This will be an interesting week for fantasy baseball managers to navigate. The Major League Baseball trade deadline is Monday at 6:00 PM EST, just before the first of eight MLB games that night. We have already seen plenty of wheeling and dealing over the past few days. Below are my notes on recent lineup changes and roster moves for all 15 American League teams. I also preview the upcoming week in terms of games played against left- and right-handed pitchers. Just keep in mind that the preview notes are subject to greater change than usual. I have already had to adjust them several times in the past 48 hours. Similarly, fantasy managers may need some contingency plans heading into Week 20 from a roster perspective.
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Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis for Week 20 – American League
Athletics
Nick Kurtz missed Saturday’s game as he has been dealing with nagging thumb and forearm injuries. He should be good to go, but the Athletics have little to play for at this stage. The team may be conservative with their star slugger. The Athletics are facing three right-handed starting pitchers and three lefties in Week 20. They have a day off on Monday. Fantasy managers who can swap hitters out on Friday should note that all three games against left-handers will come next weekend. Zack Gelof may return by then. Tommy White could lose at-bats once Gelof makes his way back unless the team decides to go with a platoon in the outfield. The Athletics have sent outfielder Colby Thomas down to the Minors and promoted Jonathan Omelas.
Baltimore Orioles
Dylan Beavers continues to lead off against right-handed starting pitchers for the Baltimore Orioles. However, he usually doesn’t start when Baltimore faces a lefty. The Orioles face four righties and two lefties after an off day on Monday, so fantasy managers may have a tough decision to make when it comes to starting Beavers. The Orioles have done some wheeling and dealing this week. That includes some work to address their issues behind the plate, as Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo are still on the Injured List. Baltimore acquired former Cardinals catcher Yohel Pozo and former Tigers backstop Jake Rogers in separate moves. Pozo and Rogers are Baltimore’s current tandem, as the team designated both Chadwick Tromp and Sam Huff for assignment.
Boston Red Sox
Newly acquired Curtis Mead will miss six to eight weeks after fracturing his wrist in his first game as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Unless you are a lock for your league’s playoffs and you can afford the stash, it is probably best to move on from Mead. Boston recalled Nick Sogard to replace Mead on the roster. He and Anthony Seigler have each started two of the last four games at second base. Willson Contreras missed Saturday’s game after being hit in the head the night before. Head injuries are always tough, but the early indication is that Contreras should be fine for Week 20. After an off day on Monday, the Red Sox will be home for six games. They will face four right-handed starters and two left-handers.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are off on Monday before beginning their six-game week. They will face three right-handers and three lefties. Chicago usually platoons a few of its starters when a left-handed pitcher is up against them. I would not recommend starting Sam Antonacci, Andrew Benintendi, or Tristan Peters in weekly formats. The trio is most likely only going to start three games each. The same goes for Drew Romo, as Edgar Quero usually starts behind the plate versus lefties. Aside from Quero, Randal Grichuk, Luisangel Acuna, and Everson Pereira should start the three games against left-handed starting pitchers. Among Chicago’s other regulars, Chase Meidroth could gain the most fantasy value based on next week’s schedule. Meidroth has been hitting eighth against righties but usually hits higher when a left-hander is on the mound.
Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland is another team that is not shy about platooning when they face a left-handed starting pitcher. Like the White Sox, the Guardians will face three lefties in Week 20, so some of their starters are also riskier starts in weekly formats. The players most likely to split starts this week include Kyle Manzardo and Rhys Hoskins at first base and Angel Martinez and David Fry in the outfield. Right-handed outfielder Blake Perkins may also factor into the mix versus lefties. Cleveland acquired Perkins from Milwaukee in a deal that sent catcher Bo Naylor to the Brewers. After hitting anywhere from second through fifth dating back to July 7, Brayan Rocchio hit ninth against a left-hander on Saturday. I am still starting him in weekly formats, but expectations may need to be lowered ever so slightly.
Detroit Tigers
While the dust settles on the Tarik Skubal trade, the Detroit Tigers have made several moves impacting their lineup. Detroit activated Javier Baez from the Injured List, placed Matt Vierling on the IL, and traded away Jake Rogers within the last week. But the most exciting for fantasy purposes is the promotion of outfielder Max Clark to the Major League roster. The 21-year-old hit 25 home runs and stole 40 bases in 201 Minor League games since the beginning of last season. Clark went 3-for-4 with two doubles in his Major League debut on Friday before homering on Saturday. He has batted seventh in each of his first two starts, but that lineup spot will not prohibit him from producing for fantasy managers fortunate enough to acquire his services. The Tigers will face all right-handed starters in their six-game Week 20 schedule.
Houston Astros
Christian Walker is back to hitting cleanup for the Astros if this past week is any indication. Jose Altuve hit fifth for most of the week and was the sixth hitter on Saturday. Yainer Diaz was bumped up to the five-hole in that game. LaMonte Wade Jr.’s time in the middle of the lineup may have been short-lived. After sitting on Wednesday, he hit eighth Friday and ninth on Saturday. The Astros are facing nothing but right-handers in Week 20, so perhaps Wade can hold on to some fantasy value for another week. Taylor Trammell looks to have gained the upper hand in the battle over Lucas Spence to be Houston’s primary center fielder. We have seen the Astros change course multiple times, but fantasy managers should continue to ride Trammell for as long as he produces at the plate.
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals placed first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino on the Injured List with wrist soreness. Pasquantino missed time earlier in the season with a broken hamate bone, but hopefully this will be a short stint. Either way, fantasy managers will be without Pasquantino for the week. In brighter news, Bobby Witt Jr. is expected to be activated in time for the duration of Week 20, which begins for the Royals on Tuesday. John Rave has started three straight games in the outfield and could see regular action following the trade of Lane Thomas. Rave is hardly a hot prospect at 28 years of age, so perhaps another roster move is on the horizon. Kansas City is home for the week after an off day on Monday. They will face five right-handed starting pitchers and one left-hander.
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels activated catcher Travis d’Arnaud from the 60-day Injured List earlier this week. He had been out since early May. With d’Arnaud back in the fold, Los Angeles traded Logan O’Hoppe to Texas. The Angels are likely to move other players before Monday’s deadline as well. That means their lineup could look quite a bit different a week from now than it does today. For now, I would start their regular contributors like Zach Neto and hope for the best. The good news is that the Angels don’t play until Tuesday anyway, so those who are dealt will probably only miss a game or two overall. Los Angeles will face two left-handed starting pitchers this week. Both will come in the early window for those in leagues with mid-week moves.
Minnesota Twins
Byron Buxton is back on the Injured List as he continues to deal with a hip injury. He received an injection earlier this week, so fantasy managers will have to hope that this provides some relief and gets Buxton back on the field in short order. The Twins have been going with Ryan Jeffers and Kody Clemens behind leadoff hitter Trevor Larnach when they face a right-handed starting pitcher. I would expect that to continue, as they will face five righties in six games this week. They are off on Monday. Minnesota recalled Tristan Gray to replace Buxton on the active roster. Gray had been platooning with Ryan Kreidler at shortstop in recent weeks, but this appears to be Kreidler’s gig for now. Gray has only started once in four games since his callup.
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees have faced left-handed starting pitchers in seven of their last nine games, and the results haven’t been pretty. New York has scored 24 runs in those seven games. That number looks worse when you consider that nine of those “points” came in one game. The Yankees will face three more southpaws among the six games they play in Week 20. Spencer Jones has homered against a left-hander in consecutive games, so he may be relatively safe to start in weekly leagues. I think you still have to start the rest of New York’s regulars considering they are at home. But that is not necessarily the offensive boost that we are accustomed to seeing.
Seattle Mariners
It has been a busy few days in Seattle. The Mariners placed J.P. Crawford and Luke Raley on the Injured List and designated Buddy Kennedy for assignment. They recalled outfielder Stuart Fairchild and infielder Leo Rivas from the Minors. In addition, they received former top prospect Nolan Jones in a trade and are expected to activate Brendan Donovan from the IL in time for Week 20. Hopefully that means the Weston Wilson experiment can finally come to a merciful end. Seattle begins the week on Tuesday and should face five right-handed starting pitchers. I would expect Donovan to start four or five games, but I do not anticipate him leading off as he has in the past. Cole Young has 14 hits in his last nine starts and should continue to lead the charge.
Tampa Bay Rays
Thursday off, 6 on road, 6 RHP
The Rays will be on the road for six games this week. All six will be against right-handed starting pitchers. Tampa loves to platoon, but there won’t be many opportunities for their right-handed bats to get involved. Cedric Mullins, Victor Mesa Jr., and Richie Palacios should start close to, if not every day, this week. Mesa and Palacios are solid streaming options, while Mullins joins the rest of the Rays regulars as recommended weekly starts. Tampa also gets the bonus of playing three games in Coors Field, though they do face a tougher challenge in Seattle next weekend.
Texas Rangers
Texas activated Corey Seager from the IL this week. Seager’s return comes as the Rangers have fallen behind Houston in the AL West. The team sent Josh Smith back to the Minor Leagues to make room for Seager. Ezequiel Duran has shifted over to third base since Seager’s return. I would expect him to remain there for the week, as Josh Jung has been slow to recover from his calf strain. Joc Pederson and Evan Carter have been swinging hot bats of late. However, it is hard to have much faith in either of them considering Texas will only face three right-handed starting pitchers this week. After acquiring Logan O’Hoppe, the Rangers sent him down to the Minors. They appear content to continue with the veteran duo of Austin Wynns and Elias Diaz behind the plate.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays activated outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the IL on Friday. Sanchez had been out for just over a month with an ankle injury. He hit seventh in Friday’s lineup, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him work his way up the lineup. Sanchez was hitting as high as second in Toronto’s lineup earlier in the year. With Sanchez back, the Blue Jays sent Yohendrick Pinango back to the Minor Leagues. Pinango led off a couple of times last week. I would expect Nathan Lukes to stay in that spot for the time being. Ernie Clement is another option despite hitting from the right side. Toronto is on the road all week and is the only American League team playing seven games this week. They will face six right-handed starting pitchers.
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