Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis for the Week of June 8

Week 12 of the 2026 Major League Baseball schedule is one of the lightest of the entire season. Baltimore and Seattle are the only two teams that are scheduled to play seven games. There are eight games each on Monday and Thursday. And fantasy baseball managers will not have to contend with any day games on Monday or Friday. That should enable us to have the most relevant lineup information before setting our own lineups. With that in mind, here is my fantasy baseball lineup analysis article for Week 12. It includes notes on all 30 MLB teams and how they have deployed their lineups over the past week.

More great Fantasy Baseball Analysis: Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire | Weekly SP Rankings | Pitching Streamers | Two-Start Pitchers | Lineup Analysis | MLB Injury Report | Rookie Report | Advanced Stats | Under the Radar | Overvalued & Undervalued | Bullpen Report

Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis for Week 12

American League

Athletics

Carlos Cortes continues to lead off against right-handed starting pitchers. Henry Bolte led off the last time the Athletics faced a lefty. Colby Thomas had been doing the honors, but he hit fourth in that outing. It is very likely that starting shortstop Jacob Wilson returns from the Injured List in the coming days. He is another candidate to lead off when a left-hander is on the mound. The Athletics are home all week and will face three lefties, so whichever of these hitters mans the top spot in the lineup should get a boost in fantasy value for the week. Wilson’s return will send Darell Harnaiz back to the bench. Though it will not affect their fantasy values all that much, Shea Langeliers has hit second with Nick Kurtz third in each of the last two games.

Baltimore Orioles

Not only does Baltimore play seven games, but all seven will be against right-handed starting pitchers. That should be good news for catcher/designated hitter Samuel Basallo. However, Basallo missed the start with an abdominal injury on Saturday. The Orioles called up catcher Sam Huff before Saturday’s game, but that could be just a precaution. Basallo pinch hit late in the game, so the injury does not appear serious. Just make sure he is good to go by Monday. Colton Cowser has been heating up at the plate and should start mostly every day at the expense of Tyler O’Neill. Cowser is a recommended fantasy starter this week, as are the rest of the Orioles’ regular players.

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox will also face an exclusively right-handed array of starters, albeit across only six games. Ceddanne Rafaela continues to hit second against all pitchers and should continue to do so in Week 12. Rafaela has a solid 108 wRC+ versus right-handed pitchers this season. Masataka Yoshida could be a sneaky start for those who have their UT spot unoccupied. Yoshida has started seven consecutive games for the Red Sox as their DH against right-handed starters. He has seven hits, six runs scored, and four RBI in those games. Andruw Monasterio will be a bench bat for Boston based on their upcoming schedule. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is most likely to play second base, with Marcelo Mayer at shortstop and Caleb Durbin at third base.

Chicago White Sox

Andrew Benintendi has stepped into the three-hole against righties behind Sam Antonacci and Miguel Vargas. Early returns have been encouraging as the team adapts to life without Munetaka Murakami. Benintendi is 5-for-13 with two home runs in four starts this week against righties. The White Sox are off on Monday before beginning a six-game homestand. Four of those games will be started on the other side by right-handed pitchers. Chicago platoons quite a bit when a left-hander is on the hill. Benintendi, Colson Montgomery, Tristan Peters, and Jacob Gonzalez are all candidates to sit once against a left-handed starter. Drew Romo and Rikuu Nishida will most likely sit out both of those contests. Chase Meidroth will replace Antonacci in the leadoff spot versus lefties.

Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland will most likely face two left-handers in Week 12, the latter being Tarik Skubal next weekend. That, of course, is as long as Skubal does not have any setbacks after his rehab start on Sunday. The Guardians are another team that likes to platoon often when a lefty is up against them. In their last two games against lefties, Stuart Fairchild has replaced Daniel Schneemann in center field, and Austin Hedges has been behind the plate, sending Patrick Bailey to the bench. Rhys Hoskins and David Fry have also started both games at multiple positions. The only Cleveland players I would expect to start five or more games this week are Travis Bazzana, Jose Ramirez, Chase DeLauter, Steven Kwan, and Brayan Rocchio.

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers activated both Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres from the Injured List this week. They sent infielders Gage Workman and Hao-Yu Lee to the Minors in corresponding roster moves. Torres is back to leading off every day, while Carpenter is hitting cleanup against right-handed starting pitchers. Detroit faces five righties this week, so both players are solid starting options. Dillon Dingler continues to be one of the most underrated players in fantasy at the catcher position. He, Riley Greene, and Spencer Torkelson are mainstays in the middle of Detroit’s lineup. Colt Keith and Zach McKinstry should start most nights this week, but neither is a must-start. Keith has fallen off after a solid start, while McKinstry’s versatility is more valuable in real life than in fantasy.

Houston Astros

Houston made several roster moves this week. The most notable was the activation of Jose Altuve from the IL. He has batted fifth in the Astros lineup in each of the two games since his return. Houston also signed former White Sox player LaMonte Wade Jr. Wade has essentially taken the spot of Joey Loperfido, who the Astros activated but optioned to the Minor Leagues. Houston placed Braden Shewmake on the IL this week while sending both Zach Dezenzo and Zach Cole back to the Minors. They also released catcher Cesar Salazar and replaced him with Collin Price, but Christian Vazquez continues to start nearly every day until Yainer Diaz returns. Yordan Alvarez played his tenth game in the outfield this week. That is a significant threshold in many leagues, as it allows fantasy managers to play him at outfield or UT.

Kansas City Royals

Several of Kansas City’s left-handed hitters have picked up their production this week. Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, and Michael Massey have combined for an OPS above 1.000 over the past seven days. Fantasy managers should keep rolling with those Royals in Week 12. Kansas City faces five right-handed starting pitchers this week. Maikel Garcia returned to the starting lineup on Saturday but was the team’s DH, while Josh Rojas played third base. This sent Salvador Perez to the bench. Perez has now been benched twice this week and has only started two of the team’s last six games behind the plate. The veteran is still a solid play in two-catcher formats, but his numbers are precipitously worse across the board than they were last year.

Los Angeles Angels

Like the Astros, the Los Angeles Angels have also made a bevy of moves this week. They activated Nolan Schanuel from the Injured List but placed Jorge Soler on the IL with an oblique strain. They also placed Gustavo Campero on the IL while trading Austin Wynns to the Braves and designating Omar Martinez for assignment. Vaughn Grissom has also missed the last two games with tightness in his side. Nick Madrigal, Adam Frazier, and Jose Siri could see more action than your typical reserves, but it would be difficult to justify starting any of them in fantasy. Wade Meckler has hit third in four straight games against right-handers and has seven hits in those games. With the Angels getting five righties this week, Meckler makes for a solid spec play.

Minnesota Twins

Byron Buxton missed Saturday’s start with a shoulder contusion. He should be back by Monday, but we can never assume with Buxton, so keep an eye out. One player who was in Minnesota’s starting lineup on Saturday was the much-maligned Royce Lewis. Lewis made his second career start at second base and shifted to first base later in the game. Lewis went 0-for-3 with an error while batting seventh. I would still expect Luke Keaschall to get most of the work at second base this week. The Twins have not faced a left-handed starting pitcher since Memorial Day, but they will get two in Week 12. Orlando Arcia and Ryan Kreidler are likely to start those games and can play several different positions.

New York Yankees

American League MVP Aaron Judge is out for the foreseeable future with a stress fracture in his rib. Needless to say, fantasy managers will not be able to replace Judge’s production via the waiver wire. New York called up Spencer Jones, and he should play close to every day in the outfield until further notice. Paul Goldschmidt likely continues to be a full-time player for as long as he can hold up. He has been playing first base while Ben Rice has been operating as the DH. The Yankees also placed Austin Wells on the IL, which will do more damage to the team’s pitching staff than their offense. Wells has been one of the worst offensive players in baseball this season. New York will face two left-handed starting pitchers this week.

Seattle Mariners

J.P. Crawford missed Saturday’s game with a hand injury. However, X-rays came back negative, so he should return in short order. Cole Young led off with Crawford out and is the best bet to remain there in the event of a setback with Crawford. Seattle is slated to face six right-handed starting pitchers this week. This means another solid week from a volume perspective for both Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone. Jhonny Pereda and Colt Emerson have had some success this week. But it is hard to imagine either player hitting higher than eighth in the Mariners lineup anytime soon. Seattle’s bench consists exclusively of right-handed-hitting veterans with varying strengths and weaknesses. I would not expect any of them to earn more than a pair of starts in Week 12.

Tampa Bay Rays

Chandler Simpson has been dealing with a thumb injury that may help explain his recent offensive woes. Simpson missed Saturday’s game, so make sure to monitor his status for Monday. The Rays should face three left-handed starting pitchers against Boston to start the week, so Simpson may sit out one or two of those games considering his injury and the matchup. Richie Palacios may not start any of those games if his usage to date is any indication. He and Victor Mesa Jr. may sit in favor of Ryan Vilade and Ben Williamson. Simpson is the only one of the four players mentioned I would start this week, health permitting. The rest of the Rays regulars should start at least five of the team’s six games this week.

Texas Rangers

Texas got some offensive reinforcements this week when they activated Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford from the IL. They optioned Cody Freeman and Alejandro Osuna to the Minor Leagues in corresponding moves. Seager has hit second in both games since returning to action, while Langford led off against a lefty and hit fifth versus a righty. The Rangers are likely to face two left-handed starters this week. Joc Pederson continues to lead off against right-handers and is reaching base at a high clip. Ezequiel Duran has shifted to second base since Seager’s return, batting fifth versus a left-hander and sixth against a righty. The Rangers placed catcher Danny Jansen on the IL and signed former Royal Elias Diaz. Kyle Higashioka has started four straight games but is not a recommended fantasy option.

Toronto Blue Jays

Daulton Varsho did not start Saturday’s game due to a wrist issue. However, he entered the game as a defensive replacement in center field late in the game. I would surmise that the injury is nothing to worry about long-term. Varsho has mostly been hitting cleanup versus right-handed starters, with some other starts in surrounding lineup spots sprinkled in. Toronto will only face three righties in Week 12, along with three lefties. I believe Varsho is the Blue Jays outfielder most likely to record five starts this week. Nathan Lukes, Jesus Sanchez, Yohendrick Pinango, and Myles Straw will probably start anywhere between two and four games each. Andres Gimenez has not been starting against lefties and is better off left on fantasy benches this week as well.

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks activated Pavin Smith from the IL this week. Smith has been the DH and the fifth-place hitter in three straight games against right-handed starters since his return. Arizona optioned Tim Tawa to the Minors to make room for Smith on the roster. They also recalled LuJames Groover while optioning Jose Fernandez down to the Minor Leagues. That was a bit of a surprise to me, considering the versatility Fernandez offered. He had started 10 of Arizona’s previous 12 games at four different positions. Groover has started two straight games, but that is because Ildemaro Vargas is still dealing with the aftereffects of a collision at first base earlier in the week. The Diamondbacks are off on Monday before beginning a six-game road trip on Tuesday. Arizona will face a pair of left-handed starting pitchers along with four righties.

Atlanta Braves

Michael Harris II missed Saturday’s game due to a back injury. Fantasy managers will need to check up on Harris prior to Monday. Mauricio Dubon is heating up again at the plate and has been rewarded by hitting second twice in the last three games. Two of those three starts for Dubon came at shortstop. Jorge Mateo has not started in four straight games after starting six in a row, while Ha-Seong Kim has only been in the lineup twice in those four outings. Dubon replaced Harris in center field on Saturday. The Braves released backup catcher Chadwick Tromp and replaced him with Austin Wynns. Wynns will challenge Sandy Leon for catching duties until Drake Baldwin returns later this month. Atlanta will face two lefties and four righties this week.

Chicago Cubs

Pete Crow-Armstrong is holding steady at the leadoff spot against right-handed starting pitchers. He should be able to keep his hot hitting going in Week 12, as the Chicago Cubs face only right-handed starters. Michael Conforto and Moises Ballesteros have each started two of Chicago’s last three games versus righties. Conforto hit second each time, while Ballesteros batted seventh. Both players are likely to start four or five games, with Conforto earning the better lineup slot. Nico Hoerner has been dropped to sixth and seventh in the Cubs lineup in their last two games against right-handers. The seven-hole feels like Hoerner’s landing spot this week, as Michael Busch, Alex Bregman, Ian Happ, and Seiya Suzuki should bat in the 3-6 spots for most of the upcoming week.

Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati placed star shortstop Elly De La Cruz on the IL with a hamstring injury. He should be back by the end of June. The Reds called up Edwin Arroyo to replace De La Cruz on the roster. Arroyo has started three times in five games, but it looks like the Reds are content to go with Matt McLain at shortstop and Spencer Steer at second base. That will add another position of eligibility for both players in the coming days in most formats. Cincinnati optioned Friedl to Triple-A this week and recalled Noelvi Marte. Marte has started two consecutive games in right field, batting seventh each time. Blake Dunn and Dane Myers continue to platoon in the leadoff spot and in center field despite both being right-handed hitters. Dunn should have the edge this week, as Cincinnati will face five right-handed starting pitchers.

Colorado Rockies

Tyler Freeman was hit in the head by a Jacob Misiorowski fastball on Saturday night. Freeman has been hitting well of late and has settled into the two-spot in Colorado’s batting order. The Rockies are off on Monday, so fantasy managers may be in a tricky spot when it comes to Freeman’s Week 12 status. Colorado will face three lefties and three righties this week. I expect Willi Castro to lead off versus left-handers, while either playing first or second base. TJ Rumfield and Troy Johnston may sit one or two of those games, while Eduoard Julien will probably sit all three, as Chad Stevens can also play second base. Jake McCarthy will hit sixth or seventh against the lefties, but fantasy managers should keep him in their lineups. McCarthy has registered seven multi-hit games in the past two weeks.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Will Smith sat out Saturday night’s game due to neck stiffness. Los Angeles is off Monday, so hopefully we know for sure that Smith will be good to go for Tuesday’s game. Freddie Freeman was removed early from Saturday’s game, though I have yet to see anything about a possible injury. The Dodgers were up big at the time, but his removal was quite early, even in a blowout, so we will have to see if Freeman plays Sunday. Ryan Ward and Alex Call have been splitting time in left field. But with the Dodgers facing nothing but right-handed starters this week, Ward should have the advantage. He could be a decent fantasy option in deeper leagues. The same holds true for Alex Freeland, who should get most of the work over Miguel Rojas at second base.

Miami Marlins

Miami’s last two lineups versus right-handed starting pitchers have featured Liam Hicks in the leadoff spot. Hicks has been followed by Otto Lopez, Kyle Stowers, and Xavier Edwards. We may see that lineup quite a bit, as the Marlins will face six right-handed starters this week. That schedule bodes well for Owen Caissie and Jakob Marsee, both of whom should start nearly every day. Heriberto Hernandez and Esteury Ruiz will come off the bench. Javier Sanoja will likely earn more playing time at third base than Leo Jimenez. Sanoja has been hitting fifth, which is more an indictment on Miami’s lineup than an endorsement of Sanoja himself. Joe Mack has started five straight games behind the plate and will earn the bulk of the catching workload this week, with Hicks likely the primary DH.

Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee’s left-handed bats have mashed this week, which is not a surprise considering their schedule. The lone exception has been Garrett Mitchell. Mitchell rested on Saturday while Jackson Chourio shifted to center field and Jake Bauers played left field with Andrew Vaughn at first base. Vaughn has a 146 wRC+ and can’t find consistent playing time. It is a great problem for Milwaukee to have, but not so much for fantasy managers. The Brewers will face a pair of left-handers along with four righties this week. It feels like we can see Mitchell, Bauers, and Vaughn all start four games, which is less than ideal for any of them. William Contreras has started six consecutive days behind the plate. I have him in my high-stakes league, and even I think that’s a bit much.

New York Mets

The New York Mets will have faced nine consecutive right-handed starters by the time Sunday’s game rolls around. And that should continue throughout Week 12, with six more righties on the slate. The top four hitters in the lineup have been consistent, with Jared Young earning cleanup duties. Young and Mark Vientos have been splitting time between DH and first base, with Vientos starting about half the time. MJ Melendez has also been earning roughly 50 percent of starts. The lack of volume makes it tough for fantasy managers to trust either Vientos or Melendez in weekly leagues. A.J. Ewing, Marcus Semien, and Brett Baty have all spent time hitting either fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth over the past five days. The volume will be there, but their lineup spots from day to day are anyone’s guess.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have faced left-handed starters in back-to-back games. Alec Bohm has hit fourth both times, while Brandon Marsh has hit seventh and fifth. Bryson Stott and Edmundo Sosa have each started once at second base, while Justin Crawford and Steward Berroa have each gotten one start in center field. This is relevant because the Phillies will face three left-handed starters this week. I would expect Stott and Crawford to start four times this week. That makes them tough to trust in weekly formats. They are also scheduled to face Trey Yesavage, Jacob Misiorowski, and Kyle Harrison, which likely doesn’t help matters. I consider the rest of the Phillies, including Bohm and Marsh, to be safe to start despite the difficult matchups.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh placed Konnor Griffin on the Injured List last Sunday with a right flexor tendon strain. Jared Triolo has been starting at shortstop, but is not worth jamming into Week 12 lineups. Griffin could be back by the end of this week. Ah, the healing powers of youth. Brandon Lowe fouled a ball off his foot on Saturday, so keep an eye on his status. The Pirates have three different position players (excluding their two catchers) who only started two or three games this week. I would not want to rely on anyone outside of Pittsburgh’s top six hitters in their regular lineup. The Pirates will face two lefties this week, with both coming in their early series against the Dodgers. Bump up Nick Gonzales and drop Spencer Horwitz down a notch if you are only focused on that series.

San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres have made some noteworthy roster moves this week. They released Nick Castellanos and placed Ramon Laureano on the 60-day IL. These moves will make Miguel Andujar, Ty France, and Gavin Sheets full-time players going forward. The trio’s lineup spots are still rather inconsistent, but the playing time should at least be there. Speaking of lineup slots, is it time to have an uncomfortable conversation about Manny Machado? I don’t know how long the team can justify batting him third or fourth when he is 16 for his last 126. Any of the three players I just mentioned would be better options in the middle of San Diego’s lineup until Machado figures it out. The Padres will bookend facing left-handed starters around the four righties they will encounter this week.

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have had a few offensive explosions of late, having scored at least 12 runs in three of their last seven games. However, I must point out that one of those games took place in Coors Field, while another came in Wrigley Field with the wind blowing out. At the very least, these recent outbursts make some of San Francisco’s season-long numbers a bit more palatable. The Giants start a six-game homestand on Monday with an off-day on Thursday. They are scheduled to face two left-handed starters and four right-handers. Their everyday lineup will likely look the same regardless of who is on the mound against them. The only noteworthy change would be that Matt Chapman should bat sixth versus lefties ahead of Bryce Eldridge, while the rookie would get the nod against righties.

St. Louis Cardinals

Rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt has missed three consecutive games with a groin injury. It does not sound like an IL stint is on the horizon, but the Cardinals are off Monday. Fantasy managers would be wise to have a contingency plan. Bryan Torres would replace Wetherholt at second base if he were to miss more time. Masyn Winn led off twice in place of Wetherholt when St. Louis faced a left-handed starter. Lars Nootbaar, who was activated from the 60-day IL on Friday, led off versus a righty. The team optioned Thomas Saggese to the Minors to make room for Nootbaar. The Cardinals will face four righties in Week 12. That means Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman should be on the strong sides of platoons in left field and third base. Nelson Velasquez and Jose Fermin are likely to fill those spots versus lefties.

Washington Nationals

Washington’s lineup against right-handed starting pitchers continues to feature James Wood, Luis Garcia Jr., Curtis Mead, and CJ Abrams in the top four spots. That order should remain intact for most of the week, with Washington facing five righties. Wood has been rotating in the outfield alongside Jacob Young, Daylen Lile, and Dylan Crews. All three of those players are candidates to start five games this week. Jorbit Vivas has started twice at second base and twice at third base in the past seven games. However, Nasim Nunez and Mead have the inside track on playing time at those respective positions. Nunez continues to be dreadful with the bat in his hands, but his ability to steal bases is elite and keeps him on the fantasy radar.