There are some interesting tidbits in this week’s National League schedule for fantasy baseball managers to consider. Only three teams will play more than six games barring any postponements. However, two of those three teams will play eight games, including a doubleheader beginning on Monday afternoon. There is also a day game on Friday for fantasy managers to keep in mind. Neither Monday’s nor Friday’s day game features the Chicago Cubs. We also have a Coors Field week upon us. That figures to benefit Colorado’s opponents more than them, but a few Rockies are on the radar. Below is this week’s fantasy baseball lineup analysis for the National League. It features all the latest roster moves, injury news, and lineup changes for all 15 teams.
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NL Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis for Week 22
Arizona Diamondbacks
Ketel Marte left Friday’s game due to knee soreness and did not suit up for Saturday’s game. The Diamondbacks are on the East Coast to start the week, so we should know Marte’s status relatively early on Monday even if he sits out again on Sunday. After their series in Boston, Arizona is off on Thursday and heads home to host Cincinnati over the weekend. Overall, the Diamondbacks are scheduled to face five left-handed starting pitchers in six total games. Nolan Arenado has been hot lately and could be in for a big week. Lars Nootbaar and Max Kepler should be kept on fantasy benches this week. They will lose considerable playing time to Ildemaro Vargas and Tyler Locklear. Vargas could be a sneaky streaming option in deeper leagues.
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta is the only National League team scheduled for exactly seven games in Week 22. The Braves will spend the week in three different cities. That comes because of Thursday’s makeup game in Chicago against the White Sox. Atlanta’s rotation has tightened in recent weeks. Dominic Smith has only started one of the team’s last five games versus right-handed starters. Instead, Ronald Acuna and Drake Baldwin have spent time as Atlanta’s designated hitters in place of a day off. Ha-Seong Kim remains fastened to the bench despite the recent release of Jorge Mateo. Atlanta has opted to shift Mauricio Dubon to shortstop and start Lane Thomas in left field in each of their last two games versus left-handed starting pitchers. This week, the Braves will face five right-handed starters and two lefties.
Chicago Cubs
Michael Conforto has started four consecutive games versus right-handed starting pitchers for the Chicago Cubs. He has performed well, so that should continue next week when the Cubs face exclusively right-handers. Tyrone Taylor will most likely be coming off the bench for most of the week. Chicago has tried to get Pedro Ramirez into the lineup, starting him in three of the last four games. However, this feels like a situation where the team is trying to give some of their regulars a day off during the dog days of summer, rather than an organic increase in Ramirez’s role. I would be surprised to see him start more than two or three games this week. The Cubs are off on Thursday before heading out west.
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds host the St. Louis Cardinals for five games that include a doubleheader on Monday as part of an eight-game week. They will face four left-handers and four righties. When looking at Cincinnati’s recent lineup configurations, it is hard to see any straight platoon situations. The closest would probably be Hector Rodriguez and Noelvi Marte in right field. If I had to start one for Week 22, I would prefer Marte. Rodriguez has just two hits in 24 at-bats, so his playing time is far from guaranteed. The Reds recalled Michael Toglia from the Minor Leagues. But he has only started twice in five games despite all five being against right-handed starters. He and TJ Friedl are most likely looking at two or three starts each this week.
Colorado Rockies
Hunter Goodman has missed two straight games due to an inflamed shoulder. The ailment does not seem serious, so Goodman should be fine for the week. Colorado recalled former top prospect Zac Veen and designated Edouard Julien for assignment. The Rockies placed Tyler Freeman on the 10-day Injured List and Kyle Karros on the 7-day IL. They called up Connor Norby and Adael Amador to replace the injured players on the roster. Norby could be an interesting streamer this week. The Rockies are home for six games sandwiched around an off day on Thursday. They will face four left-handed starting pitchers and only two right-handers. Norby is Colorado’s only right-handed bat besides Goodman, unless you count Ezequiel Tovar. Conversely, I would drop Mickey Moniak and TJ Rumfield a notch in weekly rankings. Both may miss multiple starts.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers play three games in Colorado to start the week. I’m not sure what else needs to be said there. Los Angeles has somehow faced 10 left-handed starting pitchers in their last 15 games. That tide will turn in the more traditional direction in Week 22 when the Dodgers face five right-handers and a lone lefty. They have Thursday off. Miguel Rojas and Kike Hernandez have each started three of the team’s last seven games. But given their upcoming schedule, I would not expect more than one or two starts from either player. Hunter Feduccia and Ben Rortvedt have been splitting duties behind the plate. Still, I can’t imagine many fantasy managers needing to dive that deep into the pool, even in two-catcher leagues.
Miami Marlins
Miami placed outfielder Kyle Stowers on the IL due to a hamstring injury. He is likely out until the beginning of September. Fantasy managers may have to decide on an individual basis whether to hold onto him or not. The Marlins recalled Graham Pauley, but there is nothing to see here from a fantasy perspective. Pauley is hitting .196 with one home run and one stolen base in over 100 plate appearances. With Stowers out, Jakob Marsee has led off in three straight games. Marsee is hitting .212 and has been caught stealing a dozen times this season. However, he’s been very good in August, including a four-hit game on Saturday. You can find worse players to stream this week. The Marlins are off on Thursday and will bookend their week by facing left-handed starting pitchers on both Monday and Sunday.
Milwaukee Brewers
Brice Turang has missed three straight games with a knee injury. I don’t think he would start against Tarik Skubal on Sunday anyway, and the Brewers are off Monday. This could put fantasy managers in a bind heading into next week. Garrett Mitchell gets the biggest lineup bump versus right-handed starters with Turang on the shelf. William Contreras has been hitting anywhere from fifth through seventh this week as he has been stuck in a rut at the plate. Contreras has been one of the steadiest backstops for several years, so we have to hope he gets back on the right track in short order. Andrew Vaughn is finally earning regular playing time but has struggled a bit in the process. Milwaukee is home all week and will face five right-handed starting pitchers.
New York Mets
The New York Mets appear to be dying on the Jorge Polanco hill. He has started five of the last eight games despite posting a .424 OPS this season. For comparison purposes, Yordan Alvarez has a .436 on-base percentage this year. In Polanco’s defense, his base hit did help the Mets rally on Saturday for a comeback victory. But it has been a rough year all around for Polanco and the Mets. A.J. Ewing remains in the leadoff spot, but he has struggled lately. I wouldn’t be shocked if New York dropped him down in the order temporarily or even gave him a day or two off this week. The Mets are off on Thursday and will face five right-handed starting pitchers and one left-hander in Week 22.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are home for six games this week and will face a right-handed starting pitcher in all six. Based on that, we should know what to expect on Don Mattingly’s lineup card. Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm have both enjoyed recent success at the plate. Stott has hit between fifth and seventh over the past few days, while Bohm has batted eighth, sixth, and fifth in his last three games. Either way, fantasy managers should start both players in most formats. Interestingly, Justin Crawford leads the team in batting average at home versus right-handed pitchers this season. He has a higher on-base percentage than Brandon Marsh and a higher OPS than Trea Turner in that split. Crawford could be in for a productive week both at the dish and on the basepaths.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Jake Mangum has been dropped from the leadoff spot to the seventh spot in the batting order across the last three games. Spencer Horwitz led off when the Pirates faced a right-handed starter, while Nick Gonzales did so when the team squared off with a lefty. Pittsburgh finally placed Endy Rodriguez on the Injured List after trying to wait out his latest physical ailment. Henry Davis and Rafael Flores Jr. should split catching duties, but neither is a recommended fantasy starter. The Pirates are off Thursday and will face three lefties and three righties in Week 22. Ronny Simon batted second in each of Pittsburgh’s last two games versus left-handed starters. Simon could be an interesting weekly streamer in deeper leagues but is probably best suited for daily leagues and DFS.
San Diego Padres
Since signing Austin Hays last weekend, the San Diego Padres have not made any significant changes to their active roster on the hitting side. Hays will continue to start versus left-handed starting pitchers and hit in the lower half of the lineup. The only true platoon situation with the Padres’ present composition is a cross-platoon involving Hays and Gavin Sheets. Sheets is the team’s regular designated hitter versus right-handed starters, while Hays plays left field. When Hays starts, San Diego has been using the DH spot as a quasi-day off for some of their everyday players. This week, the Padres will face four right-handers and two lefties. I would expect the playing time split between Sheets and Hays to continue in Sheets’ favor given that schedule. San Diego is off on Thursday.
San Francisco Giants
Willy Adames has been out of the lineup for two straight games with a mild lower back strain. The Giants are off on Monday, so fantasy managers should have a contingency plan for Adames just in case. Christian Koss has shifted over to shortstop, while Buddy Kennedy has started at third base with Adames out. San Francisco activated Victor Bericoto from the IL this week. He has started three of four games in left field since coming back and has hit fourth or fifth in the lineup. The Giants optioned both Grant McCray and Nate Furman to the Minor Leagues. They called up Jonah Cox and Turner Hill in corresponding moves. Cox led off on Friday against a lefty and could be an intriguing streamer for those needing speed. San Francisco faces four lefties following an off day on Monday.
St. Louis Cardinals
I scoured the news feed to see if anything noteworthy happened with any St. Louis Cardinals prospects but couldn’t find anything unless you count Joshua Baez homering in his first THREE Major League at-bats! Congratulations to any fantasy baseball managers who pounced on the waiver wire to acquire Baez’s services. For those with any money left in their FAAB budgets, prepare to empty the clip this weekend. We’ve probably seen his best game of the season, but Baez has all the tools fantasy managers covet. He has 54 homers and 75 stolen bases across 220 Minor League games dating back to last season. Did I mention that St. Louis plays eight games this week? Enjoy. Five of the Cardinals’ eight games this week are scheduled to be started by right-handed opposing pitchers.
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals announced that they will move CJ Abrams to second base. Depending on how soon this transition occurs, it may benefit fantasy managers more next season than this year. Abrams has been leading off against right-handed starters and hitting cleanup versus left-handers. Expect him at the top of Washington’s lineup with regularity in Week 22. The Nationals are off on Monday, then face six consecutive right-handed starting pitchers. Abimelec Ortiz should continue to bat directly behind Abrams. Some combination of Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile, Jose Tena, and Brady House is most likely to man the third through sixth spots in the batting order, although Jorbit Vivas could factor into that mix as well. Keibert Ruiz should get most of the work over Harry Ford behind the plate.
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