The National League is in for a much heavier schedule this week than its American League counterparts. Seven teams in the Senior Circuit are scheduled for seven games across the next seven days. Several key trades have already taken place in front of Monday’s trade deadline, and other deals are certain to take place. All of this movement can impact a player’s fantasy value. We are here to break it all down, including recent lineup changes and injury news affecting relevant fantasy players. Here is the Week 20 edition of the fantasy baseball lineup analysis for the National League.
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
NL Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis for Week 20
Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona will be home all week and play seven games. I expect them to face six right-handers, but that may change now that the Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired Tarik Skubal. Arizona hosts Los Angeles for three games next weekend. In any event, Arizona’s lineup should remain intact barring any deadline deals on their end. The top four hitters in the batting order have remained the same for seven consecutive games. Catcher Gabriel Moreno has not missed a start since June, which is almost unheard of. Some of those starts have come as the team’s designated hitter, but fantasy managers aren’t complaining. I’m not sure how long Moreno can stay hot, but he remains a must-start behind the plate. Max Kepler should continue to start in left field and hit fifth when the Diamondbacks face a right-handed starting pitcher.
Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuna Jr. came off the Injured List on Monday and has started every game since. He has been leading off against left-handed starters and batting second against righties. Drake Baldwin continues to lead off versus right-handed starting pitchers. Atlanta acquired outfielder Lane Thomas over the weekend. Thomas has been a solid fantasy contributor in recent weeks, but this deal severely limits his value going forward. The Braves already have Acuna, Michael Harris II, Mike Yastrzemski, and Mauricio Dubon making regular starts in the outfield. I would only expect Thomas to start versus left-handed pitchers in Atlanta, but he could start over Dominic Smith at DH against certain right-handed starters as well. The Braves are off Monday before beginning a six-game week. Five of those games are expected to come against right-handed starting pitchers.
Chicago Cubs
Last week I opined that Chicago’s DH spot was as unpredictable as the winds in Wrigley Field. I can only assume Craig Counsell read that and responded with the proverbial “Hold my beer.” The Cubs have used different players as their designated hitters in each of their last six games. That group does not include Pedro Ramirez, after he had started four of the previous eight games at DH. Chicago is off on Thursday and will most likely face four right-handed starters. They, too, may face Skubal, as they host the Dodgers to start the week. Ramirez and Michael Conforto are probably going to start three or four games each, while the rest of the Cubs regulars should start five or six games.
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds lost Spencer Steer to a partial tear in the sheath of his wrist. Steer is going to attempt to see if the injury can heal on its own, as surgery would end his season. Fantasy managers can hold for now if they have the roster space, but this does not seem likely to end well. Cincinnati has gotten Matt McLain back from the IL after a three-week absence. McLain has started at second base and hit ninth in all three games since his return. The Reds may make multiple moves before their week kicks off on Tuesday. For now, most of their regulars should be worthy of starting. Cincinnati will face four right-handed starting pitchers among their six Week 20 opponents.
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies are another team that could sell off some offensive pieces before Week 20 commences. They play on Monday, so fantasy managers relying on Rockies hitters will have to keep their eyes peeled and their ears on the ground. Colorado activated Brenton Doyle from the Injured List on Friday. Doyle had been out since May with a groin injury. He could be a sneaky waiver wire add depending on how Colorado navigates the trade deadline. Doyle averaged 19 home runs and 24 stolen bases over the past two seasons before this year’s disaster class. If he can work his way back into regular playing time, he could offer some counting category production. The Rockies are expected to face four right-handed starting pitchers among their six total games this week.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the road for six games this week. They are scheduled to face three righties and three lefties. The Dodgers don’t necessarily have strict platoons. However, Miguel Rojas has started five straight games in which Los Angeles has faced a lefty. Kike Hernandez has also started three consecutive contests overall, including two in a row versus lefties. Neither player is likely to start enough to warrant fantasy consideration in weekly formats but could be serviceable options in daily leagues and DFS. Max Muncy has only started one of the last four games against left-handed starting pitchers. That makes him a tough player to start in weekly leagues.
Miami Marlins
Miami activated Owen Caissie from the Injured List on Saturday. Caissie missed three weeks with a calf injury. Heriberto Hernandez has started every game since July 8, which was Caissie’s last start. He has played well, but the Marlins could have Caissie join Jakob Marsee and Griffin Conine in the outfield when the team faces a right-handed starting pitcher. They also may opt to go with a four-man rotation regardless of who the opposing pitcher is. This feels like a situation where all four players could start four or five games this week. The Marlins are off on Monday before they begin a six-game week. They will bookend the week by facing left-handed starters on Tuesday and Sunday. The other four games will be against righties.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers acquired catcher Bo Naylor from Cleveland, trading away Blake Perkins in the deal. Perkins had not started a game since being called up from the Minors during the All-Star break, and the Brewers have William Contreras and Gary Sanchez, so the move doesn’t move the needle much for fantasy purposes. They also activated outfielder Brandon Lockridge from the 60-day IL. Lockridge led off for a spell earlier in the year, but I can’t imagine that happening based on the current lineup construction. Lockridge is destined to ride the pine most of the time. The Brewers are home all week and will play seven games, six of which will come against right-handers. Most of their regulars hit from the left side, so keep them locked into weekly lineups.
New York Mets
The New York Mets are also in sell mode, so their roster could look somewhat different a week from now. However, the top of their lineup should remain intact barring any major injuries. New York does not appear willing to trade shortstop Francisco Lindor. Lindor has picked up his production of late and should continue to hit second in the lineup most of the time. He and Bo Bichette should continue to hit in between leadoff man A.J. Ewing and cleanup hitter Carson Benge. Catcher Francisco Alvarez is the only Mets hitter to start at least five of the team’s last six games. The Mets begin an extended road trip with six games away from Citi Field in Week 20. They will face five right-handed starters and one left-hander.
Philadelphia Phillies
Whether or not the Philadelphia Phillies get the help many feel they need at the deadline is yet to be determined. But there is little argument that they have an incredibly favorable hitting schedule next week. The Phillies are home for seven games, and most of them will be against extremely hittable pitchers. Six of the seven games are scheduled versus right-handed starting pitchers. Philadelphia rides their regulars, and fantasy managers should follow suit this week. The only position on the diamond where the Phillies are likely to split time is in right field. Bryan De La Cruz and Gabriel Rincones Jr. have each started three of the team’s last six games. Every other regular Phillies hitter should be considered a starter in weekly lineups.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Ryan O’Hearn has had a renaissance in Pittsburgh this season. However, fantasy managers will probably have to move on after O’Hearn suffered a quad injury on Friday night. He is expected to be out for six to eight weeks. The Pirates have used catchers Endy Rodriguez and Rafael Flores Jr. at first base in each of the last two games, but a roster move may be on the horizon. Pittsburgh recently called up outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia from Triple-A. Garcia has started two of four games, batting eighth and ninth in the lineup. This week, the Pirates will play seven games. Five are expected to come against right-handed starters, though Freddy Peralta is unlikely to be a member of the New York Mets by the time the teams square off on Friday.
San Diego Padres
San Diego has a full seven-game week in store in Week 20. For those in leagues with mid-week lineup changes, the Padres post a potential challenge. Three of the four games they play to start the week will be against left-handed starters. Gavin Sheets and Jake Cronenworth may not start more than two games apiece during this period. Over the weekend, the Padres will face three right-handed starting pitchers. Regardless, Luis Rengifo continues to be a revelation for both San Diego and fantasy managers. Rengifo has started seven consecutive games at four different positions. Three of those starts occurred in left field. Rengifo has now started five games in the outfield and could gain eligibility there in the next couple of weeks in leagues with 10-game thresholds.
San Francisco Giants
Casey Schmitt is another player whose breakout 2026 campaign may have come to a premature end. Schmitt will require surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his knee. This is also another situation where a player suffered an injury right before a potential trade. Christian Koss has started five straight games in Schmitt’s place at third base but has yet to hit higher than eighth in any of those outings. The Giants have bumped up Jung Hoo Lee and Willy Adames a spot each with Schmitt out. Lee is now primarily hitting fifth while Adames bats sixth. Grant McCray has earned regular playing time in the outfield this week. McCray struggles making contact but is a toolsy player who could earn more playing time down the stretch for San Francisco. The Giants have Thursday off and will face four righties and two lefties this week.
St. Louis Cardinals
While the top of the St. Louis Cardinals lineup has remained consistent, there has been some movement towards the bottom. Blaze Jordan and Jose Fermin have each made multiple starts at third base this week. Fermin has also started three straight games in the outfield when the Cardinals have faced a left-handed starter. Lars Nootbaar and Nathan Church have each started just one of those three games. This week, St. Louis will face four right-handed starting pitchers and two left-handers. They will have Thursday off. I expect Nootbaar to start five games overall this week, while Church will either start four or five. I’m not sure if that will be enough to warrant starting either in weekly formats. If picking between the two, I would prioritize Nootbaar.
Washington Nationals
Under normal circumstances, you would never consider benching a player who has been a borderline top-25 fantasy hitter for the season. However, this is not a normal week for fantasy managers banking on Luis Garcia Jr. of the Washington Nationals. I’m not saying you must bench Garcia. I am just saying you may have to consider it. There is a good probability that Washington trades Garcia before Monday’s trade deadline, so it is hard to envision Garcia being on the field for seven games. Even if the team keeps Garcia, the Nationals are facing three left-handed starting pitchers. At the very least, Garcia will lose one or two starts during those three games. Brady House has started three of the last four games at third base and should continue to earn more playing time in the coming weeks.
Fantrax is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites in the fantasy sports industry, and we’re not stopping anytime soon. We are the most customizable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich platform in the industry, offering the greatest fantasy experience for your dynasty, keeper, redraft, and best ball leagues. Fantasy sports doesn’t sleep, and neither does Fantrax, with seasons running 365 days a year. Take your fantasy leagues to the next level now at Fantrax.com!
