Fantasy Baseball NL Lineup Analysis: 05/03

Moving to a biweekly schedule makes this article even more packed with notable news and notes from all 15 National League lineups. We have some injuries, some promotions, some struggles, and other players starting to make a name for themselves in the fantasy community. If you missed last week’s American League article, you can check that out here. The five hottest hitters in the National League over the past two weeks have been: Andy Pages, Teoscar Hernandez, Pete Alonso, Austin Hays, and Jordan Beck. Keep reading for the latest news and notes from the lineups of all 15 National League teams.

Fantasy Baseball Lineup Takeaways: NL Edition

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.

National League East

Philadelphia Phillies

• Brandon Marsh continues to rehab in Triple-A
  • Marsh has been dealing with a hamstring injury that cramped up earlier in the week, but has been feeling better lately. The team expects him to return at some point early next week
  • Although Marsh is nearing a return, his playing time may not look the same upon his return. Marsh was struggling to start the season, batting just .095
  • In his absence, Johan Rojas is batting .304 and is looking much improved offensively. The two players should be expected to split the playing time in center field, limiting both of their fantasy values
• Bryson Stott has been sitting against more lefties recently
  • The Phillies have been insistent that Stott is not in a platoon, but they are also looking for any way to get Edmundo Sosa into the lineup, and that means Stott is getting frequent off days against lefties
  • Stott’s numbers are down against lefties this year (.182), which makes it possible that this trend continues
  • Regardless, Stott is a strong option at a thin position in fantasy. He is on pace for 35 stolen bases and will provide a lot of runs with a strong batting average for fantasy teams
• Max Kepler is sitting against more lefties
  • The return of Weston Wilson from the IL has pushed Max Kepler into the strong side of a more consistent platoon
  • The bright side for fantasy managers is that Kepler’s production has been ticking up as of late. Since April 14, Kepler is slashing .296/.367/.500 and hit two homers in the past week
  • The Phillies have reportedly been tweaking Kepler’s swing, and the results are speaking for themselves. He is a strong option in leagues with daily roster moves, as he continues to bat sixth or seventh in Philly’s lineup

Miami Marlins

• Agustin Ramirez is the talk of the fantasy baseball community
  • Since being promoted from Triple-A, Ramirez has been playing every day for Miami, rotating between catcher and DH
  • Ramirez is batting third in the lineup in most games and is off to a fantastic start. He has already hit three home runs and is posting excellent batted ball data
  • Ramirez is a must-add in all 12+ team leagues, although fantasy baseball managers should remember that nobody was questioning his power as a prospect. His hit tool is the biggest thing to monitor, although his 81.4% contact rate early on is a promising sign
• Eric Wagaman is a player to invest in
  • Wagaman got off to a hot start in 2025 but has slowed down considerably as of late
  • The 27-year-old journeyman continues to get everyday playing time in the middle of Miami’s lineup, but is batting just .188 since April 22
  • Despite his recent struggles, fantasy managers should invest. Wagaman owns an 8.8% barrel rate, a 38.8% sweet spot rate, an average EV of 91.3 mph, and a chase rate that is better than the Major League average. Wagaman can be had cheap, and is somebody to go grab
• Matt Mervis has slid down in the lineup
  • With the addition of Agustin Ramirez to the roster, Mervis has slid down to seventh in the lineup. He continues to sit against lefties
  • Mervis had a stretch from April 5 through April 16 where he hit six homers and batted .360. Prior to that, Mervis was batting .133. After that, he is batting .143 with only one home run
  • He is not a player worth rostering and is not hitting consistently enough to maintain a roster spot throughout the season. The team could promote Deyvison De Los Santos at some point to take his spot in the lineup

Atlanta Braves

• Jarred Kelenic was sent down to Triple-A
  • Even after a change of scenery, Kelenic has never been able to live up to the hype he had as a prospect. He was struggling and losing playing time, so the Braves opted to send him down to Triple-A to try and work through things
  • In his place, Alex Verdugo has taken over as the primary left fielder and has been batting leadoff
  • Verdugo is still only 28 years old and is hitting the ball in the air more than in previous seasons. He is worth an add in 14+ team leagues where you need outfield help
• Eli White is playing as the everyday right fielder
  • With Kelenic gone, Jurickson Profar suspended, and Ronald Acuna Jr. still on the IL, White is getting everyday playing time
  • He has been batting eighth in the lineup in most games, although he could lose some playing time with the addition of Eddie Rosario to the roster
  • White is already up to two homers, although there is nothing in his profile that suggests a power breakout is sustainable. He should be viewed as more of a deep league option if you need stolen bases
• Michael Harris II is heating up
  • Harris got off to a slow start to the year but is slashing .306/.314/.449 since April 18. He has also added four stolen bases during that timeframe
  • The Braves continue to bat Harris seventh in most games, although he occasionally moves up in the lineup when Verdugo is out
  • As Harris’ BABIP experiences positive regression, he should see his batting average climb steadily. He is a great source of stolen bases and has the power to hit 20+ homers. He is a nice buy-low option for fantasy baseball managers

Washington Nationals

• CJ Abrams is producing offensively
  • A short trip to the IL has limited Abrams’ overall production this season, but when healthy, he has looked the part
  • In just 77 plate appearances, Abrams has four homers, five stolen bases, and a .282 batting average
  • For fantasy managers, it is important to keep in mind the fast start Abrams got off to last season as well. The early difference has been an increased barrel rate. He could hit for more power this season, but fantasy managers should still expect his batting average to regress some and sit more around .250
• The Nationals are giving Jose Tena everyday run at third base
  • Tena has platooned for most of the season but has been in the lineup more frequently against lefties lately
  • From a production standpoint, Tena is not doing anything special. He is yet to hit a home run or steal a base, and he is swinging at pitches out of the zone over 40% of the time
  • The team will likely mix in other players if Tena’s production does not start increasing. Paul DeJong is not expected back for a while as he continues to deal with his nose injury

New York Mets

• Jeff McNeil is back in the lineup
  • After starting the season on the IL, McNeil returned to the lineup for the first time on April 25
  • Since returning, McNeil has been batting toward the bottom of the lineup against righties and sitting against lefties. He has been playing in a super utility role, getting starts at second base, center field, and left field
  • While no one person has been directly impacted by McNeil’s return, Tyrone Taylor has seen the biggest dip in his playing time. He is not worth rostering
• Francisco Alvarez is also back in the Mets’ lineup
  • Similarly to McNeil, he began the season on the IL before returning on April 25
  • Alvarez has stepped right back into the primary catcher role since returning and has been batting seventh in the lineup
  • Strikeouts have been the biggest issue for Alvarez early in his professional career, and are yet again proving to be an issue in his small 2025 sample size. Alvarez has plenty of power potential, but his hit tool risk limits his fantasy-relevance to leagues with 14+ catchers rostered
• Mark Vientos is heating up at the plate
  • The 2025 season did not get off to the best start for Vientos, but he is starting to settle in
  • Vientos has hit all four of his home runs since April 17 and is batting .283 during that time
  • Although still below the league average, Vientos is showing improvements to both his chase and whiff rates this season. His batted ball data and power are starting to come together and he should be a reliable fantasy option for managers moving forward

National League Central

Chicago Cubs

• Jon Berti has the edge in playing time at third base
  • Since the demotion of Matt Shaw, third base has been a revolving door for Chicago. Berti is currently getting most of the playing time
  • Berti has been batting at the bottom of the lineup. Berti is not going to provide much of any power, but he does have seven stolen bases, which can be useful for fantasy managers
  • Berti is not playing every day and is still splitting time with Nicky Lopez and Vidal Brujan
• Carson Kelly is moving up in the lineup
  • When in the lineup, Kelly has been batting fourth or fifth. Kelly is still producing at an incredible level. He is now up to seven homers while continuing to produce across the board
  • The issue that fantasy managers are running into is that the Cubs are not playing him every day. He has been out of the lineup in favor of Miguel Amaya three times in the past week
  • His offensive production warrants rostering him in most leagues, but inconsistent playing time makes him tough to roster in leagues with weekly lineups

St. Louis Cardinals

• Ivan Herrera is rehabbing with Triple-A
  • Herrera has been on the IL since April 7 with a knee injury, but began a rehab assignment on Thursday
  • The team has not given a predicted return date for Herrera, but he figures to return at some point next week
  • With Herrera on his way back, Pedro Pages is likely to move back into a bench role, with Yohel Perez likely headed back to Triple-A
• Victor Scott II is sitting against lefties
  • Scott’s start to the season has been an encouraging one for fantasy managers, but he is platooning with Luken Baker at this point
  • Scott is showing off better contact skills and more patience at the plate this season and is up to 10 stolen bases. His numbers are not particularly bad against lefties, but the team is desperate to get Baker’s bat in the lineup against righties
  • Scott remains a strong fantasy option, and Baker is not worth rostering even with playing time against righties
• Jordan Walker is no longer a locked-in everyday player
  • Walker is playing most days still and batting seventh in St. Louis’ lineup
  • While the Cardinals are trying to be patient with Walker, his wRC+ is down to 60 on the season. His wRC+ since April 15 is -8
  • Walker has taken a seat against two righties in the past week in favor of Alec Burleson
  • Walker’s hit tool continues to be concerning, and he is a fine drop in non-dynasty formats

Milwaukee Brewers

• Garrett Mitchell landed on the IL with an oblique injury
  • Even prior to the injury, Mitchell was disappointing to start the season. He was batting just .206 with three steals and is not worth holding onto through this IL stint
  • With Mitchell on the IL, Jake Bauers is getting the majority of the playing time, batting seventh in the lineup
  • Bauers is also splitting time with Isaac Collin,s although neither is worth rostering
• Rhys Hoskins is a player to buy in fantasy leagues
  • A slow start to the season had many thinking Hoskins’ best days were behind him, but he has been on fire since
  • Since April 8, Hoskins is slashing .333/.434/.508. His chase and whiff rates also look better
  • Hoskins is still hitting the ball hard despite only three homers. If he can keep hitting for average, the homers are going to come. His pull air percentage is the highest of his career. If you need help at first base, go get Hoskins
• Caleb Durbin has just one steal on the season
  • Stolen bases were supposed to be Durbin’s calling card, but he has just one this year despite strong sprint speeds
  • Durbin is playing every day at third base and batting ninth in the lineup since being recalled
  • From a fantasy perspective, his contact skills are excellent,t but his batted ball data is not very good and could result in struggles at the Major League level. Stolen bases are where he is going to generate most of his fantasy value, and if he does not run, he is not worth rostering

Cincinnati Reds

• Jeimer Candelario has a back injury
  • Candelario landed on the IL April 28 with this injury
  • This injury has helped to clear up any playing time concerns for both Spencer Steer and Noelvi Marte
  • Candelario does not have a firm timetable for a return, similar to Christian Encarnacion-Stran,d who remains on the IL
• Speaking of Noelvi Marte, he is red hot at the plate
  • Injuries have afforded Marte with the opportunity to get consistent playing time at the Major League level, and he is making it count
  • Marte has been playing third base,e batting sixth in the lineup against righties and moving up to fourth against lefties
  • Marte is not doing anything great, but his hit tool looks much better than it did last season. He should be added in all 12+ team leagues
• Tyler Stephenson is nearing a return
  • Stephenson is likely to return for this weekend’s series after playing multiple times this week with Triple-A. He has not appeared in a Major League game yet this season
  • Stephenson is coming off a strong 2024 campaign and is worth a look in all leagues with 12+ catchers rostered. Injuries have plagued him throughout his career, but hopefully he can stay healthy for the remainder of 2025
  • With Stephenson returning to the lineup, Jose Trevino will likely move back into a bench role

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Andrew McCutchen is getting more consistent playing time
  • McCutchen started his age-38 season in more of a bench role, but has been DHing every day late,y batting third in the lineup
  • Despite his age, McCutchen continues to produce offensively. He is up to three home runs in just 25 games this season. He is not flashy but is a strong add in NL-only leagues
  • McCutchen’s playing time has increased in conjunction with the team optioning Jack Suwinski to Triple-A
• Enmanuel Valdez continues to bat in the middle of the lineup
  • Valdez is serving as the team’s primary first baseman against righties while sitting on the bench against lefties
  • Surprisingly, Valdez is hitting the ball hard and barreling it up consistently as of late. He has two homers since April 18
  • There is nothing in his profile that suggests Valdez is likely to break out, and I am not adding him in any leagues
  • Recently promoted Matt Gorski has been entering the lineup against lefties
• Should fantasy managers worry about Bryan Reynolds?
  • Reynolds has been slumping at the plate. He is batting .250 since April 15 and just .238 on the season
  • The biggest issue has been the strikeout rate. Reynolds is striking out 30% of the time this season
  • Reynolds has always posted suspect whiff and chase rates, and it seems this issue is finally catching up to him. Those who own Reynolds should be concerned moving forward. The silver lining is that Reynolds is at least still hitting the ball hard

National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Michael Conforto continues to slide down in the lineup
  • The thought was that the Dodgers would get Conforto to bounce back to his old self, and early on, that seemed to be the case
  • However, Conforto has gone ice cold offensively and is now batting just .156. His last home run came on April 5, and he has just three hits over his last 51 plate appearances
  • With Conforto moving down to ninth in the lineup and losing playing time against lefties, he is a fine drop candidate
• Andy Pages is cementing himself as the everyday center fielder
  • Pages opened the season with everyday playing time and is proving the Dodgers right for handing him that
  • He is showing off the plus power many saw as a prospect and is up to six homers and three stolen bases already. His contact rate is also up, which was the biggest concern for Pages as a prospect
  • The Dodgers continue to bat Pages eighth in the lineup most games, although he has been batting higher against lefties recently
• Max Muncy is an interesting buy-low option
  • Muncy’s start to the season has been dreadful, and he is never going to provide much batting average, but he can still be a value
  • Muncy continues to play every day, even against lefties, and is hitting in the middle of a potent Dodgers’ lineup
  • His batted ball data continues to look very strong (11.9% barrel rate), and he is striking out only 20% of the time since April 15. The home runs will start coming, and Muncy holds even more value in OBP leagues

San Diego Padres

• Jackson Merrill is expected to return to the Padres’ lineup on Monday
  • The team has been without Merrill since early April due to a hamstring injury, but the team and fantasy managers will welcome his return next week
  • With Merrill out, Tyler Wade has been serving as the team’s primary center fielder and batting in the bottom third of the lineup
  • Wade will likely shift into a utility role with Merrill back. Wade has yet to steal a base this season, even with extended playing time, and is not worth rostering in fantasy
• Jason Heyward is back from the IL
  • After getting injured in the game on April 16, Heyward returned to the Padres’ lineup on Tuesday
  • He has been batting eighth since returning and is on the strong side of a platoon
  • Heyward does not offer much offensive upside to fantasy managers and is not worth rostering. With Heyward back, Tirso Ornelas has lost the playing time he was receiving and was already sent back to Triple-A once Merrill returns
• Catcher continues to be a timeshare for the Padres
  • Elias Diaz has started each of the previous two games at catcher for San Diego, but had sat out  each of the two games before that
  • Both Diaz and Martin Maldonado are batting at the bottom of San Diego’s lineup
  • Neither player offers much offensive upside, and neither is worth rostering in fantasy
• Fernando Tatis Jr. left Friday night’s game after being hit by a pitch
  • The swelling in Tatis’ arm was instantaneous, creating cause for concern
  • If Tatis is forced to miss extended time, Tirso Ornelas could rejoin the team, or Tyler Wade could maintain his starting spot once Merrill returns

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Ketel Marte is back
  • Marte has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since April 5, but is back with the team
  • His return to the lineup shifts Geraldo Perdomo down out of the second spot in the lineup and moves Tim Tawa into a bench role
  • Marte’s return also further blocks Jordan Lawlar, who has continued to dominate Triple-A pitching
• Speaking of Perdomo, he is still red hot
  • Regression in Perdomo’s profile feels inevitable, yet he just keeps on hitting
  • Perdomo is now up to five homers with seven steals, with more walks than strikeouts
  • The hit tool and plate discipline in Perdomo’s profile are legit and should lead to plenty of stolen bases. However, the sudden uptick in power should not be expected to continue throughout the season
• Gabriel Moreno could be losing some playing time
  • Moreno is excellent defensively. His glove is keeping him in the lineup and should help maintain his role as the team’s primary catcher
  • However, his offensive production continues to be underwhelming. He has just a 69 wRC+ on the season with zero homers
  • Moreno is a fine player to drop in fantasy leagues, and it seems unlikely he will ever live up to the lofty expectations set while he was a prospect

San Francisco Giants

• Tyler Fitzgerald is on the IL
  • A fractured rib led to this IL trip for Fitzgerald, and he is expected to miss two to three weeks
  • In his place, Christian Kross has been getting the majority of starts at second base and batting ninth in the lineup
  • Kross does not have much fantasy appeal and is likely to split time with recently promoted Brett Wisely
• Wilmer Flores has cooled off at the plate
  • Flores’ hot start to the season always seemed unsustainable,e and it has come crashing down recently
  • After hitting six homers in his first 53 plate appearances, Flores has just one since and is batting .210 since April 13
  • He continues to serve as the team’s primary DH, batting fifth in the lineup,p but could lose playing time if his struggles continue. He is a fine player to drop in fantasy leagues

Colorado Rockies

• With Ezequiel Tovar on the IL, Alan Trejo is playing shortstop for Colorado
  • While Tovar’s injury is not considered serious, he remains without a firm timetable for a return
  • Trejo keeps finding his way back to Colorado and was acquired from Texas earlier this week. He has been batting eighth or ninth in the lineup and playing every day
  • He owns a 54 career wRC+ and is not worth rostering in any fantasy format
• Jordan Beck is back with the team and playing every day
  • Beck rejoined the Rockies on April 19 after a short demotion back to Triple-A
  • He has looked like a different hitter with five homers since April 24. Beck is still striking out, but he is making much more contact, hitting the ball hard, and laying off pitches out of the zone
  • He is batting second in the Rockies’ lineup and is worth an add if you need outfield help. Beck has 20/20 potential
• Adael Amador is not playing consistently
  • Even with an injury to Aaron Schunk, Amador cannot seem to fend off Kyle Farmer for the everyday second base role
  • When in the lineup, Amador is batting ninth and is hitting .200 with one homer and one stolen base so far this season
  • Amador has a strong hit tool, but without much speed and limited power projection, he is not worth rostering in fantasy