Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis: NL 07/14

National League lineup analysis is back for the third week in a row on Fantrax. The five hottest hitters in the NL over the past two weeks have been Brenton Doyle, Ian Happ, Jesus Sanchez, Will Smith, and Marcell Ozuna. A solid mix of reliable veterans and young players making a name for themselves. Keep reading for news and notes on all 15 lineups across the National League.

Please note that this article is finalized the day prior to publish. I will do my best to update the information as it comes in later that night.

Fantasy Baseball Lineup Takeaways: NL Edition

National League East

Philadelphia Phillies

• Kyle Schwarber is back from the IL
  • Schwarber only needed the minimum stay on the IL before returning to the Phillies lineup
  • His return has shifted Bryson Stott back to fifth in the lineup with Schwarber reclaiming the leadoff role
  • With Schwarber back, the Phillies have opted to keep Johan Rojas on the Major League roster and DFA’d David Dahl
  • Rojas is playing most days batting ninth in most games
• Bryce Harper is also back from the IL
  • Harper returned to the lineup with Schwarber on Tuesday
  • He suffered another small injury scare to his hand but only missed one game before rejoining the Phillies’ lineup on Thursday
  • With Harper back, the team optioned Kody Clemens to Triple-A
• The Phillies Released Whit Merrifield
  • The signing of Merrifield never worked out for the Phillies who will cut their losses and move on
  • Merrifield was not getting consistent playing time but this should provide more consistent at-bats for guys like Edmundo Sosa to be the primary option against left-handed pitching
  • Weston Wilson was recalled from Triple-A and figures to get into the lineup against lefties

Miami Marlins

• Dane Myers has seen his playing time increase
  • Myers is still not a mainstay in the Marlins’ lineup, but he is playing a bit more often as the team searches for a spark
  • He has a solid barrel rate and three stolen bases but is also striking out more than 30% of the time
  • He could continue to see more playing time over Nick Gordon but is not worth rostering
• Xavier Edwards is batting second in the lineup
  • Edwards has taken over as the everyday shortstop for Miami after the team DFA’d Tim Anderson
  • In a small sample size, Edwards is batting over .300 and is showing off a plus hit tool
  • He does not have much power but will provide consistent at-bats if you are looking for that in fantasy
• Jazz Chisholm could get traded
  • Rumor has it that the Marlins are open to dealing away Chisholm who has been serving as the team’s leadoff hitter
  • If Chisholm is traded, Dane Myers could step in but it would likely lead to the promotion of Victor Mesa from Triple-A

Atlanta Braves

• Eddie Rosario is back with the Braves
  • After being released by the Nationals, Rosario has latched on with the Braves and was promoted from Triple-A earlier this past week
  • Since being promoted, Rosario has been serving as the everyday left fielder and batting seventh in Atlanta’s lineup
  • He has not shown any signs yet of snapping out of his struggles, but this situation is worth keeping an eye on
  • Eli White has moved back into a bench role with Rosario joining the lineup
• Sean Murphy is batting eighth in the lineup
  • Murphy got off to a slow start after spending two months on the IL, but is starting to regain his timing at the dish
  • Since June 19, Murphy is batting right around .300 with four homers
  • He is locked in as Atlanta’s primary catcher and should move back up in the lineup as the season moves along
• Adam Duvall has been swinging a hot bat since the start of July
  • Duvall is playing every day and has moved up to sixth in the lineup
  • He has hit two home runs since July 7. He is not going to provide much batting average but is a solid source of power if you need that
  • Once Michael Harris is finally back, Duvall and Rosario are likely to split playing time in the third outfield spot

Washington Nationals

• Juan Yepez is getting run as the everyday first baseman
  • With Joey Meneses down in Triple-A, the Nationals are giving Yepez a chance to prove he is capable of handling everyday playing time.
  • He has primarily been batting seventh in the lineup against righties and moving up a bit with a lefty on the mound
  • There is significant power here but the biggest key for Yepez will be keeping his strikeout rate in check
• Trey Lipscomb is back up from Triple-A
  • Lipscomb is back for another round at the Major League level
  • With Lipscomb coming up, Nick Senzel was sent down to Triple-A
  • Lipscomb has stolen 10 bases in just 44 games so far this season but has not contributed much else offensively
  • Batting eighth in Washington’s lineup, Lipscomb is not worth adding in fantasy leagues at this point

New York Mets

• Brandon Nimmo is a top-tier outfield option
  • One of my favorite draft picks from this season, Nimmo is crushing the ball lately and helping fantasy managers everywhere
  • He is up to 16 home runs already this season and is a perfect 8/8 on the base paths so far
  • Since June 14, Nimmo is batting over .330 with nine homers and a wRC+ over 200. He should be a top outfield option for the remainder of the season
• The Mets do not have a clear third outfielder
  • With Starling Marte on the IL, the team continues to rotate between Tyrone Taylor, Ben Gamel, and DJ Stewart out in the outfield
  • None of the three players are producing offensively with Stewart especially struggling
  • Jeff McNeil has been getting more starts out in the outfield with Jose Iglesias jumping in at second base
  • This could be the Mets’ preferred option until Marte returns

National League Central

Chicago Cubs

• Cody Bellinger is on the IL
  • Bellinger landed on the IL with a fractured finger opening up an extra lineup spot
  • The team promoted Alexander Canario from Triple-A who figures to at least get into the lineup against lefties
  • The Cubs’ first path forward seems to be playing Miles Mastrobuoni at third base and allowing Christopher Morel to be the DH
• Tomas Nido has been getting more of the playing time at catcher
  • Miguel Amaya had been previously serving as the everyday catcher for Chicago but is batting under .200 on the season and has a wRC+ below 40 since the start of June
  • Nido has been batting toward the bottom of the lineup with a career wRC+ below 60
  • Neither one of these players is worth rostering in fantasy but Moises Ballesteros down in Triple-A is worth keeping an eye on
• Dansby Swanson is moving up in the lineup
  • Swanson had been pushed down to eighth in the lineup but is now batting sixth in most games this past week
  • 2024 has been a struggle for Swanson but he has three multi-hit performances in the past week hopefully a sign of things to come
  • Swanson’s barrel rate has been elevated since the start of July and he should see some positive regression to his BABIP in the coming weeks

St. Louis Cardinals

• Lars Nootbaar is back from the IL
  • Nootbaar returned from the lineup on Monday and he has been batting seventh in the lineup
  • Nootbaar figures to play every day and sit occasionally against lefties. He is worth rostering in fantasy, especially OBP leagues
  • With Nootbaar back, Matt Carpenter has moved back into a bench role with Alec Burleson serving as the DH
• Speaking of Alec Burleson, he has been red-hot
  • Burleson is up to 15 home runs on the season including three since the start of July
  • He has hit safely in nine of ten games and is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon
  • Burleson is doing everything right at the plate and his success looks completely sustainable. If he is still somehow available, he is a must-add

Milwaukee Brewers

• Jackson Chourio is batting leadoff against lefties
  • Chourio continues to bat low in the lineup against righties but his strong play has earned him a more favorable lineup spot against lefties
  • Since June 23, Chourio is batting well over .300 with two homers and two stolen bases
  • His quality of contact is still underwhelming, but he is striking out less which is an excellent sign for a young hitter
• Sal Frelick is moving up in the lineup
  • Frelick had been batting seventh most games for Milwaukee but has been batting fifth over the past week
  • He has seen his average climb steadily since the middle of June and is striking out less than 10% of the time since June 23
  • Frelick is playing against about 50% of lefties and Rhys Hoskins has slid back to sixth in the order
• Joey Ortiz is back from the IL
  • Ortiz returned to the lineup on Friday and hit eighth in his return
  • Prior to landing on the IL, Ortiz was scuffling at the plate but should be locked into the lineup on a regular basis moving forward
  • With Ortiz returning, Andruw Monesterio has moved back into a bench role

Cincinnati Reds

• Rece Hinds was called up from Triple-A
  • Hinds made his Major League debut on Monday and proceeded to hit his first Major League home run
  • Since being promoted, Hinds has been batting toward the bottom of the lineup but is up to three homers and two steals already
  • Hinds’ power and speed have never been in question. His raw tools are a dream for fantasy managers. The issue is that he struggles to keep his strikeout rate in check and is unlikely to hit enough to stay in the Major Leagues
  • Stuart Fairchild was placed on the IL in a corresponding move
• Nick Martini was placed on the IL
  • Martini had been getting a lot of time at first base but was forced to undergo thumb surgery
  • In his absence, Jeimer Candelario is likely to handle the majority of first-base duties
  • Edwin Rios was also promoted from Triple-A, but he is not worth rostering and is unlikely to receive consistent playing time
• The team traded for Austin Slater
  • With three outfielders on the IL, this is as much a move for depth as anything
  • Slater has been in the lineup twice since being acquired on Sunday both times against a lefty
  • He figures to serve on the short side of the platoon with Will Benson but is not worth adding in fantasy leagues

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Joshua Palacios is getting everyday playing time
  • Palacios has been serving as the team’s everyday right fielder batting sixth in the lineup
  • He has two home runs already and is showing off solid skills that make him an intriguing add in deep leagues
  • The biggest hurdle for Palacios will be elevating the ball enough to consistently tap into his raw power which has been an issue for him throughout his professional career
• Oneil Cruz survived an injury scare
  • Cruz suffered a hamstring injury on Monday and was forced to miss two games in a row earlier this week
  • He returned to the lineup on Thursday and appears healthy moving forward
  • A high strikeout rate continues to be the kryptonite for Cruz who besides that is an excellent fantasy asset. Fantasy managers just should not expect much in the batting average department from Cruz
• Joey Bart is getting extended run as the everyday catcher
  • Bart is getting almost all of the playing time over Yasmani Grandal and has been batting all over the back half of the lineup
  • Since returning from the IL on June 30, Bart is batting under .200 with just one home run
  • He is unlikely to continue receiving such consistent playing time if his struggles continue

National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers

• James Outman has stepped back into the lineup against righties
  • Outman seems to be on the strong side of a platoon with Miguel Vargas batting sixth or seventh since returning from Triple-A
  • While Outman’s Triple-A numbers certainly looked better, he was still struggling to control his strikeout rate which is likely to continue causing issues at the Major League level
  • Vargas drew three straight starts earlier this week and has looked solid in his limited plate appearances this year. He would be worth adding if the Dodgers decide to give him more playing time at some point
• Miguel Rojas is hitting for a solid average
  • Rojas continues to play every day with Mookie Betts on the IL and is batting sixth in the lineup
  • Since June 22, Rojas is batting over .300
  • Rojas is not going to provide much power but will provide consistent at-bats and solid batting average for fantasy managers

San Diego Padres

• The Padres are rotating the catcher position between three players
  • Kyle Higashioka, Luis Campusano, and Brett Sullivan are all getting at-bats at catcher with none playing consistently
  • Higashioka has the largest share of playing time and Campusano has the most upside for fantasy managers
  • Higashioka has 11 homers already this season although his home run rate is due for serious regression
• Xander Bogaerts is back from the IL
  • Bogaerts returned to the lineup on Friday and hit fifth
  • He holds a lot of name value, but owned a wRC+ below 75 prior to his IL sting. He is no longer an elite fantasy asset
  • With Bogaerts back from the IL, Donovan Solano is moving into more of a bench role

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Gabriel Moreno is moving up in the lineup
  • Moreno has been batting second multiple times this week and could stick there
  • Since returning from the IL on July 2, Moreno has hit safely in all but one start and is walking more than he is striking out
  • Although he is not going to contribute a ton of home runs, Moreno is a solid add in OBP leagues and is locked in as Arizona’s starting catcher
• Finally, Eugenio Suarez is breaking out
  • Suarez’s 2024 season has gotten off to a dreadful start, but he is showing signs of life and inching back up in the D-Back’s lineup
  • He has hit three home runs in the past week and is batting over .300 since June 28
  • His barrel rate is creeping up and he should continue to hit for solid power. Fantasy managers should not expect him to continue batting over .300 however
• Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is dealing with soreness
  • The team has not specified where the soreness is just that Gurriel is dealing with general soreness
  • With the All-Star Break just a few days away, the team could opt to give Gurriel the rest of the first half off. This injury should not impact Gurriel after the ASB
  • With Gurriel out of the lineup, Randal Grichuk is getting some additional playing time

San Francisco Giants

• Thairo Estrada is back from the IL
  • Estrada returned to the Giants lineup on Tuesday and has been batting primarily in the back half
  • The stolen bases have disappeared this season for Estrada after he stole 23 last year. If he is not going to run, then he is not worth rostering outside of 15+ team leagues
  • In a corresponding move, the team released Nick Ahmed allowing Brett Wisely to remain in the lineup at shortstop
  • Wisely continues to play every day and is batting ninth in the lineup
• Michael Conforto could be breaking out of the platoon
  • With a lefty on the mound Tuesday, Conforto remained in the lineup even moving up in the lineup to third
  • The team trading away Austin Slater has given them one less right-handed outfield bat which is a good thing for Conforto
  • Since June 25, Conforto is batting over .270 with a slugging percentage over .600. He is worth picking up if he is still available in any leagues

Colorado Rockies

• Brenton Doyle is moving up in the lineup
  • Doyle has been white hot at the plate recently and is getting to hit in more favorable positions because of it
  • He is now up to 14 home runs and 20 stolen bases on the year with seven of his home runs coming since the start of July
  • At the center of this outburst is a significantly lower strikeout rate which could take Doyle’s fantasy value to new heights. He has significant power and elite speed so any positives in his batting average would be an excellent sign
• Nolan Jones was scratched from the lineup on Friday
  • The Rockies did not provide a reason for why Jones was removed from the lineup, but the situation is worth monitoring
  • Jones has not hit a home run since June 21 and has not stolen a base since June 15
  • If you are still holding onto Jones, it is fine to move on at this point
• Michael Toglia is up to 13 home runs
  • Toglia has appeared in only 50 games but is producing solid power numbers and getting everyday playing time now
  • Strikeouts continue to be a major issue for Toglia who is unlikely to ever hit for much batting average
  • If you can take the hit on batting average, Toglia profiles to be a strong source of power production moving forward