The National League has a very busy, front-loaded Week 15 schedule. The Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals are the only teams idle on Monday. Six NL teams will play seven games, including the Colorado Rockies, who are home all week. We also have a World Cup game to work around and an early morning start on Saturday. Below are news, notes, and recent lineup changes for all 15 National League teams. These factors can help fantasy managers make optimal decisions. Here is my Week 15 fantasy baseball lineup analysis for the National League.
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NL Fantasy Baseball Lineup Analysis for Week 15
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks reinstated Max Kepler from the Restricted List following his 80-game suspension. Kepler has hit sixth and seventh in two games since his return. He has played left field on both occasions, while Lourdes Gurriel was the DH for one and sat out the other. Arizona seems intent on rolling Kepler out there against right-handers for now. The volume will make Kepler a viable option on the wire where he is available. However, I do not envision Kepler having much staying power. Arizona released veteran Carlos Santana last week. The team seems content with a Pavin Smith-LuJames Groover platoon at first base, though neither has produced much. Ildemaro Vargas is another option, but he remains on the bench whenever a right-handed starter is on the mound. Arizona will face five righties and one left-hander this week, with an off day on Thursday.
Atlanta Braves
After their off day on Monday, the Braves will face a left-handed starter on Tuesday, then likely righties the rest of the week. Michael Harris II will likely lead off versus righties, while Mauricio Dubon will probably bat fifth or sixth. Dominic Smith and Mike Yastrzemski should see a bump in playing time and start five games. They should hit seventh and eighth, respectively, in Atlanta’s lineup. Ha-Seong Kim has started two of the last three games at shortstop against right-handers, with Jorge Mateo starting the other. Mateo has been the better player, but neither has done much to warrant fantasy consideration.
Chicago Cubs
Dansby Swanson had an epic run from the middle of Week 13 through the middle of this past week. The Cubs shortstop had four home runs, four stolen bases, and 18 runs batted in over a six-game span. However, Swanson still hits ninth in Chicago’s lineup and has an 88 wRC+ this season. Do not expect him to suddenly morph into an elite fantasy player. The Cubs are home for six games this week with an off day on Thursday. They will face four right-handers and two lefties. Seiya Suzuki returned to the outfield on Wednesday but has been the DH since. Michael Conforto and Matt Shaw have been splitting time in right field while Suzuki does DH duty. If Suzuki returns to the outfield, both players would vie for at-bats at DH alongside Pedro Ramirez.
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds activated Elly De La Cruz from the Injured List early last week. De La Cruz is still a top-five fantasy shortstop for the season despite missing more than three weeks of action. Leadoff hitter Blake Dunn is undergoing evaluation on his elbow injury. Dunn may very well require a trip to the Injured List. De La Cruz led off with Dunn out on Saturday. The Reds could opt to go with Dane Myers in the leadoff spot, or perhaps call up TJ Friedl if they would prefer De La Cruz to hit second. Cincinnati will play seven games in a split home-and-road week. They will face five right-handed starting pitchers as well as two left-handers. Matt McLain and Edwin Arroyo have split four starts at second base since De La Cruz’s return. Both players have batted ninth in those four games.
Colorado Rockies
Colorado activated Mickey Moniak from the IL and optioned Sterlin Thompson to the Minor Leagues. Moniak was one of the league’s most productive outfielders through the middle of May. He may sit out a game or two in Week 15, but I would still start him in weekly formats. Colorado has seven home games, including six against right-handed starters. Health permitting, you could not ask for a better script for Moniak and Jake McCarthy at the top of the lineup. The Rockies are mixing and matching several players toward the bottom of their order. Troy Johnston, Cole Carrigg, Ezequiel Tovar, Kyle Karros, and Tyler Freeman have all started two of Colorado’s last three games. Given the schedule, I would expect Johnston, Freeman, and Karros to earn the most starts among this group. Eduoard Julien could also start several games at second base.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to activate Teoscar Hernandez from the IL in time for Monday’s tilt in Sacramento against the Athletics. Hernandez has been out for a month due to a hamstring injury. That game will be one of three this week against a left-handed starting pitcher. Hernandez may sit out one or two games as he gears up for full health. But with Los Angeles having a seven-game week, including three in Sacramento, fantasy managers should start him in weekly formats. Start all your Dodgers hitters under these conditions. Tommy Edman figures to lose the most playing time with Hernandez back. I would expect him to start three or four games this week.
Miami Marlins
You would be hard-pressed to find a better road schedule than the Miami Marlins have in Week 15. They face the Colorado Rockies in Coors Field for four games before heading to Sacramento to take on the Athletics in Sutter Health Park. Xavier Edwards and Jakob Marsee have each spent time leading off since Liam Hicks went down. Miami will face three lefties this week, so Edwards should spend more time in the leadoff spot. Griffin Conine has hit second, fifth, and seventh at various points this week. I would expect him to bat fifth or seventh, with Otto Lopez hitting second. Heriberto Hernandez has the makings of a solid streamer this week. He should hit in the middle of the lineup and is a candidate to lead off against lefties. Miami optioned Connor Norby to the Minors and recalled Graham Pauley.
Milwaukee Brewers
Like the Dodgers and Marlins, the Milwaukee Brewers are in store for a full week, with three games scheduled against left-handed starting pitchers. The Brewers platoon a lot, so we could see several split situations. Interestingly, one of those spots could include Christian Yelich. Yelich has not started any of Milwaukee’s last three games versus left-handed starters. I think Yelich will start at least one of the three contests against lefties, but he may not be the no-brainer starter we view him to be. Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn are likely to start four or five games this week. Both players have been excellent on a per-game basis, but their volume may be lower than that of some other options. Blake Perkins has been spelling either Garrett Mitchell or Sal Frelick versus lefties, but is more of a DFS play than a weekly consideration.
New York Mets
The New York Mets activated shortstop Francisco Lindor from the Injured List this week. Lindor missed two months with a calf injury. He has batted cleanup in two of three starts since returning, while Carson Benge has stayed in the leadoff spot. New York also activated Tyrone Taylor and Ronny Mauricio from the IL. However, the Mets lost starting second baseman Marcus Semien to a hip flexor strain. Semien is likely out until the All-Star break. The Mets designated Zack Short for assignment and optioned MJ Melendez to the Minor Leagues. Mark Vientos should be New York’s primary bat off the bench, barring any more injuries. He will probably start two or three of the team’s six games this week. New York will face two left-handed starters and four right-handers.
Philadelphia Phillies
Fantasy baseball managers who can make lineup changes on Friday may have some difficult decisions to make with the Philadelphia Phillies. Philadelphia’s weekend series in Kansas City will be delayed due to the FIFA World Cup. The teams are off on Friday and will only play two games next weekend. Do we start Phillies bats for two games when most players are playing three? I would lean toward starting most of them. It only takes one swing, especially on a short slate, for a player to hit value. In weekly formats, the Phillies are more stable starts. They will play six games, all of which should be against right-handed starting pitchers. I would still expect Justin Crawford to start in center field over Derek Hill despite the latter’s recent knack for late-inning heroics.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates activated phenom Konnor Griffin from the IL this week. Griffin could lead off against lefties, especially after the team placed Spencer Horwitz on the IL. Horwitz is out with a hamstring injury. We could see Ryan O’Hearn move to first base, allowing Esmerlyn Valdez to play right field. Valdez is very much all-or-nothing at the plate. He has struck out 18 times in 38 at-bats, but has six extra-base hits, including four home runs. The Pirates are on the road for seven games this week. Two of the seven games are scheduled against left-handed starters. However, Washington may use a lefty opener on either Saturday or Sunday, if not both. Saturday’s game in Washington starts at 11:00 AM, so fantasy managers in daily leagues will have to set lineups early.
San Diego Padres
Ty France missed Saturday’s game with a hand contusion. It does not seem to be serious, but fantasy managers will want to see France in Monday’s lineup before locking him into weekly lineups. Miguel Andujar would be the biggest beneficiary if France’s injury continues to hamper him. The Padres play seven games this week, all on the road. They are likely to bookend the week, going against left-handed starting pitchers on Monday and Sunday. San Diego does not platoon much at all. The only real shift they employ against southpaws is that they tend to move Fernando Tatis Jr. to second base, while Jase Brown plays right field, and Will Wagner sits. Even when Wagner plays, he is not a viable fantasy option. He has two home runs and one stolen base in nearly 300 career plate appearances.
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are also bookending left-handed starting pitchers, albeit in only six games. The good news is that their last three games are in Colorado, which should make up for the lesser volume. San Francisco is expected to activate Heliot Ramos from the Injured List to begin Week 15. Ramos’s lineup spot is unknown, primarily because the Giants continue to tinker. Bryce Eldridge was dropped to the sixth spot against a right-hander on Saturday. Casey Schmitt, Jung Hoo Lee, Rafael Devers, and Willy Adames all moved up a spot. I would still start Eldridge this week despite his recent struggles and the lineup move. The Giants placed catcher Daniel Susac on the IL and called up Drew Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh could be a streamer in two-catcher leagues considering his on-base skills and San Francisco’s schedule.
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis is off Monday before embarking on a six-game road trip beginning on Tuesday. They are expected to face three lefties and three righties. That should yield several platoon scenarios, including a couple of cross-platoons. Nathan Church and Jimmy Crooks will sit against left-handed starters. Nelson Velasquez and Pedro Pages will start those games in left field and behind the plate, respectively. I still plan on starting Alec Burleson this week, but he is not as safe as he normally is. Burleson has started only two of the last three games St. Louis has played against lefties, batting fifth and seventh in the Cardinals’ lineup. If you can swap hitters out on Friday, benching Burleson next weekend isn’t the craziest idea. The Cardinals will face left-handers on both Saturday and Sunday.
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals will face three left-handed starting pitchers in Boston and then three right-handers when hosting Pittsburgh next weekend. Fantasy managers in weekly formats will have to make some decisions. Luis Garcia Jr. is probably not starting against lefties, while Curtis Mead, Jacob Young, and Keibert Ruiz may not start versus righties. None of these players is likely to earn more than four starts, making them less desirable in weekly leagues. Those who can change hitters in and out of their lineups on Friday figure to have an easier time navigating the Nationals’ upcoming schedule. Jorbit Vivas hit two home runs this week while making multiple starts at second base and third base. I’m not quite ready to buy in, considering Vivas had two career homers in over 200 plate appearances prior to this week. But he could be a target down the road in deeper leagues.
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