able to stay healthy in Colorado and was underwhelming this season before landing on the IL
  • He is worth rostering based on name value for now but is not somebody I am looking to acquire
• CJ Cron is also back from the IL
  • Cron spent about a month on the IL but had not hit a home run since April
  • His barrel percentage is still above 14% in the time since his last long ball and we should expect Cron’s luck to improve
  • If you held onto him during his IL stint, do not give up on him just yet
  • His return has taken the most playing time away from Elehuris Montero who is not worth holding onto