Fantasy Baseball Buys, Sells, and Notes: NL Lineups 06/15

Back at it with National League lineups. There is plenty to catch up on from the last 10 days of baseball. The five hottest hitters in the National League over that time period have been: Corbin Carroll, Jack Suwinski, Nolan Arenado, Jorge Soler, and Joc Pederson. Disclaimer: This article is written the day before publishing. Not all statistics will be 100% accurate from the night before. I will do my best to update any important news or notes that come through at the last second. Keep reading to stay up to date on the latest trends from all 15 National League teams.

Sticking with the new format for this one. Let me know what you think!

More great fantasy baseball advice and analysis: Waiver Wire & FAAB Recommendations | Daily MLB Injury Report | MLB DFS Picks | Line-up Analysis | Dynasty Rankings and Strategy | MLB Bullpen Updates | MLB Player Props | Prospect Rankings & Analysis | Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers

Fantasy Baseball Buys and Sells in the NL

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies

• Alec Bohm is back from the IL and slotted back into sixth in the typical lineup.
  • Bohm’s return forces Clemens and Sosa back into a platoon. Clemens should remain on the strong side of the platoon and is fantasy relevant so long as the team has a favorable schedule.
• Bryson Stott continues to play against most lefties and is batting sixth in the lineup.
  • Stott is unlikely to hit for much power(poor barrel rate), but has ten steals to pair with an excellent hit tool.
  • He should remain a low-variance fantasy asset for the remainder of 2023.
• Now might be your last chance to buy into Trea Turner.
  • Since May 20, Turner’s barrel rate is up to 9.5%, EV is up to 91.8 mph.
  • Strikeout rate is down to 16.5%, BABIP is down at .254
  • Turner is getting more comfortable batting behind Castellanos and Harper. Buy, buy, buy.

Atlanta Braves

• Michael Harris II anybody?
  • Harris has been red-hot since the start of June and is smoking the ball.
  • The issue remains an incredibly high GB% and high chase rate.
  • Look to sell high in redraft as not much has changed under the surface.
• Orlando Arcia continues to hit for exceptional average and sneaky pop from the eighth spot in Atlanta’s lineup.
  • His .383 season-long BABIP remains suspect paired with his 3.5-degree average launch angle. I am skeptical that this level of success continues.
• With Marcell Ozuna and Eddie Rosario continuing to play every day, Travis d’Arnaud is continuing to eat into Sean Murphy’s playing time.
  • Murphy continues to play about five of every seven games while producing for fantasy teams.
  • d’Arnaud could start to earn more playing time with Eddie Rosario scuffling at the plate.

Washington Nationals

• Riley Adams has been getting more playing time resulting in fewer starts for Keibert Ruiz.
  • Adams has flashed solid power upside, but his .267 average comes with a .385 BABIP and a strikeout rate north of 33%. He is not worth picking up.
  • Ruiz meanwhile continues to be the victim of a .225 BABIP and is the clear starter moving forward. Ruiz continues to be a buy-low target for me in dynasty leagues.
• Luis Garcia continues to bat second and is quietly having a nice season at the plate.
  • Garcia hits the ball hard with good contact skills but is hindered by a super low average launch angle.
  • This limits the amount of power Garcia will produce and caps his fantasy upside. He is going to require a swing change to ever see his ceiling increase.
• CJ Abrams continues to bat eighth and is seeing less playing time against lefties.
  • Abrams is batting just .203 with one home run against lefties this season and could continue to see his playing time decrease as the season moves along.
  • One encouraging note is that Abrams has been increasing his launch angle and barrel rate as the season has moved along while decreasing his chase and whiff rates.
  • He makes for an interesting buy-low target in dynasty leagues but remains a player I am avoiding in redraft.

Miami Marlins

• Garrett Cooper has retaken the majority of playing time at first base away from Yuli Gurriel.
  • Cooper is batting fourth or fifth in the lineup and has solid power upside.
  • The issue this year is a strikeout rate is north of 30% while chasing over 40% of the time. He is not worth rostering at this point.
• Jonathan Davis continues to get most of the starts in center field batting at the bottom of the lineup.
  • Davis is favored over Garrett Hampson in the lineup. Davis lacks much offensive upside and neither player is worth rostering.
  • Jazz Chisholm is still a few weeks away, but when he returns Davis will move back into a bench role.
• Joey Wendle and Jon Berti are splitting time at shortstop.
  • Wendle lacks any power upside and is batting under .240 on the season he also has missed the past three games with injuries.
  • Wendle used to offer speed upside but has only stolen two bases this year. He should not be rostered.
  • Berti has plenty of speed but is not a threat in any other category. He is not worth rostering without regular playing time.

New York Mets

• Francisco Alvarez continues to mash home runs for the Mets.
  • He is batting second and is already up to 12 home runs.
  • The raw power is legit, but he has a poor sweet spot percentage, along with a high whiff rate.
  • Do not expect a high batting average or a high walk rate, but he remains a top option at the catcher position moving forward.
• Tommy Pham has taken over a regular lineup spot away from Daniel Vogelbach.
  • Pham has been batting all over the lineup the past few days and is allowing the team to rotate who is DH. This keeps Alvarez in the lineup at DH and allows Omar Narvaez some additional playing time.
  • Pham quietly has six home runs and six stolen bases in just 45 games with a barrel rate north of 15% and a .246 ISO.
  • Pham is definitely worth an add if you need help in the OF. He could lose playing time if Ronny Mauricio earns a promotion to the Major Leagues.
• With Pete Alonso on the IL, Mark Vientos is batting ninth and getting the majority of starts at first base.
  • He continues to hit too many ground balls and strike out too often to be productive at the Major League level.
  • I am keeping my eye on him to watch if the LA increases, but he is not somebody I am adding even with his increased playing time.
  • Luis Guillorme is also working his way into the lineup more with Vientos struggling.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs

• Mike Tauchman has taken over leadoff duties.
  • Tauchman has seen his average come flying down as his BABIP has come back to earth and he remains a player I am not rostering. He will lose his starting job once Cody Bellinger returns.
  • Nico Hoerner could move into the leadoff spot (he is currently batting second).
• Christopher Morel has heated back up at the plate.
  • As a result of his hot streak, Morel is earning more playing time and is batting in the middle of the lineup.
  • His style of play leads to high variance, but he is only striking out 5% of the time since the start of June.
  • Morel should be rostered, but not somebody that you can count on for consistent production.
• Patrick Wisdom has started to see his playing time decrease.
  • Nick Madrigal is getting more and more playing time since returning from Triple-A.
  • Wisdom has seen his batting average drop below .200 and has just two home runs since May 10. He is not worth holding onto in any format.
  • Madrigal is who he is at this point and lacks any real upside from a fantasy perspective. He is also not worth picking up even if he is playing on a regular basis.
• Seiya Suzuki missed some time this week with personal matters.
  • He is back in the lineup now and appears poised to continue his strong start to the season.

St. Louis Cardinals

• Dylan Carlson is back from the IL and has jumped right back into the lineup primarily batting sixth.
  • Carlson’s return has taken the starting job away from Alec Burleson who should no longer be rostered in any league.
  • Carlson continues to be a difficult player to project with strong underlying metrics, but lackluster offensive production. He is worth taking a shot on if you need help in the outfield as he appears locked into an everyday role.
• Jordan Walker got a chance to bat fifth yesterday and is on a tear at the plate.
  • Walker has hit safely in 12/14 games since returning to the Major Leagues and is striking out less than 15% of the time.
  • Walker’s GB% remains a concern and will likely continue to limit his upside unless he can generate a swing change.
  • He should be rostered in all leagues and has incredible upside if he can put it all together. Even if the GB% does not change this year, he is still a useful fantasy asset.
• Tommy Edman continues to get regular playing time at the bottom of the lineup despite his struggles recently.
  • Edman is barely batting over .100 since May 25.
  • Part of his struggles can be connected to a .256 season-long BABIP (which has been even lower recently).
  • He is a candidate to lose playing time once Lars Nootbaar/Tyler O’Neill return from the IL.

Milwaukee Brewers

• With Luis Urias returning from the IL, Brice Turang was optioned to Triple-A.
  • Urias is batting toward the bottom of the lineup since returning and has yet to see things click at the plate so far (although he did hit his first home run of the year on Wednesday).
  • Considering that he has only played a handful of games so far this year, it is too early to panic and he remains a player you should hold onto.
  • If his struggles continue, Andruw Monasterio is the most likely candidate to see more playing time.
• Although Jon Singleton is not playing every day, he is drawing the majority of starts at 1B/DH and batting toward the middle of the lineup.
  • His production since being promoted has been underwhelming and he is still yet to hit a home run.
  • If Singleton is not producing power, he should not be on any fantasy manager’s radars.
  • He could lose his playing time when Jesse Winker returns or if Sal Frelick is promoted.
• Joey Wiemer has earned himself a more favorable spot in the lineup.
  • Wiemer has been awesome lately demonstrating impressive growth and maturity as the season moves along.
  • Wiemer has 25/25 upside and is putting it on full display recently.
  • He needs to be rostered in all leagues.

Cincinnati Reds

• The biggest news since the last NL article is the addition of Elly De La Cruz to the lineup.
  • He is batting fourth and has all the potential in the world. The speed and power combination is rare and he has tremendous upside.
  • He is striking out over 38% of the time so far with a .467 BABIP early on. There are some red flags that you need to be aware of when rostering EDLC. High variance player.
  • His promotion has cost Kevin Newman his everyday lineup spot and he is not somebody who should be rostered in any leagues.
• Will Benson is also back and playing on the strong side of a platoon.
  • Benson is batting seventh in the lineup and looks like a completely different hitter since returning.
  • Since returning, Benson has a Z-Contact% north of 90% and batting over .300.
  • He has speed, and power, and is somebody who is worth picking up if you need outfield help.
• TJ Friedl is back from the IL and has slotted into the leadoff spot in the lineup.
  • Friedl is continuing to bat over .300 and is quietly up to six stolen bases on the season.
  • Expecting Friedl to run a BABIP above .375 like he has so far is unrealistic, but he is in a prime position to score runs with the added talent batting behind him.
• Joey Votto and Wil Myers are currently rehabbing and nearing a return.
  • I expect Myers to fill more of a platoon role on the short side with Benson upon returning.
  • Votto should take over primary DH duties and shift Tyler Stephenson back to catcher once he is healthy.

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Could the Ke’Bryan Hayes breakout finally be happening?
  • Hayes has hit safely in 10/11 games with seven extra-base hits in that span.
  • Most importantly, Hayes is pulling the ball more which is all he was missing to fuel a power breakout. Add Hayes now if he is available.
• Connor Joe has reclaimed a starting spot in the lineup and has primarily been batting third.
  • Joe has just one home run since May 12 and is not a worthwhile fantasy investment. He figures to rotate in and out of the lineup throughout the season.
• Tucupita Marcano is rotating between the top and bottom of the lineup recently.
  • Marcano’s barrel rate has come crashing down as of late causing his recent struggles.
  • He profiles as more of a utility bat than an everyday starter. He is not worth rostering outside of deep NL-only leagues.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers

• James Outman remains on the strong side of a platoon but is sitting occasionally against right-handed starters.
  • Outman’s strikeout rate continues to balloon and is above 40% since May 15. He is no longer a player you need to roster.
  • Jonny DeLuca is the player receiving starts against left-handed starters but is not worth rostering in his current playing time situation.
• Chris Taylor is earning more playing time in a given week than Miguel Rojas.
  • Taylor is playing all over the diamond but has specifically filled in for Rojas three times in the past week.
  • Taylor continues to hit for plenty of power but strikes out too much to be a consistent fantasy asset. He is only worth rostering in deep leagues.
  • Taylor is also earning some additional playing time in place of Max Muncy who is dealing with an injury. This injury is not expected to result in an IL trip, but is worth monitoring.
• Mookie Betts is still really good.
  • After a slow April, many questioned Betts’ long-term outlook, but those concerns have been put to rest.
  • Betts is now up to 17 home runs and has four home runs and two steals in the month of June alone. He is an elite fantasy asset.

San Diego Padres

• The move to San Diego seems to have revived Gary Sanchez.
  • Sanchez is batting in the middle of the lineup and already has five home runs since joining the team.
  • The strikeout rate remains a concern and will keep his average down, but his quality of contact metrics all look very strong.
  • Sanchez has plenty of power and should be rostered in all two catcher leagues.
• Nelson Cruz is back from the IL, but nothing really changes to the lineup.
  • He will continue to be on the short side of the platoon with Matt Carpenter.
• Jake Cronenworth is a sneaky buy-low target.
  • Cronenworth is running what would be the lowest average of his Major League career by a decent margin.
  • This average however comes with a .259 BABIP despite a line drive rate north of 24%.
  • He has two three-hit games in the past week and should start seeing his luck improve.

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Emmanuel Rivera is officially an everyday player.
  • I suspected this was coming last article, but it is official now. He is batting all over the middle of the lineup, but primarily fifth.
  • His current .348 average is unsustainable with a .400 BABIP, but Rivera hits the ball hard, at good angles, and with plenty of raw pop. He is a strong add option in all leagues.
  • His playing time moves Josh Rojas into an inconsistent utility role. He should not be rostered anymore.
• Carson Kelly is back from the IL and appears to have the upper edge in the catching battle.
  • Kelly is batting in the back half of the lineup and takes considerable playing time away from Gabriel Moreno.
  • Kelly has been inconsistent throughout his career and is not a must-add target even in two catcher leagues. I expect him and Moreno to split duties pretty evenly.
  • Moreno has been underwhelming at the plate and will need a swing change to ever turn his raw power into game power. He should only be held in keeper/dynasty leagues.
• Pavin Smith has moved out of the leadoff spot and is primarily batting sixth.
  • The move down the lineup (on most nights) is a notable hit to his fantasy value as he loses out on batting ahead of Gurriel, Carroll, and Walker.
  • Ketel Marte is now leading off most games and should continue to have an excellent season.

San Francisco Giants

• The injuries are piling up resulting in Luis Matos being called up from Triple-A.
  • Matos has risen quickly through the Minor Leagues this year and is a universal Top-100 prospect.
  • Matos should play every day with Haniger landing on the IL although the team could use Blake Sabol more in the outfield.
  • Excellent hit tool, but high chase rates could get him in trouble and have a tendency to lead to weaker contact. Worth adding if you need outfield help, but not a must-roster player in shallow leagues.
• JD Davis is also on the IL.
  • Davis was playing every day in the middle of the lineup.
  • Casey Schmitt is most likely to see his playing time increase with this injury.
  • Schmitt has encouraging quality of contact numbers but is demonstrating no patience at the plate. He needs to swing and chase less if he wants to find success at the Major League level. Not a player you need to roster in redraft but a player I am holding in dynasty.
• Joc Pederson finally looks healthy at the plate.
  • Since returning from the IL, Pederson has two games with four hits including one game with two home runs.
  • His playing time remains dependent on facing right-handed starters, but he is a great player to roster in weeks with consistent playing time.
  • Everything in his profile looks like a valuable fantasy contributor and he should be rostered in all leagues.

Colorado Rockies

• Youth movement in Colorado!
• Ezequiel Tovar is now batting second in the lineup on a regular basis.
  • Tovar is batting .292 since May 16^th while lowering his strikeout rate and adding three home runs.
  • His BABIP is unsustainable and his approach at the plate still is not great, but his recent success is encouraging to see. He is a strong hold in dynasty and might be a sell-high in redraft leagues.
• Nolan Jones is red-hot at the plate.
  • He is playing everyday in the outfield batting fifth or sixth.
  • Jones has four home runs and four stolen bases since May 30.
  • The power is legit and always has been legit. The issue is a high strikeout rate and current slash line that is being carried by a .457 BABIP. Expect Jones to bat closer to .240 than .340, but he is still a strong addition if you need help in the power department.
  • Also, do not expect the stolen bases to keep coming at their current rate. He has never stolen more than ten in any professional season.
• Coco Montes and Elehuris Montero are both up and playing on the short side of platoons.
  • Montes’ biggest issue in his Minor League career has been a high strikeout rate, but he has done nothing but hit over the past two seasons.
  • Montes is a name to watch and has a real chance to take playing time away from Harold Castro.
  • Montero continues to struggle with putting everything together at the Major League level. He dominates in Triple-A and has real potential, but is not worth rostering unless he proves he can keep his strikeout rate in check.