Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis: NL 07/26

The trade deadline is almost upon us. With players switching teams, prospects being called up, and injuries occurring on a constant basis, keeping up with the latest lineup trends can be difficult for even the most savvy fantasy baseball players. This article aims to help ease that burden. The article below details the latest news, notes, and trends from all 15 National League lineups. This should give fantasy baseball players all of the information they need to stay up to date. The five hottest hitters in the National League since the start of July have been: Kyle Stowers, Mickey Moniak, Will Smith, Willy Adames, and Bryce Harper. The five coldest hitters in the National League over the past two weeks have been: Nick Allen, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds, Mookie Betts, and Michael Harris II.

Fantasy Baseball Lineup Takeaways: NL Edition

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

National League East

Philadelphia Phillies

• Alec Bohm is out with a rib injury
  • Bohm suffered this injury prior to the All-Star Break, played in one game after the break, and then landed on the IL with a rib fracture
  • With Bohm out of the lineup, Otto Kemp is serving as the team’s primary third baseman with Edmundo Sosa rotating in on occasion
  • Kemp is batting .256 with two homers for the Phillies this season. He has strong batted ball data, but his hit tool is a major red flag that limits his fantasy value
• Brandon Marsh is moving up in the lineup
  • Marsh has been batting sixth as of late while also staying in the lineup against lefties
  • Offensively, Marsh has been inconsistent. He got off to a slow start, hit well upon returning from the IL, but is also slashing .200/.273/.260 since the start of July
  • Part of his recent struggles are poor luck, but he should not be rostered in leagues shallower than 15+ teams. The addition of a right-handed bat could force Marsh back into a platoon role following the trade deadline
• Bryson Stott and Max Kepler have slid down in the lineup
  • With Marsh moving up, Bryson Stott is now batting ninth. Max Kepler is batting eighth. Both players are platooning
  • Stott broke out of his slump on Wednesday with a home run. His stolen bases continue to provide fantasy value, although his offensive inconsistencies are frustrating to deal with
  • Kepler’s days as the starting left fielder appear to be numbered. He is batting just .195 in the month of July and is a DFA candidate, depending on how the trade deadline goes

Miami Marlins

• Kyle Stowers continues to swing a hot bat
  • The trade with the Orioles has been everything that Miami could have asked for and more so far
  • In 96 games this season, Stowers has hit 22 home runs and is batting .295. He has hit six home runs since July 13
  • Stowers’ power is legit. He has a barrel rate over 20% with an average exit velocity of over 90 mph. He is a 30+ homer bat. The flip side is that his batting average is due for serious regression. Expect more .240/.250 with power compared to .295 the rest of the way
• Graham Pauley is serving as the everyday third baseman
  • Connor Norby is on the IL after undergoing surgery on his hamate
  • With Norby out of the lineup, Pauley was recalled from Triple-A and has been serving as the primary third baseman. He is batting eighth in the lineup on the strong side of a platoon
  • Pauley’s playing time has been limited, but he is batting just .208 in 33 games with the Marlins this season. Pauley’s plate discipline has improved this season, but his batted ball data leaves plenty to be desired
• Eric Wagaman has lost his starting lineup spot
  • Wagaman was one of the bright spots early on for Miami, but his inconsistency at the plate has pushed him out of a starting spot
  • Liam Hicks has taken over as the primary first baseman, forcing Wagaman to split time with Heriberto Hernandez
  • Hernandez is batting .326 with three homers in 34 games this season but is running an unsustainable .433 BABIP, which is due for serious regression. Neither player is worth rostering in fantasy

Atlanta Braves

• Marcell Ozuna is clearly not a part of the Braves’ future plans
  • With the Braves struggling this season, Ozuna is fully expected to be traded at this year’s deadline
  • The team has moved Ozuna into a bench role, opting to give consistent playing time to both Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin
  • Despite Ozuna’s lackluster slash line, he still has 13 homers while underperforming all of his expected metrics. Now could be a good time to acquire Ozuna, as he should step back into an everyday role once traded to a new team
• Austin Riley is back from a brief IL stint
  • Riley landed on the IL just prior to the All-Star Break with an abdominal injury, but returned to the Braves’ lineup this weekend
  • Riley is batting .274 with 14 homers on the season, but should see positive regression to his home run rate in the second half of this season
  • With Riley back in the lineup, Nacho Alvarez has lost his starting role
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has shifted down to third in the lineup
  • The Braves are trying to find a spark and have shifted Jurickson Profar back up to the leadoff spot, moving Acuna down to third
  • In 32 games sandwiched around his suspension, Profar has hit three homers and is batting .235. This move in the lineup should result in more run-scoring chances, but he is not super valuable in leagues shallower than 14 teams
  • While the move to third in the lineup could result in fewer runs, it will give Acuna more RBI chances and does not really change the value of one of the game’s premier fantasy options

Washington Nationals

• Josh Bell has been batting higher in the lineup
  • Bell has been batting fifth or sixth for most of the season, but has been batting third in the lineup lately
  • A prime trade candidate, Bell has been swinging a hot bat in the month of July, slashing .358/.452/.566 with two home runs
  • If Bell is dealt at the deadline, Andres Chaparro is most likely to fill the role of DH for the remainder of the season
• The Nationals may be giving Luis Garcia some run against lefties in the second half
  • Garcia has been used primarily as a platoon player throughout the 2025 season, but he stayed in the lineup and hit seventh in the team’s first game against a lefty following the All-Star Break
  • He has received just 59 plate appearances against lefties this season and is batting .200 against them on the year
  • While Garcia should not be expected to contribute much against lefties, his inclusion in the lineup would be of value to his overall fantasy value and counting stats
• Brady House has picked things up offensively after a slow start
  • Since the start of July, House is slashing .321/.328/.482. He has also hit his first two home runs of the season
  • House’s calling card throughout his professional career has been power. His batting average has been anything but consistent. Fantasy managers should proceed with caution while adding him in leagues
  • House is extremely aggressive at the plate with underwhelming contact skills. He also hits a lot of ground balls, limiting his game power output

New York Mets

• Francisco Alvarez is back from Triple-A
  • Alvarez returned to the Mets’ lineup on Monday after spending one month down in the Minor Leagues
  • The Mets are hoping that Alvarez has found more consistency in his hit tool. While in Triple-A, Alvarez hit .270 with 11 homers in just 21 games
  • The issue is that strikeouts continued to be a large part of his profile in Triple-A. Alvarez has significant power, making him an attractive option for fantasy managers. However, his hit tool is a serious risk and could lead to plenty of cold streaks
• Brett Baty is not platooning to start the second half
  • Coming out of the break, Baty has been in the lineup for three of the four games in which the Mets have faced a lefty
  • Although Baty’s season-long numbers are underwhelming against lefties, he has earned this additional playing time thanks to his hot bat. Since July 4, Baty is slashing .343/.425/.657 with three homers and two stolen bases
  • More consistent playing time improves Baty’s overall fantasy value. He has turned into a solid fantasy asset after a disastrous start to his professional career
• Starling Marte is back from the IL and could factor into the playing time mix against lefties
  • Starling Marte was activated prior to the Mets’ game on Tuesday. He has played in one game against a lefty while sitting against a righty
  • Marte has been solely used as a DH this season and could eat into the playing time of Jeff McNeil and Mark Vientos (McNeil against lefties, Vientos against righties)
  • Marte’s return also solidifies Ronny Mauricio as a strictly platoon option. Mauricio has sat in the previous three games against a lefty and is batting just .219 on the season

National League Central

Chicago Cubs

• Carson Kelly is reclaiming his everyday playing time
  • Kelly’s fast start slowed down as the first half moved along, but he is back to playing every day in the second half
  • Kelly is serving as the primary catcher while also DHing on occasion and batting fourth or fifth in the lineup
  • He is up to 13 homers on the season, with four of them coming since July 4. He went homerless from May 24 to July 4. With regular playing time, Kelly is of value in leagues with 12+ catchers rostered
• Ian Happ has slid down in the lineup
  • After starting the season in the leadoff role, Happ has been batting between fifth and seventh as of late
  • Since the start of July, Happ is slashing .148/.278/.230. He has hit just one homer with zero stolen bases during that time frame
  • Happ’s struggles can really just be attributed to poor luck. All of his metrics look the same during that time, with more walks and fewer strikeouts. He is not getting any home run luck, and his BABIP is .170. He is an intriguing buy low although the move down in the lineup hurts his counting stats
• Matt Shaw is starting to get hot at the plate
  • After his Major League career got off to a slow start, Shaw’s perceived fantasy value tanked quickly, but should be bouncing back in a big way
  • The former first-round pick has hit safely in each game since the All-Star Break with three home runs
  • The most discouraging part of Shaw’s season has been the underwhelming batted ball data. He is barreling the ball up more lately, leading to this power surge

St. Louis Cardinals

• Jordan Walker is back from the IL
  • Walker returned to the Cardinals’ lineup for the first game of the second half after spending time on the IL
  • With Lars Nootbaar already on the IL, Walker has stepped back in as the everyday right fielder and is batting seventh in the lineup
  • Walker is batting just .225 on the season but has collected at least one hit in all but one game since the break. This is hopefully a sign of brighter days ahead. Fantasy managers should keep in mind that Walker is still only 23 years old
• Ivan Herrera is exclusively DHing since returning from the IL
  • Herrera returned to the Cardinals’ lineup just before the break and has been batting second since returning
  • Although Herrera has played 14 games at catcher this season, he is being used exclusively as the DH, with Pedro Pages continuing to handle the primary catcher duties
  • In 49 games, Herrera is batting .305 with a 146 wRC+. He should be considered a top fantasy option at catcher thanks to his four-category upside

Milwaukee Brewers

• Andrew Vaughn is getting regular playing time
  • Both Jake Bauers and Rhys Hoskins are on the IL, opening up playing time at first base and DH
  • The recently acquired Vaughn is up from Triple-A and serving as the everyday first baseman. He is batting sixth in the lineup
  • In 10 games with Milwaukee, Vaughn is batting .290 with two homers. He is walking more than he is striking out and is worth taking a shot on in leagues with 14+ teams
• Sal Frelick is also on the IL
  • The team placed Frelick on the IL during the All-Star Break due to a hamstring injury
  • With Frelick out, Blake Perkins has been getting additional playing time in the outfield with the team’s desire to keep Christian Yelich at DH
  • Perkins has been batting in the bottom third of the lineup and does not offer much upside in terms of fantasy value
• Caleb Durbin has sat out two of the past three games against righties
  • Durbin has been solid in 69 games this season with Milwaukee and is batting over .300 since the start of July. Still, he could be losing out on some playing time
  • Part of the issue is Durbin’s splits. He is batting .339 against lefties and .234 against righties. A 155 wRC+ versus a 93 wRC+
  • In his place, Anthony Seigler has been playing some third base. He was batting .277 in Triple-A and profiles as a high OBP guy with good speed. In his current playing time situation, he is not worth picking up

Cincinnati Reds

• Christian Encarnacion-Strand was optioned to Triple-A
  • Despite the hype as a prospect, CES has not been able to find much success at the Major League level
  • In 36 games this season, Encarnacion-Strand was batting .208 with six homers. A bit unlucky, Encarnacion-Strand’s aggression at the plate has been his downfall so far
  • With CES no longer on the roster, Spencer Steer has been the primary first baseman
• Jake Fraley is playing regularly on the strong side of a platoon
  • Fraley was activated from the IL just prior to the All-Star Break and has been batting eighth in the lineup
  • Fraley is coming off back-to-back seasons of 20+ stolen bases and has the speed to be impactful for fantasy managers. He will not provide much power, but does hold value in deeper leagues
  • Connor Joe should get the majority of Fraley’s at-bats against lefties as the team works him into the lineup
• Noelvi Marte is moving back up in the lineup
  • Marte missed two months on the IL and returned to hit ninth in the lineup primarily
  • Since returning from the All-Star Break, Marte has been batting sixth or seventh more frequently
  • Marte was red hot before landing on the IL and has continued to swing a hot bat since returning. He has hit three home runs since July 9 and should be rostered in all leagues

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Spencer Horwitz has moved into the leadoff spot in the lineup
  • After missing the early part of the season with injury, Horwitz was batting fourth before sliding to seventh, and is now moving up to the leadoff spot
  • Horwitz has been swinging it well coming out of the break, but his overall production has been disappointing. He is slashing .249/.317/.362 on the season
  • Although Horwitz should probably see his home run luck improve, the underlying numbers are underwhelming. He is not worth rostering outside of very deep formats
• Henry Davis and Joey Bart are splitting time at catcher
  • Neither player has been able to run away with the primary catcher’s role this season. Both players have started three games since the All-Star Break
  • In 50 games, Davis is batting .182 with four homers. A low BABIP is not entirely his fault, but there is not much value in his profile, regardless
  • Bart is batting .230 with one homer on the year. Neither player is worth rostering in fantasy
• Ke’Bryan Hayes is performing better as of late
  • Just in time for the trade deadline, Hays is starting to build some value up to his name
  • He is batting .243 on the season, but is batting .346 over his last 27 plate appearances
  • Under contract through 2029, Hayes is unlikely to get dealt. However, if he does, Liover Peguero was just promoted from Triple-A and would be in line to see his playing time increase

National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers

• James Outman could get more playing time down the stretch
  • Outman has been the team’s starting center fielder multiple times in the past week, batting ninth in the lineup
  • If Outman is going to step into a regular role, it is likely over Michael Conforto, who is batting just .185 on the season
  • Outman hit 23 homers with 16 stolen bases in 2023, but his hit tool is too inconsistent for him to turn into a reliable fantasy asset
• Hyeseong Kim is struggling offensively
  • Kim continues to serve as the team’s everyday second baseman with Max Muncy on the IL, but he has cooled off significantly as of late
  • Since July 1, Kim is batting .191 with a strikeout rate of 35.4%
  • Kim’s speed makes him an attractive fantasy option, but there is limited upside in the other categories. Miguel Rojas could start to see more playing time if Kim’s struggles continue

San Diego Padres

• Gavin Sheets could be switching back in the order
  • For a while, Jackson Merrill has been batting sixth for San Diego, while Gavin Sheets has been batting fourth
  • Sheets got off to a fast start to the year, but has hit just one homer since the start of July and is batting .206 during that time
  • Merrill has also been playing a bit better as of late, although he still has only homered (two) in one game since May 27
• Jose Iglesias could lose playing time following the trade deadline
  • The Padres are connected to just about every big bat available on the trade market
  • With that, the most likely scenario is the team acquiring a DH or first baseman. This would shift Jake Cronenworth back to second, and the mix of Bryce Johnson and Jose Iglesias to the bench
  • Neither Iglesias nor Johnson is worth rostering in fantasy leagues

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Adrian Del Castillo is up from Triple-A
  • Del Castillo has been used in a strict platoon since his promotion to the Major Leagues. He is sitting against lefties and starting at DH against righties
  • When playing, he has been batting sixth in the lineup while Blaze Alexander is playing against righties and batting eighth
  • While there are some concerns over his hit tool, Del Castillo offers significant offensive upside at the catcher position, similar to that of Ivan Herrera. He is worth adding in leagues with 14+ catchers rostered and daily lineup changes
• Will Eugenio Suarez get traded?
  • The assumption here is that Suarez is the best name on the market, and he is going to be dealt
  • If Suarez is traded, the long-term play is Jordan Lawlar but he is currently on the IL with a hamstring injury
  • This means that Blaze Alexander is the most likely fill-in at third base until Lawlar is healthy
• Josh Naylor was traded to Seattle
  • The first big move of the deadline was Naylor being traded to Seattle on Thursday night
  • With Naylor gone, a valuable run producer has been taken out of the lineup. Pavin Smith is most likely to serve as the first baseman once healthy, but he is on the IL with an oblique injury
  • For now, Tristin English was promoted from Triple-A and will fill in at first base. English was batting .340 with 13 home runs in Triple-A prior to his promotion

San Francisco Giants

• Rafael Devers is starting to play some first base
  • There has been more talk this season about Devers’ willingness to play first base than there has been about his actual performance
  • Well, for the first time in his career, Devers took the field at first base this week. This pushed Dom Smith to the bench and allowed Wilmer Flores to enter the lineup
  • It is worth noting that Bryce Eldridge is back healthy again down in Triple-A and projects as the team’s first baseman of the future. However, Devers adding first base eligibility would be a nice addition to his fantasy value
• Jung Hoo Lee has moved back up into the leadoff spot
  • Lee has always profiled better as a leadoff hitter than batting fifth, and he has returned to that role to start the second half
  • Lee is batting just .246 on the season, but his contact skills continue to shine. He should see improvement in his .263 BABIP as the season moves along
  • With Lee moving up in the lineup, Mike Yastrzemski has moved down. Yastrzemski is batting .188 since the start of July and is trying to fend off Luis Matos for the starting right field job
• Willy Adames is red hot offensively
  • After a very slow start to the season, the home runs have started to come in bunches for Adames
  • He has hit six home runs with a .318 batting average in the month of July
  • Adames was due for regression with his move to San Francisco, but he was getting a bit unlucky in the home run department. He is unlikely to be a reliable source of batting average, but the home run output should continue through the season

Colorado Rockies

• Ryan Ritter is on the IL with Thairo Estrada
  • Two hand injuries for the Rockies’ preferred options at second base. Estrada landed on the IL on July 11, with Ritter joining him on July 20
  • With both players out, Adael Amador has returned from Triple-A. He has been serving as the everyday second baseman and batting ninth in the lineup
  • The former top prospect is batting just .184 with one homer through 36 Major League games this season. He is not worth adding
• Ezequiel Tovar is back from the IL
  • Tovar returned to the Rockies’ lineup following the All-Star Break and has been batting fifth or sixth in most games
  • Injuries have limited Tovar to just 37 games this season, in which he is batting .265 with five homers and two stolen bases
  • Although Tovar’s aggression at the plate continues to be a concern, he continues to hit the ball hard and is making more contact this season. He is underperforming his xBA and xSLG and should be considered a reliable fantasy option for managers in the second half
• Mickey Moniak continues to excel and is batting second in the lineup
  • Moniak has found a home in Colorado and continues to put up incredible numbers
  • He is now up to 15 homers and a .275 average on the season. Since May 25, Moniak is slashing an absurd .345/.395/.739. His 600 PA pace over these past two months is 56 homers
  • Under the hood, Moniak’s current pace is unsustainable. That being said, he is showing improvement in both his swing decisions and contact skills. His batted ball data is also excellent. Fantasy managers would be thrilled with .250 and 25+ homers from Moniak, which seems believable at this point