Fantasy Baseball NL Lineup Analysis: Dylan Crews Gets a Re-Set

The season is moving along quickly. Injuries are already piling up, fantasy baseball managers are panicking over slumping stars, and way too much FAAB is being spent on players who are not going to maintain their current offensive production. With so much going on, it can be difficult to keep track of what is important. This article is here to help by breaking down the latest changes, news, and notes from all 15 National League lineups. Over the past two weeks, the five hottest hitters in the National League have been: Matt Mervis, Mike Yastrzemski, Pete Alonso, Jung Hoo Lee, and Corbin Carroll. Keep reading for details on the latest lineup changes from around the NL.

Please note that this article is finalized the day prior to publication. I will do my best to update the information as it comes in later that night.

Fantasy Baseball Lineup Takeaways: NL Edition

National League East

Philadelphia Phillies

• Brandon Marsh is losing playing time
  • Marsh has been unable to break out of a major slump that has left him hitless since March 29
  • With Marsh struggling, the team has given Johan Rojas a few additional opportunities to play, although he is struggling both offensively and defensively
  • The answer may end up being Weston Wilson, who is rehabbing in Triple-A. He is not a traditional center fielder, but with the team struggling for offense, this could be the decision
  • The long-term move is likely a promotion for top prospect Justin Crawford, although he continues to hit too many groundballs in Triple-A
• Bryson Stott is leading off against righties
  • The Phillies are trying to find protection for Bryce Harper and have moved Kyle Schwarber behind him in the lineup
  • With Bohm moving down to eighth, Stott is leading off, and Trea Turner is hitting second
  • The move up in the lineup should lead to more at-bats and more runs, hitting ahead of Trea Turner and Bryce Harper
• Nick Castellanos left Thursday’s game with a hip injury
  • Castellanos seemed to injure his hip running to first base, and the severity of the injury remains unknown
  • If Castellanos is forced to miss time, the hidden benefit for fantasy managers could be Kyle Schwarber gaining outfield eligibility
  • Edmundo Sosa is most likely to see his playing time increase if Castellanos’ injury keeps him out of the lineup

Miami Marlins

• Jesus Sanchez is back from the IL
  • Sanchez missed the first few weeks of the season but returned to Miami’s lineup on Tuesday
  • He has been batting second since returning to the lineup. The team has traditionally used him on the strong side of a platoon in the past, but he may have the opportunity this year to play every day
  • Sanchez has flashed home run and stolen base upside in the past and is worth taking a flier on if you need outfield help. The biggest thing for fantasy managers to watch is his strikeout rate
  • With Sanchez returning to the lineup, Dane Myers has lost his starting role
• The team DFA’d Jonah Bride
  • Bride entered the season as the starting first baseman after putting together a solid 2024 season
  • Unfortunately, Bride never got things going at the plate and ultimately lost his roster spot this past week
  • With Bride off to Minnesota, Eric Wagaman has stepped in at DH and has been batting in the middle of the lineup
  • Wagaman’s hit tool has looked strong, but his batted ball data leaves plenty to be desired
• Nick Fortes is on the IL
  • An oblique injury has forced Fortes to the shelf for at least 10 days although oblique injuries tend to linger
  • With Fortes out, Rule-5 pick Liam Hicks is drawing the majority of starts at catcher matting eighth in the lineup
  • Hicks is batting under .200 on the season and does not have a history of much offensive production in the Minor Leagues. He is not worth adding in fantasy

Atlanta Braves

• Orlando Arcia is officially the backup shortstop
  • Arcia has been the starter for the past few seasons but has lost his job for the time being to Nick Allen
  • Allen has been drawing most of the starts at shortstop and batting ninth in the lineup
  • Allen has not offered much in terms of fantasy production throughout his professional career, but he is up to four stolen bases already this season. Fantasy managers should expect his batting average to come down as his BABIP dips below .400
• Marcell Ozuna is dealing with hip inflammation
  • The injury is not believed to be serious, but Ozuna did not travel with the team to Toronto. The team has not indicated that he could face an IL stint
  • With Ozuna out of the lineup, Eli White has been getting consistent run in the outfield. He is a glove-first option for Atlanta with some speed
  • Both Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz have been struggling offensively, and they could lose time to White once Ozuna returns to the lineup
• Sean Murphy is cementing himself as a top-tier catching option for fantasy
  • A rough 2024, followed by an injury to start 2025, had Murphy’s fantasy value at an all-time low
  • Since returning from the IL, Murphy has been white-hot. He has four homers with impressive batted ball data. Buy into Murphy’s hot start since we have seen this level of production from him before
  • With Murphy healthy and playing well, at-bats have been difficult to come by for Drake Baldwin. He is a fine drop option in redraft formats

Washington Nationals

• CJ Abrams landed on the IL with a hip injury
  • The injury is not being viewed as overly serious, and the team does not expect Abrams to miss an extended period of time
  • With Abrams on the IL, Nasim Nunez has been filling in at shortstop
  • Nunez has been batting at the bottom of the lineup. He has excellent speed, but does not project to be a reliable fantasy option worth picking up
• Paul DeJong is also on the IL after suffering a fractured nose
  • With DeJong out of the lineup, Amed Rosario is the most logical choice to see his playing time increase
  • The team also recalled Trey Lipscomb and Jose Tena is already on the roster
  • With all three players likely to receive playing time, none are worth adding to your fantasy roster
• The Nationals are trying to give Dylan Crews a reset
  • Crews has gotten off to an abysmal start offensively for Washington and received back-to-back days off last weekend
  • Part of the issue is poor batted ball luck, but Crews is also striking out way too much and hitting too many ground balls. While he likely has a long leash, Crews could find himself back in Triple-A if he does not start to turn things around
  • Jacob Young has seen his playing time decrease with Alex Call earning more starts in center field. Crews’ struggles could open more playing time for Young and Call

New York Mets

• Jose Siri is headed to the IL
  • Siri suffered a broken leg and will be out for at least three weeks
  • Taking his place in the lineup is Tyrone Taylor, who has shown flashes of fantasy-relevance in the past but has never fully put things together
  • Taylor has been batting eighth in the lineup and has zero homers and zero steals on the season. He is worth monitoring in case he gets hot, but is not worth picking up at this point
• Brett Baty has lost his starting lineup spot
  • A strong Spring Training earned Baty the advantage in playing time early this season, but his Major League struggles have continued
  • Luisangel Acuna has taken over at second base and is batting at the bottom of the lineup. Acuna is up to five stolen bases already and should be a reliable source of steals for fantasy managers moving forward. His power outlook is limited, but his batting average and stolen bases give him fantasy value
  • Jeff McNeil is rehabbing and is expected to return to the Mets’ lineup early next week. He has been seeing starts in center field, although he figures to mix into the playing time rotation at second base as well upon his return
• Designated Hitter is becoming a timeshare
  • Jesse Winker started the season as the starting DH, but his struggles at the plate have him losing playing time even against righties
  • Starling Marte has been getting more playing time and is serving exclusively as the DH this year. Both batters are batting sixth in the lineup in most games
  • With playing time inconsistent for both players, neither one holds much of any fantasy value

National League Central

Chicago Cubs

• The Cubs sent Matt Shaw back to Triple-A
  • Shaw is considered one of the game’s top prospects, but his first stint in the Major Leagues was one to forget, and he will head back to Triple-A to get going again
  • With Shaw gone, the starting third base job is up for grabs with plenty of people vying for the position. Gage Workman, Justin Turner, Jon Berti, and Vidal Brujan could all potentially see starts there
  • Workman has the most upside after going 18/30 in Double-A last season, but he is also striking out 40% of the time in his first Major League season. This situation is one for fantasy managers to monitor
• The Cubs’ offense is cooking
  • From top to bottom, the team put up a lot of runs over the past week
  • One of the biggest factors is the success of young players like Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong
  • PCA is striking out considerably less while showing off power and elite speed. Busch is hitting the ball even harder than last year while batting in the middle of the lineup. Both players are turning into reliable fantasy assets

St. Louis Cardinals

• The Cardinals are rearranging their infield
  • For starters, Nolan Gorman is back from the IL
  • The once-promising second baseman is looking to bounce back after an abysmal 2024 season. He has been drawing the majority of starts at second base since returning and batting in the bottom half of the lineup. The team will likely continue to sit him against lefties throughout the season
  • The biggest thing for fantasy managers to watch is Gorman’s strikeout rate. The sample size is small, but so far, he is chasing less and making way more contact. If these improvements stick, he could have a massive season. Gorman’s upside makes him worth picking up in leagues that you need help at second base
• The other shift is Masyn Winn landing on the IL
  • While Gorman was on the IL, Brendan Donovan was primarily playing second base
  • Now, with Winn out, Donovan has shifted over to shortstop. Winn is dealing with a back injury and does not have a firm timetable to return
  • Thomas Saggese is also seeing additional playing time at second base. Saggese has been swinging it well in limited opportunities, but is not worth adding without an everyday role
• Lars Nootbaar has been excellent to start the season
  • Nootbaar has been batting leadoff since Opening Day and is thriving at the top of St. Louis’ lineup
  • He is up to three homers, two steals, and has more walks than strikeouts
  • Everything in Nootbaar’s profile points to this success being sustainable. Notably, his average launch angle is up significantl,y which should lead to more home runs. The Nootbaar breakout may be upon us

Milwaukee Brewers

• Sal Frelick continues to produce offensively
  • Frelick is not being platooned this season and continues to bat fifth against both righties and lefties
  • He is off to a fast start to the season, hitting for average and stealing bases. He has five steals already and could swipe 20+ this season. His hit tool makes a high batting average believable and sustainable
  • Fantasy baseball managers should not expect much power, but hitting fifth should provide him with plenty of RBI opportunities
• Fantasy managers need to accept the streakiness of William Contreras
  • Contreras is one of the best catchers in fantasy, but he is prone to cold spells. A cold spell to start the season had many fantasy players worried, but he has quickly turned things around
  • After a rough first eight games, Contreras is batting well over .300 with three homers since April 5
  • Batting fourth in the Brewers lineup should help his counting stats stay up. Fantasy managers should have no issues counting on him the rest of the season

Cincinnati Reds

• Matt McLain is back from the IL
  • McLain missed only the minimal time on the IL and rejoined the team on Tuesday
  • He has been batting second again since returning, although the team did note that he may receive a few additional off days as the season moves along to keep him healthy
  • With McLain back, the team optioned Noelvi Marte, and Santiago Espinal have moved back into bench roles
• Austin Hays is also back from the IL
  • Like McLain, Hays returned to the Reds lineup on Tuesday and has been batting in the heart of the order
  • Hays’ return has cast some uncertainty over the team’s regular lineup. With a lefty on the mound, it is easy. Hays plays Jake Fraley
  • Initially, it seemed as though Hays’ return would result in lost playing time for Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Now that is certain as CES landed on the IL
  • Encarnacion-Strand’s aggressive approach has continued to cause issues for him at the Major League level. Through 420 Major League plate appearances, CES owns a .230/.276/.396 slash. He is a fine drop in redraft and shallow dynasty formats
• Spencer Steer continues to struggle offensively
  • Steer was the other player at risk for losing playing time prior to the injury to Encarnacion-Strand
  • He should maintain his lineup spot, although both Marte and Espinal could see more time in the starting lineup
  • Steer’s underlying numbers never quite matched his 20/25 production from 2024. Regression was expected, but not to this level
  • Steer’s BABIP should see some positive regression, but any loss in playing time would dissolve his fantasy value. He is a fine drop in shallow leagues, although I would still be holding in deeper formats pending his playing time situation

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Endy Rodriguez has landed on the IL
  • Rodriguez suffered a finger injury that will keep him out of the lineup for at least 10 games. Hopefully, this gives him a chance to reset after a very slow start to the season
  • With Rodriguez out, the team has shifted around its defense. Enmanuel Valdez moves from second base to first base, Adam Frazier moves from the outfield to second base, and Jack Suwinski has reentered the starting lineup
  • Valdez has been batting in the middle of the lineup since seeing his playing time increase, but is batting under .200 with zero home runs. Despite more playing time, he is not worth adding in fantasy
• Joey Bart returned to the lineup on Thursday
  • Bart had been dealing with a back injury that kept him sidelined for several games, but he appears to be healthy now
  • Bart returned to the fourth spot in the lineup. He is a fine option in 15+ team leagues and should continue to start most days
  • The biggest risk for Bart is the addition of Henry Davis to the Major League roster. Davis is another former first overall pick but his struggles have continued since his recall from Triple-A
• We say this every year, but Ke’Bryan Hayes could be a fun buy-low option in deep leagues
  • The start to the season is nothing special, Hayes is batting under .250 with just one homer and three stolen bases
  • However, the underlying metrics look strong. He is making great contact, hitting the ball hard, getting the ball in the air more, and pulling the ball more
  • His acquisition cost is essentially free. If you need third base help, give Hayes a look and hope these improvements turn into results on the field

National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Freddie Freeman returned after a short stint on the IL
  • Freeman did not miss much time with an injured ankle and returned to the lineup last Friday
  • The sample size is small, but Freeman is still playing at a high level despite being 35 years old in 2025. The only concerning areas to watch are Freeman’s whiff and chase rate, which are both up slightly from his career norms
  • With Freeman back in the lineup, Enrique Hernandez has moved back into a bench/utility role
• Michael Conforto has cooled off offensively
  • Conforto continues to play every day but is now batting fifth in the lineup with Freeman’s return
  • He has just four hits in his last 39 plate appearances and has not had a home run since April 5
  • Conforto is striking out a lot, but his contact rates and plate discipline are still strong. He is not swinging a lot, and his BABIP is low, leading to a lot of his struggles. His numbers should tick up in the coming days, and he is not at risk of losing his starting role

San Diego Padres

• Jake Cronenworth landed on the IL
  • Cronenworth has a fracture in his ribs that could force him to miss at least a month of the season
  • With Cronenworth looking at an extended absence from the lineup, the team has turned to Jose Iglesias to take over as the primary second baseman
  • Iglesias hit for a strong average last year with the Mets and is showing off good contact skills again this year. He does have a negative launch angle, and there is not much upside in his profile. He has been batting sixth in the lineup in most games
• Jackson Merrill is also on the IL but is nearing a return
  • Merrill was placed on the IL with a hamstring injury on April 8 but is close to resuming baseball activities. He is not expected to miss much more time
  • Tyler Wade and Oscar Gonzalez have been splitting time filling in for Merrill while he has been injured
  • Gonzalez is hitting for a solid average right now, but neither he nor Wade should be relied upon by fantasy managers
• The Padres faced a bunch of lefties this week
  • In a few leagues, I have seen Gavin Sheets show back up on waivers due to his removal from the lineup
  • However, when in the lineup, Sheets continues to perform at a high level, and with Cronenworth and Merrill out, he has moved up to fourth in the lineup
  • He is a solid piece in 14+ team daily leagues where he can be moved in and out of the lineup depending on the matchup

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Garrett Hampson and Tim Tawa are splitting time at second base
  • With Ketel Marte on the IL, the team has turned to a platoon approach at second base
  • Tawa hit 31 homers with 14 steals in Triple-A last season, but is not being given consistent playing time, limiting his fantasy appeal
  • Hampson is batting well under .200, and it is surprising that the team continues to play him regularly. There is also Jordan Lawlar, who is knocking on the door for a promotion with three homers and four steals already this season in Triple-A
• Geraldo Perdomo is hitting second in the lineup
  • Marte’s previously mentioned injury has opened up a spot at the top of the lineup, and Perdomo has earned the opportunity to move up
  • Perdomo has been excellent to start the season. He is hitting over .300 with three homers and two stolen bases
  • The power outbreak is unlikely to continue as Perdomo does not hit the ball very hard, but his hit tool and batting average are legit. Fantasy managers should temper expectations, but Perdomo is worth rostering in 12-14 team leagues
• Eugenio Suarez has gone ice-cold at the plate
  • After a hot start to the season, Suarez has not hit a home run since April 1 and is batting well under .200 since then
  • Strikeouts are always going to be a part of Suarez’s game, but there is nothing in his profile that suggests his strikeout rate should be up over 30%. He is still hitting the ball extremely hard and is getting very unlucky in the BABIP department
  • Fantasy baseball managers should not be dropping Suarez despite his current slump

San Francisco Giants

• Mike Yastrzemski drew a start against a lefty
  • This is notable due to the Giants’ propensity to platoon him in recent seasons
  • He has been batting leadoff against righties and playing well early on this season. He has three homers, two steals, and is walking at an extremely high rate
  • If the Giants continue to keep him in the lineup against lefties, his fantasy value will increase significantly
• Willy Adames continues to bat second despite his struggles early on this season
  • The Giants’ prized off-season signing has not settled in just yet and has just one homer and one steal on the season
  • Adames landed on my shortstop busts article from this off-season, as the move from Milwaukee to San Francisco was forecast to be a negative for him
  • Backing up my article, fantasy managers should adjust expectations for Adames this season. Even still, he will see his numbers improve beyond where they are now

Colorado Rockies

• Kris Bryant landed on the IL
  • Bryant was not doing much for fantasy managers anyway, and he has yet again landed on the IL. He is not worth holding onto in any format
  • With Bryant out of the lineup, Nick Martini and Mickey Moniak have seen more consistent playing time
  • Despite increased playing time, Moniak is not doing much offensively to take advantage of the opportunity. His contact rates are still too low to contribute consistently
  • Martini, meanwhile, is up to second in the lineup. He is not playing against lefties, but is a decent add in NL-only type leagues
• Zac Veen is up from Triple-A
  • The Rockies called up their top two prospects quickly this season, with Veen and Dollander
  • Veen has been playing every day since being recalled and batting at the bottom of the lineup
  • Since being promoted, Veen has looked completely overmatched. This always felt like one of the two realistic outcomes. Veen would either be a fantasy star or strike out too much to maintain a starting spot. Right now, his contact rates are very low, and his batted ball data is underwhelming
  • With the Rockies, Veen should be given a long leash to work through his struggles, but the team has proven to be irrational in the past. Veen could find himself back in Triple-A if he does not start producing
• Brenton Doyle is dealing with a quad injury
  • This injury has kept Doyle out of the lineup since last week, although he notably pinch hit in Wednesday night’s game
  • His ability to get in as a pinch hitter is a positive sign and makes it likely he avoids a trip to the IL and returns to the lineup this weekend
  • Doyle’s absence has shifted Nick Martini into the outfield and has allowed Adael Amador to get consistent playing time at second base since his promotion from Triple-A