Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis: NL 08/23

The 2025 season is nearing the end. For fantasy baseball managers, that means playoffs are on the horizon. Now is not the time to step back and take things easy. Staying up to date and continuing to improve your team is the only way to finish the year with a championship trophy. This article aims to help by breaking down the latest lineup changes from all 15 teams around the National League. The five hottest hitters in the National League over the past two weeks have been: Michael Harris II, Shohei Ohtani, Brice Turang, Noelvi Marte, and Trea Turner. The five coldest hitters in the National League over the past two weeks have been Nick Castellanos, Kyle Tucker, Otto Lopez, Ivan Herrera, and Heliot Ramos.

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

• Alec Bohm is back from the IL
  • Bohm returned to the Phillies lineup on Sunday, homering in his first game back
  • He has been batting fifth in the lineup most games and should continue to be a reliable option for fantasy managers the rest of the season
  • With Bohm back, Otto Kemp was optioned to Triple-A, and Edmundo Sosa has been pushed back into the short side of a platoon
• Nick Castellanos is playing less
  • The Phillies have four outfielders for three spots after the acquisition of Harrison Bader
  • Bader’s defense gives him an edge in playing time. Brandon Marsh is sitting against lefties, but is a lineup lock against righties
  • Max Kepler and Castellanos are splitting time now. Castellanos is playing against lefties, while the two players are splitting time against righties. Castellanos is a fine drop in shallow leagues
• Trea Turner is red hot
  • Although Turner’s underlying metrics and Baseball Savant page look underwhelming, he has been incredible all season
  • On the year, he is up to 13 homers, 31 stolen bases, and is batting .301
  • As of late, things have been even better. Since August 5, Turner is slashing .446/.500/.677. He is an elite option at shortstop for the remainder of this year

Miami Marlins

• Kyle Stowers is on the IL with an oblique injury
  • Stowers’ breakout season will take a pause while he works through this injury
  • With Stowers out of the lineup, Troy Johnston is set to receive more regular playing time
  • Johnston has been batting in the lower third of the lineup and is slashing .229/.270/.343 since being promoted to the Major Leagues
• Graham Pauley is also out with an oblique injury
  • Two oblique injuries in one week have opened up another lineup spot in Miami
  • With Pauley on the IL, the team has promoted Maximo Acosta from Triple-A. He has been playing third base every day and batting ninth in the lineup
  • Acosta was batting .232 with 12 homers and 28 stolen bases in Triple-A prior to this promotion. Acosta has good speed, but does not profile to be much of a force offensively at the Major League level
• Jakob Marsee continues to look the part
  • Marsee could not make me feel any more vindicated than he is right now. The start to his Major League career has been incredible
  • He has been batting second in the lineup and is batting .359 with four homers and seven stolen bases
  • As far as sustainability, it is a mixed bag. The speed is legit. The average will likely come down, but he has good contact skills and great plate discipline. The power is the least sustainable based on his Minor League track record, but he profiles to be a 15-20 HR bat in the future

Atlanta Braves

• Ronald Acuna Jr. is back from the IL
  • Acuna was able to avoid needing a rehab assignment and returned to the Braves’ lineup last Friday
  • He has stolen one base since returning, although speed does not profile to be a big part of his game the rest of this season. The rest of his profile remains elite
  • With Acuna returning to the lineup, Eli White has moved back into a bench role
• Marcell Ozuna is back in the everyday lineup
  • After sitting in favor of keeping both catchers in the lineup, Ozuna is back to receiving everyday playing time
  • With Ozuna in the lineup, Sean Murphy is now on the short side of a platoon with Drake Baldwin at catcher
  • Ozuna has hit five homers in August and is slugging .617 since August 7
• Michael Harris II is coming alive in a big way
  • After a terrible start to the season, Harris has been incredible at the plate lately
  • All of a sudden, Harris is up to 16 homers and 14 stolen bases. He has nine homers with a .405 batting average since July 22
  • Part of Harris’s success is his luck changing from horrible to incredible. His plate discipline is still a problem, and he profiles more as a streaky player than somebody for fantasy managers to rely on for consistency

Washington Nationals

• Nathaniel Lowe was released
  • With the team looking toward next season, Lowe was released and then signed with the Red Sox
  • With Lowe now gone, Josh Bell has shifted from DH to first base, with Andres Chaparro and Robert Hassell III splitting time in the lineup
  • Chaparro was recalled from Triple-A and is currently playing on the short side of a platoon. He was batting .275 with 14 home runs in Triple-A this season
• Paul DeJong is finding his way into the lineup with regularity
  • According to Roster Resource, DeJong is not in the starting lineup, but he is getting regular playing time
  • DeJong has been playing first base, second base, and third base while batting in the middle of the lineup
  • In 38 games, DeJong is batting .254 with six home runs and four stolen bases. He has been quietly productive and worth a look in deep leagues, so long as he is playing consistently
• Brady House could be losing playing time
  • Part of DeJong getting additional playing time is at the expense of House. He has been out of the lineup against two righties in the past week
  • The start to House’s Major League career has not gone very well. In 46 games, he is batting .234 with two home runs. He owns a 52 wRC+
  • The issue with House’s profile is poor contact skills and overaggression. Until that changes, he is not a reliable fantasy asset

New York Mets

• Francisco Alvarez is on the IL
  • Alvarez is set to miss extended time after suffering a sprained thumb
  • With him no longer in the lineup, Luis Torrens has taken over as the primary catcher and has been batting ninth in the lineup
  • In 78 games this season, Torrens is batting .210 with two homers. He does not offer any fantasy value
• Mark Vientos continues to be a mixed bag
  • The Mets stuck by Vientos, keeping him in the fifth or sixth spot in the lineup despite his early-season struggles
  • The second half of the season has been better. He is batting .263 since the All-Star Break. However, he still has only three homers during that time
  • Nine homers on the season is what is frustrating for fantasy managers counting on power. His high aggression is an issue, but he owns a 15% barrel rate since July 10 and deserves to see some better luck in the power department moving forward
• Brett Baty is playing over Ronny Mauricio
  • For a while, Baty and Mauricio were splitting time. Now it is Baty’s job with Mauricio riding the bench
  • Baty has been batting seventh in the lineup primarily while rotating between second and third base
  • On the season, Baty has 15 homers with a .241 batting average. Since the start of August, he is slashing .333/.409/.641. He seems to be a streaky hitter who fantasy baseball managers will want to own while hot

National League Central

Chicago Cubs

• Owen Caissie is being mixed into the lineup for a variety of people
  • With Kyle Tucker dealing with a bit of an injury, Caissie has seen time all over the outfield as the team works to get him consistent at-bats
  • Caissie has primarily been batting seventh in the lineup and is batting .250 with one homer through his first six games
  • The biggest thing to watch for with Caissie are the strikeouts. If he can keep his strikeout rate in check, he has significant power upside that should attract fantasy managers
• Matt Shaw is playing well down the stretch
  • In 93 games this season, Shaw has quietly hit 11 homers and stolen 15 bases. That is a 20-homer and 27 stolen base pace
  • Shaw’s season may not be the flashiest, but he is producing for fantasy managers, and it is important to remember that this is only his rookie season
  • He is batting ninth in the lineup and playing third base every day

St. Louis Cardinals

• Victor Scott is on the IL
  • Scott is out with a sprained ankle, and it is still not enough to get Jordan Walker into the lineup consistently
  • With Scott out, the team is playing Nathan Church in center field and batting him ninth
  • Church was batting .329 with 13 homers and 16 steals in Triple-A this season. He has excellent contact skills, but a high ground ball rate and mediocre batted ball data suggest he lacks a high fantasy ceiling
• Brendan Donovan is on the IL
  • With Donovan out of the lineup, Nolan Gorman’s playing time has solidified. Thomas Saggese is also seeing additional playing time
  • Gorman is primarily batting fifth in the lineup. He is up to 12 homers on the season but is batting just .236 since the start of August as strikeouts continue to be an issue
  • Saggese is batting seventh and is batting .255 with one homer on the season. Most of his batting average success as of late is a result of a high BABIP as a poor approach at the plate continues to be a concern
• Masyn Winn has shifted to fifth in the lineup
  • Winn has hit all over the lineup this year, but has recently slid from the top of the lineup down to fifth
  • The shift down comes as Winn is batting just .208 since the start of August
  • After flashing power earlier this season, Winn’s season total still sits at only nine. With only nine stolen bases as well, it is easy to say that he is a better real-life asset than a fantasy asset

Milwaukee Brewers

• Caleb Durbin has been batting second in the lineup
  • Durbin’s playing time has been inconsistent throughout the season but he has been playing every day lately and is hitting second more often
  • The second spot has been locked down by isaac Collins for most of the season but that has started to change as of late
  • Durbin is batting .251 on the season, but only .220 since the start of August. There are more attractive options for fantasy baseball managers
• Brice Turang is hitting for more power
  • Way way way earlier this season, this article forecast a Turang breakout. That is happening
  • Turang has been batting seventh in the lineup, but that has nothing to do with his offensive performance. He has now hit eight home runs since the start of August
  • Overall on the season, Turang is now up to 13 homers and 21 stolen bases. If the power improvements stick, Turang is one of, if not the best, second baseman in fantasy baseball
• Rhys Hoskins is on a rehab assignment
  • Hoskins has been out since the beginning of July with a thumb injury, but is nearing a return to the lineup
  • The issue is that Hoskins may not have a lineup spot once he returns due to the continued success of Andrew Vaughn
  • In 35 games since joining the Brewers, Vaughn is up to nine homers and is batting .320. The Brewers would be stupid to take him out of the lineup
• Joey Ortiz left the game on Thursday with a hamstring injury
  • The severity of the injury remains to be seen
  • If Ortiz is forced to miss extended time, Andruw Monasterio is most likely to see his playing time increase

Cincinnati Reds

• Tyler Stephenson landed on the IL
  • Injuries have been an unfortunate theme throughout Stephenson’s career. He is on the IL with a fractured thumb
  • With Stephenson out of the lineup, Jose Trevino has taken over as the primary catcher. He is batting seventh in the lineup
  • Trevino is not the worst option for fantasy managers, but he does not have very much upside. He is batting .252 with four homers in 244 plate appearances this season
• Miguel Andujar is playing more regularly
  • Andujar’s playing time was inconsistent at first after being acquired at the Trade Deadline. He has been playing first base more consistently this week and batting fourth in the lineup
  • In 15 games with the Reds, he is batting .383 with three home runs. He was quietly having a nice season with the Athletics and is a player to target in fantasy leagues
  • With Andujar getting more playing time, Matt McLain has seen his playing time decrease. He is a fine drop in redraft formats
• Gavin Lux has moved up to second in the lineup
  • Lux continues to play on the strong side of a platoon and has moved up in the lineup against righties
  • On the season, Lux is batting .280 with five home runs. He owns a 107 wRC+
  • Lux has been unspectacularly solid for the Reds this season. For fantasy managers, he holds little value. The batting average is good, but with no power and only one stolen base, there is not much upside in his profile

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Oneil Cruz is out with a concussion
  • Cruz suffered a concussion on August 12 and does not have a firm timetable for a return
  • With Cruz out, Jack Suwinski has seen his playing time increase. He is batting sixth in the lineup against righties
  • Suwinski is batting just .132 in 43 Major League games this season. He does not hold much fantasy value and is not worth adding
• Ronny Simon is batting leadoff against righties
  • Simon was claimed off of waivers from Miami back in June and is now getting some run in the Pirates lineup
  • He is sitting against lefties but hitting leadoff against righties. Simon hit .234 with Miami and is batting just .190 in five games with Pittsburgh
  • Simon has good speed and contact skills, but lacks the physical projection and swing path to believe there is much power in his profile
• Bryan Reynolds is showing signs of life
  • The 2025 season has been largely disappointing for Reynolds, but he is starting to turn things around as of late
  • On the season, he is slashing .245/.304/.402. However, since the start of August, he is slashing .319/.380/.569
  • The only concerning point with Reynolds’ success is that a lot of it has to do with BABIP. There have not been any changes to his batted ball data, and this hot streak could come to an end sooner rather than later

National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Max Muncy is on the IL
  • Muncy landed on the IL with an oblique injury back on August 13
  • With Muncy out of the lineup, Alex Freeland has shifted to third base, and Miguel Rojas has taken over at second base
  • Rojas does not have much fantasy upside, and Freeland is batting just .180 with a 31.1% strikeout rate in 18 Major League games
• Mookie Betts is playing better as of late
  • Fantasy managers were hitting the panic button on Betts, but he has started to turn things around
  • He continues to bat second in the lineup and is slashing .333/.383/.481 since August 5
  • While Betts’ surface stats have taken a step back this season, his .247 BABIP and 6.8 HR/FB% both should see improvements over the final month. While he may no longer be considered an elite fantasy asset, he should still be a strong option the remainder of this season

San Diego Padres

• Jackson Merrill is dealing with an ankle injury
  •  The ankle injury is the latest in a line of disappointing things to happen with Merrill this season
  • He has yet to be placed on the IL, but has been out of the lineup since Sunday
  • The future remains bright for Merrill, but 2025 is looking more and more like a lost season. He is batting .261 with nine home runs on the season
• Jake Cronenworth is struggling to hit
  •  After the trade deadline, Cronenworth has slid to eighth in the lineup and has been struggling to produce consistently
  • Since August 9, Cronenworth is slashing .167/.375/.200. He does not have a home run since August 3
  • Cronenworth provides a good walk rate but does not hold much fantasy value outside of that

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Pavin Smith has returned from the IL
  • Smtih returned to the Diamondbacks’ lineup on Monday for the first time since the Trade Deadline
  • With Josh Naylor now in Seattle, Smith profiles as Arizona’s starting first baseman against righties
  • With Smith back, Tyler Locklear is expected to see more time at DH, with him and Adrian Del Castillo seeing their playing time decrease
• Jordan Lawlar is back in the Triple-A lineup
  • Yes, this is Major League lineup analysis, but Lawlar’s return from a hamstring injury is significant news for Arizona’s lineup
  • They have had a hole at third base since the trade of Eugenio Suarez. Lawlar figures to be their third baseman of the future
  • Expect Blaze Alexander to lose out on his everyday playing time in the near future with Lawlar healthy. For now, Alexander is playing every day and batting sixth or seventh in the lineup
• Geraldo Perdomo is back in the leadoff spot and is red hot
  • Perdomo has shifted back up to the leadoff spot in Arizona’s lineup over the past two weeks
  • Every time I think that Perdomo is going to cool off, he just gets hot again. Since August 3, Perdomo is slashing .364/.462/.545
  • On the season, Perdomo is batting .287 with 13 homers and 22 stolen bases. There is not much power projection, but he has elite plate discipline, contact skills, and good speed. Being out on Perdomo is looking like a mistake

San Francisco Giants

• Drew Gilbert is not playing consistently
  • Gilbert was acquired by the Giants at the Trade Deadline, but he has not been playing every day since being promoted
  • He is sitting against all lefties and now even against some righties, with Luis Matos coming back up from Triple-A
  • In 10 games, Gilbert is batting just .125 with one homer. He could find himself back in Triple-A soon
• Christian Koss is playing over Tyler Fitzgerald
  • Koss has taken over as the team’s primary second baseman. He is batting seventh in the lineup
  • Fitzgerald is no longer playing second base every day but is still finding his way into the lineup. He is playing outfield against lefties while rotating in the infield as well
  • In 58 games this season, Koss is batting .255 with three homers and three stolen bases. He does not hold much fantasy value

Colorado Rockies

• Kyle Karros is dealing with a back issue
  • Since being promoted, Karros had been batting seventh in the lineup and playing every day
  • The Rockies do not seem overly concerned about the injury, but it is something to monitor. If forced to miss extended time, Orlando Arcia profiles to step back into an everyday role
  • In 12 games, Karros was batting .270 with one homer. He was showing off impressive plate discipline and profiles to be a strong fantasy asset in OBP formats
• Ryan Ritter is healthy again
  • With Ritter back off the IL, the team optioned Adael Amador to Triple-A
  • Ritter has taken back over as the primary second baseman and is batting ninth in the lineup
  • In 38 games this season, Ritter is batting .252 with one homer and one steal. His batted ball data has been underwhelming, and his swinging strike rate sits at 19.8% which is never a good sign for future production
• Brenton Doyle is coming alive offensively
  • Doyle was one of the easiest players to identify as unlucky as the 2025 season moved along. That is starting to change
  • He is suddenly up to 13 homers and 12 stolen bases. Six of those homers have come since the start of August
  • The true value of Doyle lies somewhere between his 2024 production and 2025 production so far this season. He profiles as a 20/20 player in future seasons who could be acquired at a discount this off-season in keeper/dynasty formats