Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis: AL 06/07

For the first week of June, American League lineup analysis returns. The goal of this article is to provide fantasy baseball managers with all of the quick hits and information they need to stay up to date on the latest happenings from around the league. This article focuses specifically on the American League. The five hottest hitters over the past two weeks in the AL have been: Junior Caminero, Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Lawrence Butler, and Jacob Wilson. The five coldest hitters over the past two weeks have been: Luis Rengifo, Angel Martinez, Randy Arozarena, Drew Waters, and Trevory Story. Keep reading for the latest news and notes from lineups around the American League.

Please note that this article was written the day before publication. I will do my best to update the article with any relevant information from the previous night’s games.

Fantasy Baseball Lineup Takeaways

AL East

New York Yankees

• Jazz Chisholm Jr. is back from the IL
  • Chisholm returned to the Yankees’ lineup on Tuesday and has been playing third base and batting sixth
  • After starting the year at second base, the Yankees decided that their need was bigger at third base. This is beneficial to fantasy managers in keeper/dynasty leagues, as Chisholm will now likely maintain both second base and third base eligibility next season
  • Chisholm’s 2025 production has been a bit of a roller coaster for fantasy managers. The eight homers and seven stolen bases are nice, but he is unlikely to hit for much batting average
• Jasson Dominguez is dealing with an injury
  • Dominguez was forced to miss two games earlier this week with a jammed thumb, but returned to the lineup on Thursday
  • Roster Resource continues to show Ben Rice as a bench player, but he continues to bat second and play almost every day
  • The team will likely keep shifting players around to keep both Dominguez and Rice in the lineup on a regular basis, although it appears to be Rice who has the slight edge
• DJ LeMahieu has taken over as the everyday second baseman
  • With Chisholm back and taking over third base, the Yankees are relying on LeMahieu to play second base every day
  • LeMahieu is batting at the bottom of the lineup and is batting just .231 with one homer in 17 games since being activated off the IL
  • While LeMahieu is playing more than Oswald Peraza, it is unlikely either of them will rejoin the conversation of fantasy-relevance anytime this season

Boston Red Sox

• Abraham Toro is playing every day
  • The Red Sox have been trying to figure out their first base situation after losing Triston Casas. For now, they appear to have settled on Toro
  • Toro has been first base against righties and third base against lefties. He is batting sixth in the lineup
  • In 21 games, Toro is batting .304 with three home runs. However, there is not much in his profile that suggests he should be outperforming his career .224/.286/.361 slash. He is a fine add in AL-only leagues but fantasy baseball managers should not expect his success to continue
• Carlos Narvaez is batting fourth in the lineup
  • After starting the season in a bench role, Narvaez’s strong offensive performance has him moving up in the lineup and serving as the team’s everyday catcher
  • On the season, Narvaez is batting .288 with five home runs and a 126 wRC+
  • Digging into his profile, Narvaez does hit the ball hard and has potential for 15-20 home runs in a season. However, his .366 BABIP is bound to regress, and there are some hit tool concerns. He is more of a sell-high than somebody fantasy managers should count on for the rest of 2025
• Ceddanne Rafaela is sliding up in the lineup
  • Rafaela was viewed by many as a placeholder for Roman Anthony, but is quickly proving to be more than that
  • After starting the year batting ninth, Rafaela has been batting seventh or eighth recently. Since May 15, Rafaela is slashing .298/.327/.521. He has hit safely in eight straight games, batting .412 with four homers during that span
  • Rafaela’s speed and power give him obvious fantasy appeal. His hit tool is likely always going to result in inconsistency and stretches of extremes, but he has the upside to win you a week. He should be rostered where available, even if his current production exceeds his true talent level

Tampa Bay Rays

• Jake Mangum is back from the IL
  • Since rejoining the Rays’ lineup on May 30, Mangum has been playing every day and batting sixth in the lineup
  • Mangum is batting .303 on the season with 10 stolen bases. While the speed is real, it is likely that Mangum will continue to experience regression to his batting average as his BABIP comes down
  • With Mangum back, the team optioned Chandler Simpson down to Triple-A. This may have outraged the fantasy community, but stolen bases are not nearly as important in real life as they are in fantasy baseball
• Junior Caminero has been unstoppable offensively
  • For those of you reading that are a part of the Pitcher List discord, you know that I am taking credit for this
  • Just after mentioning how Caminero is an overrated dynasty asset, Caminero has gone on a tear. Since May 23, Caminero is batting .373 and crushed seven home runs
  • The key to his success has been a dramatic increase in his average launch angle. Caminero’s raw power has always been obvious, but his newfound ability to elevate and launch the ball is helping him achieve the potential many bought into

Toronto Blue Jays

• Andres Gimenez is back from the IL
  • Gimenez returned to the Jays’ lineup on Tuesday after missing nearly a month of action
  • In two starts since returning, Gimenez has been batting ninth in the lineup. With Gimenez back, Ernie Clement has moved back into a super utility role, generating most of his starts against left-handed pitching
  • Gimenez’s offensive production has continued to trend downward after a strong 2022 season. He is batting just .201 with three homers, although stolen bases continue to be a large part of his game
• Anthony Santander is on the IL with a shoulder injury
  • The injury was bothering Santander for a while, and he finally landed on the IL May 29. He received a PRP injection and remains without a firm timetable to return
  • With Santander out of the lineup, Alan Roden is back up from Triple-A and is drawing starts against right-handed pitching
  • Roden is splitting time with Davis Schneider, who is getting into the lineup against lefties. Neither player is worth rostering while splitting playing time
• Daulton Varsho is also on the IL with a hamstring injury
  • The Jays outfield is an injured mess as Varsho is expected to miss multiple weeks with this injury
  • With Varsho out, the team promoted Jonatan Clase from Triple-A. Clase is playing most days and batting eighth in the lineup
  • Speed is the name of the game for Clase. He has solid contact skills but fails to impact the ball enough to be a reliable fantasy asset. He is worth adding if you need a boost to your stolen base totals, but he does not offer much beyond that

Baltimore Orioles

• Colton Cowser is back from the IL
  • After getting injured in the fourth game of the season, Cowser finally returned to the Orioles’ lineup on Tuesday
  • Cowser has been playing center field and batting sixth in Baltimore’s lineup
  • After hitting 24 home runs in his rookie season last year, Cowser’s fantasy appeal is obvious. The key to his success will be keeping his strikeout rate in check this season
• Jordan Westburg is nearing a return to the lineup
  • Westburg is playing games in Triple-A on a day-by-day basis. There is a high likelihood that he will return to Baltimore’s lineup at some point this weekend
  •  Westburg’s 2025 got off to a slow start, but much of that can be attributed to a low .242 BABIP. He is a player who could be worth buying before his luck improves
  • With Westburg on his way back, the Orioles’ lineup decisions will be interesting. Right now, both Coby Mayo and Ramon Urias are seeing everyday playing time. With Westburg coming back and likely to take over as the primary third baseman, one of those two players is likely to lose their starting spot
  • Another potential option is to shift Ryan O’Hearn back to the outfield, Mayo to first base, and Heston Kjerstad or Dylan Carlson to the bench (more on that next)
• Heston Kjerstad and Dylan Carlson are seeing extended playing time
  • Although Cowser and Westburg are back, the Orioles are still pretty banged up. Both Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle have landed on the IL in the past week
  • With both players out, Kjerstad has been serving as the primary right fielder, batting eighth in the lineup, and Carlson has been batting ninth and playing left field
  • Carlson is batting just .213 with two homers and does not deserve much fantasy attention. Meanwhile, Kjerstad is batting just .194 and has not hit a home run since May 14. He appears unlikely to ever live up to the high expectations set for him as a prospect

AL West

Houston Astros

• Jacob Melton is up from Triple-A
  • After placing Chas McCormick on the IL, the team promoted top prospect Jacob Melton up from Triple-A last Sunday
  • Melton has been serving as the team’s everyday left fielder and batting toward the bottom of the lineup
  • Melton was batting .254 in Triple-A prior to his promotion. He has the power/speed combination fantasy managers look for, but has struggled with strikeouts and elevating the ball in the past. He is not a must-add but is worth a flyer in deeper leagues
• Zach Dezenzo is on the IL
  • Dezenzo was not playing every day even prior to landing on the IL, but will now miss some time with a hand injury
  • The injury further cements Victor Caratini’s role in the everyday lineup, where he has been serving as the primary catcher
  • Since May 14, Caratini is batting .304 and is an under-the-radar option in leagues with 20+ catchers rostered
• Is Houston a death sentence for veteran first basemen?
  • Last year, it was Jose Abreu, and now, Christian Walker is struggling in Houston
  • Granted, Walker’s struggles are not as severe as Abreu’s, but it is still concerning for fantasy managers. He is batting just .209 with eight homers on the season
  • Walker’s batted ball data has continued to look strong this season, but his plate discipline has taken a step back. He is also struggling against fastballs, which is typically a sign of aging

Los Angeles Angels

• Yoan Moncada is on the IL with a knee injury
  • Nobody was paying too much attention to Moncada in the fantasy community, but he was playing most days for the Angels with a 135 wRC+
  • With Moncada now on the IL, Luis Rengifo has shifted back over to third base in an everyday role
  • Rengifo’s 2025 season continues to be a disappointment. His average has dipped down to .211 on the seaso,n and he has hit just .184 since the start of May. He is not worth rostering in fantasy
• Second base has become a mess of a timeshare
  • The Angels signed Chris Taylor after he was released by the Dodgers. He has been getting some playing time at second base and batting ninth in the lineup
  • The team also promoted Scott Kingery from Triple-A. He is splitting time with Taylor and also batting toward the bottom of the lineup
  • With the two players splitting time, neither holds much fantasy value. They are not worth adding at this point
• Mike Trout is back from the IL
  • Trout was always due for an IL stint at some point this year. The hope from fantasy managers is that it is one and done in 2025
  • Trout returned to the Angels lineup last Friday and has been exclusively serving as the team’s DH since returning
  • In six games since returning, Trout has hit safely in each one. Hopefully, the team continues to utilize him at DH in order to keep him healthy for the remainder of the season

Texas Rangers

• Evan Carter is back from the IL
  • Carter returned to the Angels lineup on Tuesday and has been serving as the primary center fielder
  • With Carter back in the lineup, Alejandro Osuna has seen his playing time decrease
  • In 14 Major League games this season, Carter is batting just 179. After struggling last season, Carter could see his playing time decrease if his performance does not improve
• Marcus Semien is starting to move back up in the lineup
  • Following a slow start to the season, Semien moved down to eighth in the lineup to reset. This past week, Semien has started to move back up and has been batting sixth
  • The move back up in the lineup has been due to his strong performance. Semien has gotten especially hot at the plate recently with three home runs since May 30
  • With Semien moving up in the lineup, Evan Carter has slid down. Garcia is batting just .213 on the season and .167 since May 15
• Jonah Heim is splitting time more consistently at catcher
  • Heim is still getting more of the playing time, but Kyle Higashioka has started to see more starts in the past week
  • Heim is up to seven home runs on the season but is batting just .159 since May 9. He is hitting .121 since May 22
  • Higashioka has also been struggling offensively this season and is not doing much to take time away from Heim

Athletics

• Nick Kurtz is on the IL with a hip injury
  • With Kurtz on the IL, Tyler Soderstrom has shifted back to first base, and JJ Bleday was recalled from Triple-A
  • Bleday has been splitting time in the outfield since returning from the minors, batting sixth in the lineup
  • Kurtz is not expected to miss an extended period of time, and Bleday is not worth picking up
• Max Muncy is back up from Triple-A
  • Muncy got his first stint in the Major Leagues earlier this season and hit just .176 with one home run
  • He was batting .325 with three home runs in Triple-A and will get another crack at the Major Leagues
  • He has been batting eighth and sixth in the two games since returning and should be in the lineup on a regular basis
• Lawrence Butler has caught fire
  • After sliding down the lineup a bit following a slow start to the year, Butler has come alive offensively
  • Since May 18, Butler is slashing .359/.431/.672 with three homers and three stolen bases. He has moved back up to the leadoff spot in the A’s lineup
  • Butler was a league-winner for many last season and is showing signs of returning to form now in 2025. Butler’s contact skills are still below average, making him prone to cold spells. However, his offensive upside makes him a valuable fantasy asset
• Shea Langeliers was removed from the game on Thursday
  • Langeliers appeared to hurt his side, which could signal an oblique injury
  • If Langeliers is forced to miss extended time, the team could either promote Daniel Susac from Triple-A or shift Tyler Soderstrom back to catcher, which was his original position

Seattle Mariners

• Cole Young is up from Triple-A
  • Young made his Major League debut last Saturday and has been serving as the team’s primary second baseman. He has been batting eighth in the lineup in most games
  • After getting a hit and an RBI in his first Major League game, Young has gone hitless in four games since. Up to this point, ground balls and weak contact have been the primary issue. He is running a high strikeout rate, but his plate discipline and contact skills look strong
  • With Young up and playing every day, Dylan Moore has moved back into a bench role
• JP Crawford continues to fly under the radar
  • Crawford does not generate much attention in the fantasy community, but he continues to play at a high level and bat leadoff in Seattle’s lineup
  • In 59 games this season, Crawford is batting .283 with five homers and two stolen bases. Since May 23, Crawford is slashing .366/.447/.512
  • His fantasy value is amplified in OBP leagues where his 15.4% walk rate adds another layer of value. For contending teams in deeper leagues, Crawford could be a nice piece to target to help take your team to the next level at an affordable priceIIII

AL Central

Detroit Tigers

• Kerry Carpenter has been dealing with a bit of a groin injury
  • The injury caused Carpenter to be scratched from the lineup on Wednesday, but he promptly returned to the lineup on Thursday. He has not appeared in the field since last Saturday
  • While this injury does not seem serious, it is likely something Carpenter and the team will continue to monitor moving forward. He could receive a few extra off days to keep him healthy
  • Carpenter has continued to be a dominant force offensively this season. He is up to 13 home runs with a .272 batting average. The only qualm with his profile is a high chase rate, limiting the walks he works
• Parker Meadows is back
  • Meadows was dealing with a nerve issue that landed him on the 60-Day IL to start the season
  • He returned to the lineup on Monday and has been batting leadoff in the Tigers’ lineup in each of his starts. Meadows appears to be starting the season on the strong side of a platoon
  • For fantasy managers, Meadows is a must-add. After being recalled from Triple-A last season, Meadows was dominant and a league winner. He has power and speed while batting atop an excellent lineup
• Javier Baez is being used in a super utility role
  • With Meadows back and manning center field, the team is getting creative to keep Baez in the lineup
  • Baez is taking significant playing time away from Trey Sweeney at shortstop as of late. Sweeney has been struggling batting just .104 since May 16
  • Baez is also seeing time in center field against lefties and at third base. The team has come out and stated that Colt Keith is likely to start seeing more playing time at third base again, which would eat into Baez’s playing time a bit

Kansas City Royals

• Jac Caglianone is up from Triple-A
  • It was only a matter of time before the Royals promoted Caglianone up for his Major League debut. They finally did on Tuesday
  • Since being promoted, Caglianone has been rotating between right field and DH and batting sixth in the lineup. His arrival has pushed the combination of Mark Canha and John Rave into bench roles
  • Caglianone’s hit tool is far from a finished product, but he has the kind of power that can turn him into an instant star for fantasy baseball players
• Nick Loftin is seeing additional playing time
  • Loftin has been seeing his playing time increase as of late and has been batting seventh in the lineup
  • When playing, Loften has shifted between third base and left field. Jonathan India has moved back to second base, and Michael Massey has moved into a bench role
  • For fantasy managers, Loftin is a fine real-life player but lacks much upside. He does not have significant power or speed that would make him an attractive addition
• Vinnie Pasquantino is turning things on at the plate
  • A large part of the Royals’ offensive struggles this season was due to a slow start from Pasquantino, who was supposed to anchor the middle of their lineup
  • Following play on May 5, Pasquantino owned just a .191 batting average but has looked like a completely different player as of late. Since that game, Pasquantino is slashing .364/.414/.439. He is batting over .400 since May 20
  • The batting average is nice, but he has not hit a home run since May 19. His barrel rate continues to be lower than fantasy managers would like as well. He should be viewed as more of a high-floor option rather than an elite fantasy asset

Chicago White Sox

• Lenyn Sosa is on the IL
  • Sosa was getting significant run in the infield and is now out with a strained hip flexor
  • With Sosa out, the team has shifted around their infield with Miguel Vargas shifting back to third base and Tim Elko coming up from Triple-A
  • Elko has been in the lineup in both games, batting sixth since being recalled. He has significant power, but lacks much upside from a fantasy perspective
• Luis Robert is sliding down in the lineup
  • Following a dominant 2023 season, everything has quickly gone downhill for Robert. He is batting just .177 with only five home runs this season
  • After batting in the middle of the lineup for most of the year, Robert has been batting seventh multiple times in the past week. You cannot blame the White Sox for moving somebody with a 57 wRC+ down in the lineup
  • The lone bright spot for fantasy managers has been his 21 stolen bases. The best-case scenario seems to be Robert getting traded to a new team where he can start fresh. Right now, he is a difficult start in any fantasy lineup
  • He has also been out of the lineup each of the past three games as the team attempts to get him to reset
• Edgar Quero is splitting time at catcher
  • Quero is one of the team’s top prospects, but has seen his playing time decrease in the past week
  • After already splitting time with Korey Lee, the team has now promoted top prospect Kyle Teel to the Major Leagues
  • Teel figures to get both time at catcher and first base
  • Of the two catching prospects on this team, Teel is the one that fantasy managers want to roster. Quero owns just a 43 wRC+ since May 5

Minnesota Twins

• Matt Wallner is back from the IL
  •  Wallner returned to the Twins’ lineup last weekend and has been playing right field
  • He has been batting in the middle of the lineup since returning. His return has shifted Willi Castro back to the infield and Kody Clemens back to the bench
  • Wallner has significant upside in the home run department, but will need to keep his strikeout rate in check if he wants to maintain everyday playing time. Through 21 games this season, his contact rate is just 60.5%
• Royce Lewis is losing playing time
  •  The Twins have suddenly gotten healthy, and that is forcing some difficult decisions. Lewis has been on the bench three times since last Saturday and could continue to see less playing time
  • After entering the year with high expectations, Lewis is batting just .141 with one homer through his first 23 games. Part of the issue is poor luck. Lewis owns a .159 BABIP and a 3.0 HR/FB% despite a barrel rate of 10.9%
  • While winning playing time back from Willi Castro and Brooks Lee is a concern, Lewis should see his luck improve as the season moves along. He is an interesting buy-low candidate after his slow start
• Byron Buxton is also back from the IL
  •  Buxton missed over two weeks dealing with a concussion but returned to the lineup on May 30. He has been batting leadoff for Minnesota since returning
  • Buxton is off to a great start to 2025 with 10 homers and 10 steals through 46 games. His 30/30 pace is what fantasy managers have been dreaming about for some time now, and it appears we may finally be getting it. Fingers crossed, Buxton can stay healthy
  • With Buxton back in the lineup, DaShawn Keirsey Jr was optioned back to Triple-A

Cleveland Guardians

• David Fry is back from the IL
  • Fry was activated off the IL last Saturday but has only been in the lineup twice
  • For now, it appears as though the Guardians are only getting Fry into the lineup at DH against lefties
  • This has put Kyle Manzardo into more of a platoon role. The open spot in Cleveland’s lineup would be at catcher but it remains to be seen if the team plans to use him at catcher at all this season
• Angel Martinez is moving up in the lineup
  • With Lane Thomas back on the IL, Martinez has moved up to second in the Guardians’ lineup
  • The move up the lineup is nice for his fantasy value, but there is not much offensive production coming from his bat. He owns only a 79 wRC+ on the season
  • Martinez is batting just .158 with zero stolen bases since May 21. He has hit three home runs during that timeframe but is still not worth rostering in fantasy