Week 16 is the final week until the Major League Baseball All-Star Break. The American League schedule is considerably lighter than that of the National League. Only three AL teams will have a full seven-game slate. Tampa Bay is the only one among the three playing seven games against American League foes. There is a day game on Monday for fantasy baseball managers to factor in when setting weekly lineups. The Kansas City Royals are hosting the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday afternoon. Below you will see plenty of other nuggets to consider for weekly leagues. Included are news and notes on all 15 American League teams, including lineup changes and recent roster moves. This analysis will help you optimize your Week 16 fantasy baseball lineups.
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Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis for Week 16 – American League
Athletics
Shea Langeliers missed Saturday’s game with a thumb injury. It does not appear serious, but check that the Athletics catcher is available before setting weekly lineups. The team activated Zack Gelof from the Injured List on Saturday. Gelof played left field and batted second behind Nick Kurtz, but will probably hit in the middle of the order once Langeliers returns. The Athletics placed Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson on the Injured List early last week.
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer has been called up from the Minor Leagues. The 23-year-old has mostly been playing third base versus right-handed starting pitchers and second base against lefties. The Athletics are off Monday before heading out on a six-game road trip to finish the first half of the season. They are scheduled to face three left-handed starting pitchers and three right-handers.
Baltimore Orioles
Adley Rutschman returned from the 7-day Injured List last week and is back to his normal role. Baltimore also activated Dylan Beavers from the IL early last week. Beavers had been out since early May with an oblique injury. Beavers has started four of five games versus right-handed starters since his return.
However, Baltimore will face three lefties and three righties in Week 16, barring any unforeseen changes. Beavers, Samuel Basallo, and Colton Cowser may sit against left-handers, so I would not start them in weekly formats. None are likely to start more than four games. Baltimore has been countering with Coby Mayo, Tyler O’Neill, and Leody Taveras versus left-handed starters. They will also not start enough to warrant consideration in weekly formats.
Boston Red Sox
Willson Contreras has been suspended for seven games by MLB for his part in a fight with Washington pitcher Cade Cavalli last week. Contreras has appealed and has been playing every day. I won’t pretend to know how this is going to play out, but the Red Sox play in New York on Friday. It is very possible that a decision on Contreras’s status will be made then, so treat him cautiously this week.
Boston activated Romy Gonzalez from the 60-day IL this week. He would likely serve as a replacement for Contreras if a decision is made regarding his suspension. Mickey Gasper was optioned to the Minors to make room for Gonzalez. The Red Sox will play six games this week, facing two lefties and four right-handed starting pitchers.
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are home for six games this week. Five of them are scheduled to be against left-handed starters. That means some of their regulars may have lesser roles in Week 16. Leadoff hitter Sam Antonacci has only started three of Chicago’s last five games against lefties and has not hit higher than seventh in any of them. Andrew Benintendi and Jacob Gonzalez have not started any of those five games. I would not start Benintendi or Gonzalez this week, and I would probably sit Antonacci as well, depending on your other options.
Randal Grichuk is a priority streamer this week given Chicago’s schedule. He has the third-highest slugging percentage and fifth-highest wRC+ plus among 185 qualified hitters versus left-handed pitching this season. Junior Perez and Luisangel Acuna should also get most of the starts. Acuna could be a decent weekly option for those needing steals.
Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland will face five right-handers among their six games this week. The Guardians platoon frequently, so their left-handed bats should be in the lineup most of the time. Kyle Manzardo and Khalil Watson have hit third and fourth in each of Cleveland’s last three games against righties, while recent call-up Cooper Ingle has been hitting fifth or sixth. They haven’t been the most productive options, but the volume should be there this week.
The same probably cannot be said about Daniel Schneemann. The utilityman has started just two of the last five games versus right-handers and just three of eight overall. Meanwhile, right-hander Gabriel Arias has started seven of those eight games at third base. Steven Kwan being back in the leadoff spot appears short-lived, as he has hit ninth in four consecutive starts now, limiting his weekly upside.
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are off on Monday and will host the Athletics and Phillies before the break. Detroit is scheduled to face one lefty and two righties in each three-game series. Detroit’s lineups versus right-handers have been quite consistent lately. Kevin McGonigle, Dillon Dingler, Kerry Carpenter, and Riley Greene have held down the first four spots.
Spencer Torkelson and Colt Keith hit either fifth or sixth, while Zach McKinstry bats seventh. James Outman typically hits eighth or ninth. Carpenter, Keith, and Outman are the Tigers’ hitters most likely to be subbed out when Detroit faces a left-hander. Because of that, four starts may not be enough to use them in weekly leagues.
Houston Astros
After placing starting shortstop Jeremy Pena on the Injured List early in the week, the Houston Astros made several additional moves on Saturday. They activated LaMonte Wade Jr. from the IL and recalled Zach Dezenzo. Houston optioned both Joey Loperfido and Jake Meyers to the Minor Leagues. Loperfido had started 10 of Houston’s previous 15 games, with Meyers earning seven starts in the same timeframe. Wade and Dezenzo will most likely form a new platoon in left field.
Cam Smith seems entrenched in right field, batting fifth or sixth. Meanwhile, Taylor Trammell is on the right side of the center field platoon with Brice Matthews. Jose Altuve has been leading off with Pena sidelined. That should continue in Week 16. Houston is off on Thursday and is scheduled to face four righties and two lefties this week.
Kansas City Royals
Salvador Perez has missed three straight starts due to an elbow injury. Carter Jensen has been getting more looks against lefties with Perez out and has responded well. Jensen has five hits in four starts versus southpaws this week and has better numbers overall against lefties than righties. Starling Marte has started four games this week at DH, but that is largely circumstantial.
The injury to Perez and a heavy dose of left-handed starters have been the driving forces behind that move. The Royals finish their wraparound series at home on Monday before heading on the road for six more games. Kansas City should face five right-handed starting pitchers and two left-handers. I would expect Marte to get only two or three starts this week if Perez is back.
Los Angeles Angels
Mike Trout should be ready to make his return to the Los Angeles Angels this week. Trout has been out for nearly three weeks due to a hamstring injury. The Angels can sure use his bat in their lineup. Los Angeles has scored just 20 runs in their last eight games, losing six of eight.
The team may be without starting catcher Logan O’Hoppe until the All-Star break. O’Hoppe was hit in the mask with a foul ball on Friday and is undergoing evaluation for a possible concussion. Fantasy managers in two-catcher leagues may need to find another option for Week 16. Oswald Peraza and Donovan Walton have been splitting time at second base over the past week, but neither is worth starting in most weekly formats. The Angels are off on Monday and should only face one left-handed starting pitcher this week.
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins will be home for six games this week, four of which will be against right-handed starting pitchers. Minnesota generally platoons at shortstop and with one or two of its outfielders. Trevor Larnach has been hot at the plate but will probably only start four or five games this week. The same can be said about Kody Clemens. I would probably start both players, depending on your needs and other available options.
Tristan Gray has been ice cold and sat in favor of Ryan Kreidler on Saturday despite facing a right-handed starter. However, Kreidler went 0-for-5 in that game, so he did not exactly take the ball and run with it. I would not put either player in my starting lineup in Week 16 unless I had no other usable players.
New York Yankees
As I mentioned last week, the Yankees indeed optioned Spencer Jones to the Minor Leagues after activating Trent Grisham from the Injured List. Hopefully, you got out in front of that one. New York also activated Ryan McMahon, optioning Oswaldo Cabrera to the Minors.
The Yankees are on the road for seven games to close out the first half. They are scheduled to face two left-handed starters. However, the Washington Nationals have often opened with a left-hander when Zack Littell and Miles Mikolas start, as both are scheduled to do next weekend. This feels like a scenario where most Yankees hitters, aside from Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, and Jazz Chisholm, will start four or five games over the next seven days, so weekly managers should account for that reduced volume.
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners placed Julio Rodríguez on the 7-day Injured List due to a concussion. Technically, he can return next weekend, but I cannot imagine Seattle letting him play until after the All-Star break. Fantasy managers will need to find a replacement for Rodriguez in weekly leagues. The Mariners called up Miles Mastrobuoni, but Victor Robles has been moving to center field while Luke Raley plays right field.
Seattle heads across the country to face Tampa Bay and Miami on the road this week. The Mariners should face two lefties and four righties. I would expect the same outfield alignment in those four games. Weston Wilson or the newly acquired Buddy Kennedy could earn a start or two in the outfield when Seattle faces a lefty. Raley and Dominic Canzone are likely to sit out both of those games.
Tampa Bay Rays
Chandler Simpson has missed each of the last two games with a finger injury. He had dealt with a thumb issue earlier in the month, so keep an eye on his status heading into Monday. Tampa Bay will be at home for seven games in Week 16. All seven games are expected to come against right-handed starting pitchers. Simpson should be in lineups in all formats if he is ready to play on Monday or perhaps even Tuesday.
Cedric Mullins has hit directly behind Junior Caminero in two straight games. It would be a prime lineup spot if Caminero didn’t hit a home run every time he got up to the plate. Richie Palacios and Victor Mesa Jr. should be in Tampa’s starting lineup almost every day this week. However, neither player has done much to warrant fantasy consideration.
Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers placed Corey Seager on the Injured List for the third time this season and the second time in less than three weeks. It’s almost impressive in its own way, like their own little Texas Two-Step. Texas also placed Wyatt Langford on the IL last weekend and designated Jarred Kelenic for assignment.
On the bright side, they activated Evan Carter from the IL and called up Josh Smith and Cam Cauley. Carter has started all three games in center versus righties since re-entering the Majors. The Rangers are playing six games this week, with only one coming against a left-handed starting pitcher. Carter and Joc Pederson should start those five games, while Smith could be used to give multiple players a day of rest throughout the week.
Toronto Blue Jays
George Springer has been away from the Toronto Blue Jays due to the birth of his child. He could return on Monday, but the situation is still fluid. With Toronto out on the West Coast and not having an off day until Thursday, fantasy managers may want to seek other options. It’s not like Springer has lit it up this season anyway.
The Blue Jays should face five right-handed starting pitchers and one left-hander. Most of their regular players will get at least a handful of starts this week. Toronto is the only American League team with multiple players voted in as All-Star starters despite having the second-worst offense in the Junior Circuit. And you thought voting in America was problematic.
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