News, buys, and sells from AL Lineups 06/20

Time to catch up on all the latest news on American League lineups. Just as with the National League, there is plenty to dive into. The five hottest hitters in the American League over the past 10 days have been Shohei Ohtani, Ryan O’Hearn, Corey Seager, Donovan Solano, and Justin Turner. Keep in mind the stats detailed below are through June 18. I will try to include any last-minute updates that come through from yesterday’s action. Keep reading for notes on all 15 American League lineups.

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American League Buys, Sells, and Lineup Analysis

AL East

New York Yankees

• Jake Bauers continues to bat leadoff every day for the Yankees
  • Aaron Boone seems to appreciate Bauers’ ability to work counts and see lots of pitches, but it is difficult to see Bauers continuing in this role once the team gets healthy
  • He remains a decent fantasy option in deep leagues if you need power and consistent at-bats
• Harrison Bader is expected to return from the IL on Tuesday
  • Bader was originally supposed to be back on Friday but had his rehab assignment delayed
  • Bader’s return likely will push IKF to left field and Billy McKinney to the bench.
  • McKinney has been batting seventh in the lineup and has quietly been performing well since joining the club.
• DJ LeMahieu has the upper hand on playing time over Josh Donaldson
  • The Yankees want to use Giancarlo Stanton in the DH role which prevents Donaldson from getting consistent at-bats at DH
  • Donaldson has five home runs since returning from the IL but is still struggling to hit for much average although much of this can be attributed to a BABIP under .100 over that time
  • Donaldson is worth keeping an eye on but is not worth rostering with his current playing time situation

Boston Red Sox

• Adam Duvall is batting fourth or fifth since returning from the IL
  • Duvall has yet to hit a home run since returning from the IL while also striking out over 30% of the time. He remains a strong source of power and should be rostered in all leagues
  • Duvall’s return has pushed Jarren Duran out of an everyday role
  • After a couple of rough weeks, Duran’s strikeout rate has come back down and his statistics have come back up. Duran should continue to be rostered in keeper/dynasty leagues although his current playing time situation makes him a difficult roster in redraft leagues
  • Masataka Yoshida is now batting fifth in the lineup
• Pablo Reyes has been getting the majority of starts at shortstop and is batting ninth in the lineup
  • Reyes continues to bat around .300 although he has yet to hit a home run and has just one stolen base
  • With no power, no speed, and a batting average that is bound to come down, Reyes is not worth rostering
  • Kike Hernandez has moved into more of a utility role receiving starts at short, second, and center field. He should not be rostered
• Christian Arroyo is batting between fifth and seventh and playing every day at second base
  • Arroyo has not shown real signs of life at the plate since returning from the IL
  • He is barreling the ball at an extremely high rate with a good launch angle and is being impacted by a low BABIP
  • He is an interesting buy low for deep leagues and could be due for a hot streak at the plate. A high chase remains a concern

Tampa Bay Rays

• Luke Raley is now batting third in the lineup against right-handed pitchers
  • The only issue with rostering Raley is that he will not play against lefties
  • His .341 average since the start of June is fueled by a .444 BABIP making it completely unsustainable. However, the power is legit and should continue to make him fantasy relevant
  • Raley earning more consistent playing time has led to less playing time for Harold Ramirez. Ramirez continues to play well but is difficult to roster in shallow leagues with his current playing time
• Manuel Margot has become an everyday player batting somewhere in the back half of the lineup
  • Margot is playing over Jose Siri against righties and Josh Lowe against lefties
  • Margot has been excellent since the start of June although his success is fueled by a high BABIP and comes with a high strikeout rate. He also has not stolen a base since May 31 and is not relevant outside of deep leagues
  • Siri should not be rostered at this point if he continues to play on the short side of a platoon. His power and speed combination makes him worth holding in deep leagues
• Josh Lowe’s strikeout rate has spiked in the month of June
  • Lowe has seen his whiff rate, and chase rate both spike and is struggling as a result
  • This is worth keeping an eye on as Lowe’s 2022 struggles were primarily due to an inability to make consistent contact

Toronto Blue Jays

• With Brandon Belt and Alejandro Kirk landing on the IL, Danny Jansen is getting full-time play.
  • Jansen has three home runs since returning from the IL and is now up to nine despite multiple stints on the IL
  • Even when healthy Kirk continued to post very mediocre offensive numbers with just about no power production
  • Jansen should be rostered in all leagues, especially two-catcher leagues, and should be a priority over Kirk
• Whit Merrifield is up to second in the lineup
  • I was dead wrong about Merrifield early on this season and he is now up to 18 steals on the year
  • After going 12/13 to start the year, he is just 6/10 recently. His average is also being carried by an incredibly high BABIP
  • Expect average and speed moving forward, but limited power. This jump in the lineup helps boost his fantasy value allowing Merrifield to score more runs
• Matt Chapman is moving down to sixth in the lineup most nights
  • Chapman has been struggling since his incredible start despite continuing to hit the ball extremely hard
  • The home runs rates remain strong and Chapman should start seeing some better averages as his BABIP comes up
  • His true talent level is likely somewhere between his torrid start and the recent slump

Baltimore Orioles

• Gunnar Henderson has taken over the leadoff role against right-handed pitchers and is batting fourth against lefties
  • Henderson is doing his best Kyle Schwarber impression for June and has been amazing since the calendar flipped
  • He is quickly proving why he was the top-ranked prospect in baseball entering the year
• After a hot couple of weeks, Adam Frazier is moving down to seventh in the lineup
  • Not only did Frazier move down, but he is now also platooning with Joey Ortiz
  • Frazier is batting just .167 since the start of June and is not worth rostering in any format
  • Ortiz has put up solid numbers in Triple-A but has limited speed and unproven power. He is a watch-list candidate, but not somebody I am adding
• Ryan O’Hearn is not playing against lefties, but wow has he been hot at the plate
  • O’Hearn is batting cleanup against righties and is batting over .340 with five home runs already
  • Very quietly, all of his metrics look really strong and O’Hearn is worth adding if you have daily lineup movements. His strong play could make it more difficult for top prospects like Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg to break through at the Major League level

AL West

Houston Astros

• Yordan Alvarez landing on the IL opens up a lineup spot for Yainer Diaz
  • Diaz is receiving most of the starts at DH and occasionally catching while batting sixth in most games
  • He has a 14.3%-barrel rate, an average EV over 91 mph, and a zone contact rate of over 88%
  • Although his playing time will decrease once Alvarez returns, Diaz should be added in two-catcher formats. There is a chance he takes more time away from Martin Maldonado once Alvarez returns
• Jake Meyers has been on the bench for two of the past three games
  • Meyers is batting just .171/.244/.293 since the start of June and is not worth holding onto
  • If Meyers starts seeing less playing time, Corey Julks is the most likely candidate to see his playing time increase
  • Julks is only batting .191 since the start of June but has added three home runs and four stolen bases giving him some fantasy relevance in deep leagues
• Jose Abreu is batting .277/.304/.477 since the start of June
  • Abreu is now batting fifth in most games with Alvarez on the IL
  • His barrel rate and launch angle have both increased helping fuel this hot stretch, but I am skeptical his .341 BABIP will continue
  • He is not a must-add but is somebody worth keeping your eye on in leagues he was dropped

Los Angeles Angels

• Zach Neto landed on the IL this week as did his primary backup, Gio Urshela
  • With both players out, Andrew Velazquez was promoted from Triple-A and is getting a chance to play every day batting ninth in the lineup
  • Velazquez has three steals in four games already but is not worth adding unless you are very desperate for stolen bases
• Luis Rengifo has replaced Jared Walsh in the starting lineup
  • Rengifo is playing second base, shifting Brandon Drury to first
  • Despite regular playing time, Rengifo has just two hits in his last 31 plate appearances. He is not worth adding
• Hunter Renfroe is starting to see his playing time decrease in favor of Mickey Moniak
  • Renfroe is slashing just .217/.250/.413 since the start of June and is struggling to hit line drives which is driving his low BABIP
  • Moniak meanwhile continues to hit for incredible power despite alarmingly high strikeout, chase, and whiff rates
  • I am holding Renfroe and still not rushing to add Moniak although he should be rostered in deep and keeper leagues

Texas Rangers

• Leody Taveras has solidified his everyday role in the Rangers’ lineup
  • Taveras has six home runs since the start of June with an impressive 14.9% barrel rate
  • His average sits at .283 in June despite a .220 BABIP
  • Taveras should be owned in all leagues and is providing a solid combination of power and speed
• Ezequiel Duran appears to have an edge over Robbie Grossman for playing time in left field
  • Grossman no longer needs to be rostered with this drop in playing time
  • Duran provides elite versatility and is hitting for excellent power and average
  • He is batting eighth in most games and has strong underlying metrics to support this breakout. He should be added wherever he is available
• Corey Seager might be the hottest hitter in baseball
  • In June, he is slashing .424/.479/.788 and is my SS1 the ROS

Oakland Athletics

• Shea Langeliers is now batting eighth or ninth in the lineup
  • Langeliers is striking out 33% of the time since May 15 and is chasing and whiffing too much to have sustained success
  • He is not worth rostering in redraft leagues
• Aledmys Diaz is once again receiving the majority of starts at shortstop and batting seventh in the lineup
  • Diaz has seen his numbers tick up since the start of June but lacks the counting stat upside other players have
  • He is not worth rostering outside of AL-only leagues

Seattle Mariners

• Jose Caballero has a stranglehold on the starting second base job
  • Caballero is batting ninth most games and is walking nearly twice as often as he strikes out in the month of June
  • He is up to 10 stolen bases while being an OBP machine.
  • An average launch angle above 26 degrees is dragging down his average in June, but he is a strong add in deep OBP leagues
• Mike Ford is getting most of the starts at DH
  • Ford has four home runs since June 9 but is striking out almost 40% of the time in that span
  • I am not adding Ford, but he is worth a look in AL-only leagues where you need help in the power department
• Cal Raleigh is down to seventh in the lineup and might be losing playing time to Tom Murphy
  • Raleigh has been struggling lately thanks in part to a chase rate pushing 40% since May 25
  • He is a drop option in redraft leagues although he has been a bit unlucky in the BABIP department
  • Murphy has plenty of raw power but has not been any better at making consistent contact. He is not worth adding in any format at this point

AL Central

Kansas City Royals

• Samad Taylor is up with the club and getting a chance to play every day
  • Taylor hit fifth and eighth in his first two games and is worth adding if you need speed
  • Taylor stole 34 bases in 62 Triple-A games this year while adding strong walk rates to inflate his OBP
  • He should get consistent run in the Royals’ lineup and could be a strong add to your fantasy outfield
• Michael Massey landing on the IL should open the door for Maikel Garcia to get more at-bats.
  • Garcia has been batting in the middle of the lineup recently batting .323 since June 10
  • He continues to hit the ball extremely hard while adding seven steals on the year. He should be added in 14+ team leagues where you need help in the infield
  • Nicky Lopez is also going to see a jump in playing time with Massey out, but he is not worth adding to your fantasy teams
• With Vinnie Pasquantino ruled out for the year, Edward Olivares is getting a chance to DH and bat fifth.
  • Olivares quietly has five home runs and six steals in 54 games so far and is hitting more fly balls than ever before
  • More fly balls and a higher pull rate should lead to more home runs. He is worth targeting in deep leagues

Chicago White Sox

• Elvis Andrus has retaken the primary second base job from Romy Gonzalez
  • Andrus is batting ninth in the lineup but has just a 46 wRC+ on the season
  • Gonzalez was a fun deep league shot, but should not be rostered without consistent at-bats
  • Gonzalez was placed on the IL on Monday
• The White Sox are calling up infielder Jose Rodriguez although he was not starting on Monday night
  • Rodriguez has nine home runs in Double-A and hit 11 with 40 stolen bases last year. I expect he will take playing time away from Andrus
  • He has shown a strong hit tool in the past but has seen an alarming spike in strikeouts this year
  • I worry the jump from Double-A to the Major Leagues will be too much to handle and I am not adding him yet
• Yoan Moncada landing on the IL has opened the door for both Jake Burger and Gavin Sheets to play every day
  • Burger has slid down toward the bottom of the lineup recently despite continuing to demonstrate excellent power
  • His average has come shooting down and his strikeout rate remains above 40%, but if you need power Burger should be on your roster
  • Sheets might intrigue me as much if not more than Burger as he is hitting for solid power and his low average is primarily due to a .243 BABIP. Sheets is worth adding in deep leagues

Minnesota Twins

• Eduoard Julien is sitting against lefties, but batting leadoff against righties
  • Julien is still striking out too much (35.7% since his promotion on May 20 and 32.1% since his promotion on June 10) but has been red hot batting .348 since his latest call-up
  • His average is carried by a .571 BABIP and this level of success is unsustainable. His launch angle is negative since the promotion and you should be selling high in redraft/keeper leagues if you can
• Donovan Solano is starting over Max Kepler
  • Solano is batting second most games while hitting for a solid average
  • The power and speed are relatively nonexistent, but if you need OBP help he is worth a look
  • Kepler should not be rostered anywhere in his new bench role
• The Twins are being careful with Royce Lewis’ playing time
  • Lewis has sat in three of the past six games and is currently in his first slump of the year
  • His strikeout rate is higher than expected and his average is being carried by a .400 BABIP
  • The ceiling remains sky-high in keeper/dynasty leagues, but he is not a must-roster in shallow redraft leagues

Cleveland Guardians

• Bo Naylor got a promotion from Triple-A
  • Naylor figures to bat in the back half of the lineup and sit against most left-handed starters
  • Watch Naylor’s strikeout rate because if he can keep that in check he has plenty of power to be fantasy-relevant
• Andres Gimenez is showing signs of life at the plate recently
  • Gimenez has two home runs since June 11 and is walking 10% of the time since the start of the month
  • His barrel rate and fly ball percentage have both shot up this month signaling a potential power outbreak. His low exit velocity prevents him from ever putting up big home run numbers, but this is interesting
  • For Gimenez to be fantasy relevant again, he needs to start running more. He is without a stolen base since May 17^th

Detroit Tigers

• Andy Ibanez has taken Zack Short’s spot in the lineup
  • Ibanez is batting all over the middle of the lineup and has three three-hit games since June 12
  • Ibanez has very strong quality of contact metrics and is worth a look in deep leagues if he continues to play
  • Short is not worth rostering without consistent playing time
• Matt Vierling is back from the IL and Akil Baddoo is on the IL
  • Vierling has been scorching hot since returning with three home runs and a .429 average
  • He is currently battling an injury which is worth monitoring. If he can avoid a trip to the IL, he is worth picking up so long as he continues to play every day
• Spencer Torkelson has moved up to second in the lineup
  • Torkelson is slugging .484 since the start of June with a .258 ISO
  • He has an average exit velocity of 92 mph and a barrel rate of over 11%
  • He should be rostered in all 12+ team leagues