Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis: NL 09/06

There is only one month left of regular-season baseball. This means that the fantasy baseball playoffs are in full swing. Even as the season winds down, the landscape of Major League lineups is constantly changing. This article helps keep fantasy baseball managers up to date on the latest news and notes from National League lineups. The five hottest hitters in the National League over the past two weeks have been: Juan Soto, Kyle Tucker, Rafael Devers, Harrison Bader, and Mark Vientos. The five coldest hitters in the National League over the past two weeks have been Xavier Edwards, Jordan Beck, Michael Harris II, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Kyle Karros.

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

• Harrison Bader is getting everyday playing time
  • The team has made the decision to shift Nick Castellanos out of his everyday role
  • With Castellanos in a platoon with Max Kepler, Bader has stepped in as the everyday center fielder. He is batting sixth in the lineup
  • Bader has been producing consistently since being acquired from Minnesota. In 28 games, he has hit two homers and is batting .307
• Alec Bohm has slid down in the lineup
  • After being activated from the IL, Bohm was batting fourth or fifth, but has now slid down to eighth in the lineup
  • The move down in the order comes as Bohm is batting just .206 since August 25. He has not hit a home run since August 17
  • With Bohm sliding down, Brandon Marsh has moved up to fifth, and Harrison Bader is batting sixth

Miami Marlins

• Connor Norby has landed on the IL
  • Norby has recently been batting fifth or sixth in the lineup after spending a lot of time batting eighth, but now heads to the IL
  • With Norby out of the lineup, Maximo Acosta figures to see the majority of playing time at third base
  • Acosta has hit three homers through his first nine Major League games this season, and he also has plus speed, which could lead to fantasy value
• Liam Hicks is platooning
  • Hicks continues to bat in the middle of the lineup against righties while taking a seat in favor of Eric Wagaman against lefties
  • In 102 games this season, the Marlins’ Rule-5 pick is batting .258 with five home runs
  • From a long-term outlook, he profiles as a backup catcher without much fantasy value or upside

Atlanta Braves

• Ha-Seong Kim has joined the Braves
  • Kim’s tenure with the Rays lasted just 24 games before he was released and claimed by Atlanta
  • Kim represents an instant offensive upgrade at shortstop for his new team and should start every day. He has hit sixth and seventh in his first two games with the team
  • In 25 games this season, Kim has already stolen six bases. He has plus speed, good contact skills, and is a sneaky add for fantasy managers down the stretch
• Ozzie Albies is heating up to end the year
  • Albies has been one of the bigger disappointments this season, but is heating up just in time to push his draft price up in 2025
  • In 139 games, he is now up to 14 homers and 12 stolen bases. He is slashing .338/.377/.600 with four home runs since August 17
  • Under the hood, expecting Albies to ever reach 30+ homers again is unrealistic. However, he should see his batting average creep back up and could find himself being a value in 2025 fantasy baseball drafts
• Marcell Ozuna is back to seeing inconsistent playing time
  • Ozuna was held out of the lineup for three straight games earlier this week before being back in it for the previous two games
  • When in the lineup, Ozuna continues to bat fourth or fifth, but his playing time is inconsistent at best. He is not a reliable asset for fantasy managers
  • The other issue is that Ozuna has not hit a home run since August 13. His batted ball data has regressed a bit, and his strikeout rate is up

Washington Nationals

• Jorge Alfaro has been acquired from Milwaukee
  • With Keibert Ruiz still on the IL, the Nationals needed some help at catcher and grabbed Alfaro off waivers
  • This could be Alfaro’s last chance in the Major Leagues, and he will likely eat into the playing time of Riley Adams
  • Alfaro was batting .244 with 15 homers on the Brewers’ Triple-A team and does not hold much of any fantasy value
• Dylan Crews has been batting fifth in the lineup
  • After spending an extended amount of time batting in the bottom third of the lineup, Crews has been moving up to fifth recently
  • On top of injuries limiting Crews to just 63 games, his .207 average and 77 wRC+ have been very disappointing for the former number two overall pick
  • Crews’ blend of power and speed should continue to excite fantasy managers, but he should not be considered an elite fantasy asset
• Brady House has lost playing time
  • House’s struggles at the plate have resulted in his playing time decreasing as of late, as Paul DeJong gets additional opportunities
  • House is still mixing into the lineup on occasion, but he is batting just .239 in 55 games this season
  • DeJong has been playing every day but is struggling offensively himself. He is batting just .133 since August 20

New York Mets

• Brandon Nimmo just keeps producing under the radar
  • Every draft season, it seems as though Nimmo is undervalued. He is proving to be a fantasy steal yet again in 2025
  • The season has not been consistent, but at the end of the day, Nimmo is batting .267 with 22 homers and 12 stolen bases. He has hit safely in 10 straight batting .421 since August 25
  • He continues to bat in the middle of the lineup and should be viewed as a consistent and reliable asset for fantasy baseball managers
• Luis Torrens is producing
  • Torrens continues to serve as the primary catcher with Francisco Alvarez on the IL. He is batting eighth in the lineup
  • Although he does not get much attention in the fantasy community, Torrens is hot offensively. He is batting .324 since August 19 with three homers in his last 26 plate appearances
  • There is nothing in his profile that suggests his recent success is sustainable and he should not be viewed as more than a fringe fantasy asset
• Tyrone Taylor is on the IL
  • Taylor landed on the IL on August 29 with a strained hamstring
  • Taylor was not serving as an everyday player, but his absence from the lineup secures Cedric Mullins’ spot in the lineup
  • In 26 games since being acquired by the Mets, Mullins is batting .188 with one homer. Even with consistent playing time, he is a fine drop in shallow formats

National League Central

Chicago Cubs

• Ian Happ has moved up into the middle of the lineup
  • Happ has hit all over the lineup this season, but has been batting fourth in the lineup recently
  • The move up in the lineup comes as a result of Happ’s success at the plate. Since August 17, Happ is slashing .340/.435/.623
  • In 127 games, Happ is batting .238 with 19 homers this year. Happ is not an elite producer in any one area, but should reach 20 homers, 80 runs, and 80 RBIs for the third straight season
• Pete Crow-Armstrong is getting a few more off days
  • After looking like an MVP candidate for the early part of the season, PCA has cooled off significantly as of late
  • Since the All-Star Break, PCA is slashing .212/.261/.363 with only three homers and four stolen bases
  • As of late, the Cubs are sitting PCA against lefties, and he was held out of the lineup against a righty on Wednesday. This could be an attempt for the Cubs to give him a mental reset
• Kyle Tucker is dealing with a calf injury
  • Tucker has been banged up for most of the second half and was held out of the lineup on Wednesday with a calf injury
  • After struggling for the early part of August, Tucker has turned it on at the plate as of late. Since August 22, Tucker is slashing .400/.489/.800
  • If Tucker is forced to miss any extended time, the recently promoted Kevin Alcantara could see additional playing time

St. Louis Cardinals

• Victor Scott II is back from the IL
  • Scott returned to the Cardinals’ lineup on Tuesday and has been batting eighth or ninth since returning
  • 2025 started off completely different for Scott after he struggled throughout 2024. However, he has cooled off significantly and is batting just .223 on the season
  • The bright side for fantasy managers is 31 stolen bases in 118 games. He can definitely add stolen bases to your fantasy team if that is what you are looking for
• Nathan Church and Jordan Walker are splitting playing time
  • With Scott back from the IL and Alec Burleson on the IL, Church and Walker have been splitting time in the third outfield spot
  • Church seems to be drawing the starts against righties, while Walker is playing against lefties
  • Neither player is playing particularly well offensively. Church is batting just .154 through 14 games and Walker is batting .071 since August 25. Neither player is worth rostering
• Nolan Gorman is getting an extended run even against lefties
  • Gorman has been batting fourth in the lineup against righties while remaining in and batting sixth against lefties
  • The increase in Gorman’s playing time comes at a surprising time, as he is batting just .196 since August 19
  • Gorman is who he is. He has 14 homers in 338 plate appearances but will not provide much in terms of batting average. The increased playing time is nice and could provide some fantasy value in deeper formats

Milwaukee Brewers

• Christian Yelich is nursing a back injury
  • Yelich has been held out of the lineup since Monday as he continues to deal with a back injury
  • The team has not indicated that Yelich is a candidate to land on the IL, but it cannot be ruled out. With Yelich out, Blake Perkins has been seeing additional playing time
  • Yelich has remained relatively healthy this season, playing in 132 games and hitting 27 home runs with 15 stolen bases. Hopefully, this injury does not linger much longer
• Andrew Vaughn is losing some playing time
  • Vaughn was incredible to start his Brewers’ career, but he has cooled off a bit lately. He was held out of the lineup on Monday and Tuesday of this week
  • In 47 games with Milwaukee, Vaughn is still batting .296 with nine homers. However, he is batting just .222 since August 20
  • The real concern is not Vaughn losing his starting role to Jake Bauers (who has been seeing additional playing time lately), but rather the return of Rhys Hoskins, which is coming soon
• Sal Frelick has been batting fifth in the lineup
  • Frelick has hit all over the lineup this season, but has recently shifted from leadoff to fifth
  • Frelick is the definition of a high-floor, low-ceiling option for fantasy managers. There is not much power, but he has 18 steals and is batting .297. The shift to fifth should result in more RBIs
  • With Frelick moving to fifth, Brice Turang has shifted back into the leadoff role in Milwaukee’s lineup

Cincinnati Reds

• Ke’Bryan Hayes is quietly playing well with the Reds
  • In 31 games since being acquired, Hayes is batting .275 with three home runs. He only hit two in 100 games with Pittsburgh this season
  • Although Hayes’ pull percentage remains low, he is hitting fly balls over 6% more often than with Pittsburgh, which could help him hit for more power in a hitter-friendly ballpark
  • His recent run of success has seen him move up from ninth to eighth and now up to seventh in the Pirates’ lineup
• Matt McLain’s playing time is returning
  • McLain had started to lose playing time in favor of Miguel Andujar, but that has shifted back over the past week
  • McLain has started five straight games while batting ninth in the lineup
  • On the season, McLain is batting .228 with 13 homers and 16 stolen bases. He has hit safely in seven straight with a .391 average over that time
• Sal Stewart is up from Triple-A
  • Stewart is viewed by many in the dynasty community as the Reds’ top dynasty prospect
  • He has made two starts since being promoted, with each coming at first base. He also has extensive experience playing second base and first base in the Minor Leagues
  • His pathway to consistent playing time remains unclear, but he does have significant fantasy upside if he receives it. He hit .309 with 20 homers and 17 steals in the Minor Leagues this season

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Jared Triolo is batting leadoff
  • Triolo has served in a super utility role for Pittsburgh throughout the season, but is getting a chance to lead off as of late
  • In 86 games with the Pirates, Triolo is batting .226 with five homers and 10 stolen bases. The move up in the lineup is due to his strong success lately. Since August 22, Triolo is slashing .370/.453/.630
  • During this hot streak, he is barreling up the ball more with harder contact. If these gains can stick, he could turn into an intriguing fantasy asset
• Cam Devanney is playing third base every day
  • With Ke’Bryan Hayes in Cincinnati, the Pirates are giving Devanney an extended look as the starting third baseman
  • The 28-year-old rookie has been batting at the bottom of the lineup and is batting .154 through his first four games
  • Between the Royals and Pirates Triple-A team, Devanney hit 20 home runs, but his hit tool makes it unlikely he ever becomes a reliable fantasy asset
• Nick Yorke is up from Triple-A
  • There was hope that Yorke would start the season as the team’s everyday second baseman, but this is his first crack at the Major Leagues this season
  • In 103 games in Triple-A, Yorke was batting .287 with seven homers and 17 stolen bases
  • His path to playing time remains unclear, but he has started three of four games since being promoted and does hold fantasy upside for those looking to take a shot

National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Hyeseong Kim is back from the IL
  • Kim was activated off the IL on Tuesday and has been in the lineup each of the past two games
  • Kim has been playing second base and batting seventh in each game
  • In 61 games, Kim is batting .294 with two homers. The difference-making skill for fantasy managers is his speed, as Kim has stolen 12 bases this season. With everyday playing time, he does hold fantasy value
• Will Smith has a bone bruise in his hand
  • This hand injury has kept Smith out of the lineup since Wednesday, and the team has indicated that Smith could be stuck dealing with this the rest of the season
  • While an IL stint seems unlikely, Smith could see additional days off the remainder of the season, which would negatively impact his fantasy value
  • Any missed time for Smith would increase the playing time for Dalton Rushing, who has started three games in the past week

San Diego Padres

• Jackson Merrill is back from the IL
  • Merrill was activated prior to Monday’s game and returned to the lineup on Tuesday. He has been batting sixth since returning
  • For many, Merrill has been viewed as one of the bigger disappointments of the 2025 fantasy season. In 94 games, Merrill is batting .256 with nine homers and just one stolen base
  • Figuring out his future fantasy value is going to be one of the biggest keys to the 2026 season. Is he the 24/16 player we saw in 2024 or the 9/1 player we have seen this season? For now, fantasy managers can hope he bounces back for the stretch run of this season
• Xander Bogaerts is on the IL
  • Bogaerts is dealing with a fracture in his foot, which could sideline him until the playoffs
  • With Bogaerts out of the lineup, Jose Iglesias has stepped in at shortstop. He has been batting seventh or eighth in the lineup recently
  • In 99 games this season, Iglesias is batting .223 with one homer. He lacks much in terms of fantasy upside
• Ryan O’Hearn is batting fourth in the lineup
  • O’Hearn has been batting fourth and getting some additional playing time against lefties, which is a nice sight to see
  • The only concern is that with Merrill returning to the lineup, the team could rotate Gavin Sheets in more against righties in place of O’Hearn
  • In 29 games since being acquired from Baltimore, O’Hearn is batting .258 with three homers and a 112 wRC+

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Blaze Alexander has shot up in the lineup
  • For a while, it looked as though Alexander was at risk of losing his starting role. Now, he has moved up to fifth or sixth in the lineup
  • Alexander has maintained his playing time in a super-utility role. He has started games at third base, second base, and center field this past week
  • Alexander has been swinging a hot bat over the past week and a half, but is still batting only .239 on the season. His 32.6% strikeout rate indicates it is unlikely that Alexander will maintain his success
• Jordan Lawlar is up from Triple-A
  • Lawlar is back up for another chance in the Major Leagues after going hitless in his stints earlier this year
  • Things are already looking better for Lawlar, who has collected two hits in three games since coming back up
  • His playing time projects to be inconsistent against righties, but he is playing and batting at the bottom of the lineup against lefties
• Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is out for the year
  • Gurriel suffered a torn ACL, ending his 2025 season
  • With Gurriel out of the lineup, Jake McCarthy has entered the lineup on the strong side of a platoon with Adrian Del Castillo getting run at DH
  • McCarthy is batting just .196 in 49 games this season and is not worth adding in fantasy

San Francisco Giants

• Drew Gilbert is playing more against righties
  • The Giants’ decision to promote Gilbert and not play him every day was a bit puzzling, but that is starting to change
  • Gilbert has been in the lineup consistently over the past week against righties, batting ninth. He has collected 10 hits in his four starts so far this week
  • With Gilbert playing more frequently, Jung Hoo Lee has been seeing his playing time decrease
• At the end of the day, Willy Adames was just fine in San Francisco
  • Adames landed on my bust list from this past off-season, and he struggled in the first half with his new team
  • However, Adames has really turned things on in the second half as he has grown more comfortable. He has 10 home runs since the start of August
  • Quietly, Adames is up to 26 homers, 85 runs, and 76 RBIs. The only thing that fantasy managers should not count on is batting average, as Adames is batting .230 on the season
• Luis Matos is playing every day
  • With the playoffs unlikely, the Giants are giving Matos a chance to prove he belongs
  • Matos is serving as the everyday right fielder and batting in the bottom third of the lineup
  • In 52 games this season, Matos is batting .233 with eight home runs. Since August 21, he is slashing .400/.429/.711, making him an intriguing add for the fantasy playoffs

Colorado Rockies

• Jordan Beck is starting to lose playing time
  • Beck has been out of the lineup against two of the last three righties Colorado has faced
  • The team is attempting to give other players more of a chance, including Yanquiel Fernandez, who has been getting additional run at DH against righties
  • Beck’s decrease in playing time comes as his offensive slump has persisted. He has not hit a home run since August 3 and is striking out over 34% of the time during that stretch
• Brenton Doyle is back in the middle of the lineup
  • For those who stuck with Doyle through his early-season struggles (and poor luck), it is paying off in a big way
  • Doyle has turned things on offensively. He is slashing .333/.363/.619 since August 9
  • Doyle’s luck was always bound to turn around, and he has now moved back up in the lineup. He has been batting fourth or fifth in the lineup over the past week