Lineup Lowdown: National League

The goal with Lineup Lowdown is simple: we're looking for trends which could help identify players that might be undervalued or overvalued. Who is playing more/less? Who is moving up/down? We'll be doing a deep dive into one league each week as we navigate the lineup landscape.

Atlanta Braves

-- Marcell Ozuna has gone from potentially out of a job to a key cog again in the Braves' lineup. Since May 1, only Freddie Freeman and Lourdes Gurriel have a higher OPS than Ozuna (1.020), who is batting .319/.382/.639 with 11 home runs in 32 games over that span. He's hit seventh more than anywhere else during that stretch, but batted sixth on Saturday and then fifth on Sunday. Ozuna still hasn't played an inning in the outfield since the third game of the season, as Atlanta (correctly) views him as a full-time designated hitter now.

-- On the flip side, Michael Harris hasn't batted anywhere other than ninth since May 16. He remains an everyday player, as his glove is going to keep him in the lineup versus left-handers. Harris' Statcast data in 2023 looks awfully similar to 2022 and even a tick better in many areas. However, one major area we can point to which has helped lead to a sophomore slump is what he's done against fastballs. After batting .342 with a .632 slugging percentage versus heaters last year, Harris is hitting just .188 with a .281 slugging percentage against fastballs this season.

Miami Marlins

-- Jesus Sanchez was on the bench for his first two games back from the injured list with the Marlins facing left-handers. It's been all righties since then and Sanchez has started all 10 of those contests, popping three home runs and driving in eight runs. Sanchez has yet to start a game versus a lefty all season and it doesn't seem as if that will change even as he's been arguably the team's best hitter since the start of May, when healthy. It dings his counting stats outlook, but he's mostly batting cleanup against right-handers.

-- A guy who doesn't have to worry about platoons is Bryan De La Cruz, who has started 28 straight contests. He's sporting a robust .340/.410/.594 batting line with six home runs, nine doubles, 25 RBI and two stolen bases over that stretch. De La Cruz has also settled into the top third of the Marlins' lineup, not hitting lower than the three spot across his team's last 12 contests. Handling center field in between Sanchez and De La Cruz more times than not of late has been Jonathan Davis. He's started 13 of the last 17 games in center, although two of the times he's been on the bench have come in the last four games. Davis is playing because of his glove, but he's been surprisingly solid with the bat out of the nine spot. Jazz Chisholm (toe) still seems multiple weeks away.

New York Mets

-- The Mets have been in a tailspin so far in June and injury was added to insult when Pete Alonso landed on the IL over the weekend with a bone bruise and sprain in his left wrist as a result of a hit by pitch. Alonso had started every game, but since he went down it's been Mark Vientos and Mark Canha each starting twice at first base. Both players started three games in total over that span, with Vientos in the lineup once at DH and Canha getting one start in right field. Tommy Pham has garnered four straight starts at Canha's old spot in left field. He's one of the few Mets who's done any hitting of late with a 1.372 OPS, four homers, 12 RBI and three steals over his last 10 contests.

-- Francisco Alvarez has been elevated to the No. 2 spot in the lineup since Alonso went down. Two of his four starts in that stretch have been at DH, the first time he's been used there all season. Meanwhile, Daniel Vogelbach has been on the bench for all four of those tilts. Given that he still hasn't played an inning in the field this year, if Vogelbach isn't getting at-bats at DH, especially after Alonso got hurt, there's no reason to have him on the roster. It seems like only a matter of time before he's designated for assignment.

Philadelphia Phillies

-- How much of their recent surge can be credited to it is certainly a matter of debate, but the Phillies have played better of late after rejiggering their batting order. Kyle Schwarber moved from fifth up to the leadoff spot and is sporting a 1.058 OPS with four long balls in nine games since the shift. He's been followed in the two-hole by Nick Castellanos, who has flipped spots with Trea Turner with the latter moving to cleanup. Bryson Stott has seen the biggest negative impact in going from the leadoff spot down to sixth. Things shifted a bit again Sunday with Alec Bohm back from the IL and J.T. Realmuto getting a day off, so we'll have to wait and see what manager Rob Thomson ultimately settles on.

-- Kody Clemens has become the Phillies' everyday first baseman, starting 12 of the last 14 games at the position. The handedness of the opposing pitcher hasn't mattered of late, either, as the left-handed hitting Clemens has been in there for each of the last five tilts even as the Phils have faced a southpaw four times. We'll see if that lasts, as virtually all of Clemens' production has come off righties. While Clemens has been perfectly solid, it should be noted that Darick Hall (thumb) could be done with his rehab assignment at any time. Hall has an .909 OPS with one homer in nine rehab contests.

Washington Nationals

-- From April 21 to May 18, Keibert Ruiz batted between third and fifth for all 21 of his starts. In 14 starts since then he's either hit sixth or seventh. He's got an .867 OPS and seven home runs during the latter stretch, but Riley Adams has also been productive so the two have split the catching starts in the Nationals' last six contests. Ruiz has already matched last year's total with seven home runs and is among the game's elite in terms of making contact with just a 7.8 percent strikeout rate.

-- The Nats have stuck with a strict platoon in left field, with Corey Dickerson on the strong side and Stone Garrett on the short side. There have been only two games out of the last 20 when they've deviated, and one was when Dickerson was at DH and the other is when Dickerson started versus left-hander Matt Strahm, who was opening. A potential wrench could be thrown into the mix soon with Victor Robles (back) nearing a return, as Alex Call was seeing regular starts in left before Robles was hurt. That was while Dickerson was also injured, though, and Call hasn't really hit enough to justify playing regularly especially at a corner spot.

Chicago Cubs

-- Mike Tauchman has assumed everyday center fielder duties since Cody Bellinger (knee) went down, starting 18 of the last 20 games, including each of the last six. He was even elevated to the leadoff spot for the last two games and batted second in the contest before that. The power is always in question with Tauchman, but he has a .389 OBP through 21 games and is a talented defender. Bellinger appears poised to begin a rehab assignment soon, but Tauchman has probably done enough to stick around as an extra outfielder when Bellinger returns. Tauchman at leadoff and Nico Hoerner down to the two hole has meant the slumping Dansby Swanson was demoted to fifth in the order for the last three games. Swanson is in a 3-for-31 tailspin with 13 strikeouts over that stretch.

-- Remember when Christopher Morel rode in on his white horse to save your fantasy season, like, a few weeks ago? Well, Morel is in a 2-for-32 funk at the dish and as a result has been on the bench for three of the last six tilts and six of the last 13 contests. He has started the last three games, although that mainly seems due to Seiya Suzuki being banged up. Morel could still have some utility in deeper leagues, but it's difficult to see him ever being reliable over the long haul.

Cincinnati Reds

-- Elly De La Cruz is here and he's spectacular. The top prospect has been in the lineup for all six games at the cleanup spot since being called up, with four of those starts coming at third base and two at shortstop. Matt McLain has also started all six of those contests, remaining at shortstop four times while also mixing in a start at second base and at DH. The Reds will eventually have some tough decisions to make once everyone is healthy and some other top prospects are promoted (I'm looking at you, Christian Encarnacion-Strand). De La Cruz certainly isn't going to be doing much sitting, though, and I highly doubt McLain will, either.

-- Speaking of Encarnacion-Strand, it piqued my interest when Spencer Steer started two games in left field last week, although he was back at first base for the fourth game in a row Monday. Steer has virtually no outfield experience in pro ball and I'm not sure how serious the Reds are about using him out there regularly, but if they do it would make fitting CES into the lineup much easier. Encarnacion-Strand is capable of handling both corner infield spots, although he's mostly been at first base in 2023 and that's probably his long-term home. Don't forget that Joey Votto (shoulder) is on the comeback trail, though. Votto undoubtedly will play once he's deemed ready, although the 39-year-old might be best suited for DH at this point.

Milwaukee Brewers

-- Joey Wiemer has posted a robust .342/.449/.683 batting line with three home runs, nine RBI and three stolen bases across his last 12 contests. He's been moved up in the batting order as a result of the hot streak, hitting fifth, seventh and second over his last three games, respectively, after being stuck in the nine spot virtually all season. Naturally, Wiemer is 0-for-10 with seven strikeouts in those three games, so we should probably exercise a little caution in claiming he's progressed. Still, even with a .219 average he's been a perfectly viable roto option thanks to eight home runs and 10 stolen bases.

-- Rather than returning to second base where he had played prior to Willy Adames' concussion, the struggling Brice Turang was optioned to Triple-A Nashville upon Adames' activation last week. It's been Andrew Monasterio at second base for each of the last three games and four of the last five. Monasterio has played well but is far from secure at the position with Luis Urias and Owen Miller also looming as options. Miller has become a super utility player and remains manager Craig Counsell's preferred leadoff hitter against left-handed pitching. As for Urias, four of his five starts since he returned have come at third base, which means Brian Anderson has basically been a full-time right fielder of late.

Pittsburgh Pirates

-- The Tucupita Marcano leadoff experiment might be over. After being perched at the top of the batting order for seven of eight games against right-handers, he's been down in the eight spot for each of the last two contests versus righties. Andrew McCutchen has been at the top of the order the last two games, adding to his leadoff responsibilities which already include hitting there regularly against left-handers. McCutchen, by the way, has made just seven starts in the outfield this season and only two since mid-April.

-- Manager Derek Shelton has shown little interest in batting Carlos Santana anywhere other than cleanup even as the 37-year-old continues to show he doesn't belong there. Santana has batted .184/.291/.294 since May 1 and the switch-hitter's OPS against both right-handed and left-handed pitching this season is below .700. And yet, 52 of Santana's 57 starts have come from the cleanup spot. He's hit lower than that just once (and that was fifth). Ke'Bryan Hayes is a ridiculous 18-for-37 with two home runs so far in June, but has batted higher than sixth just twice (both times he hit fifth).

St. Louis Cardinals

-- Opening Day shortstop Tommy Edman is now the everyday center fielder for the Cardinals, at least for now. Edman's last 11 starts have come in center field, including each of the last four even after Dylan Carlson returned from the IL (Carlson has been in right field). Edman will almost surely be forced back to the infield once Lars Nootbaar (back) and Tyler O'Neill (back) return, but for now he's the club's preferred option in center field. He also remains St. Louis' leadoff hitter against lefties, moving down to the nine spot most times versus righties.

-- Jordan Walker was summoned from the minors at the start of June, you could argue almost by necessity with the Cards battling so many injury issues in their outfield. He's split time between the two corner outfield spots but has made four straight starts in left since Carlson was activated. Walker entered play Monday with an .888 OPS and two home runs in nine games since his recall. He's inched up to the seven spot in the batting order, with the slumping Paul DeJong going down to the eight hole.

Arizona Diamondbacks

-- Josh Rojas might be losing his grip on a starting job. The 28-year-old has been out of the lineup for three straight games and four of the last five contests. Three of those four have been against lefties, but it doesn't seem like a good sign that he's also sat versus a righty given his woeful .195/.284/.244 batting line since the beginning of May. The biggest beneficiary of Rojas falling out of favor has been Emmanuel Rivera, who has started eight of the last nine games, with half of those starts coming at third base (he's also been at first base and DH). Though he's homered just once, Rivera entered play Monday with a sparkling .356/.391/.471 line.

-- With Lourdes Gurriel back from his groin injury and inserted into the third spot in the lineup, Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte have each slid up a spot to second and first, respectively. That's bad news for Pavin Smith, who had been batting leadoff regularly but now has hit sixth in four of the last five contests. Smith entered play Monday with just a .620 OPS since the start of May and seems like a candidate to lose playing time once the Diamondbacks feel comfortable using Gurriel in the outfield again.

Colorado Rockies

-- Nolan Jones has been in the lineup for 15 of 17 games since being recalled, including three straight times against left-handers. The left-handed batter is hitting both lefties and righties, coming into action Monday with a .360/.407/.680 line with four home runs and four stolen bases. Jones has made starts at first base and both corner outfield spots, and with Charlie Blackmon (hand) out indefinitely, there are plenty of paths to playing time for Jones.

-- Blackmon's absence has also resulted in a move up in the lineup for Ezequiel Tovar, who has batted second in two straight games. The Rockies have been facing a lefty in both contests, so it's possible the young shortstop will move back to the lower third of the order against right-handers. He's earned a move up in the batting order, though, coming into play Monday with a .338/.382/.535 batting line, two long balls and two steals across his previous 20 tilts.

Los Angeles Dodgers

-- James Outman has been on the bench for four of the last six contests and two of those times he's been riding the pine against a righty. The rookie outfielder has managed just a .579 OPS with an ugly 37 percent strikeout rate since the start of May. Jason Heyward has been in center field for those two games Outman has sat out versus right-handers, and could emerge as the preferred option there if the youngster doesn't pick it up.

-- David Peralta has collected a .337/.371/.506 batting line with a couple home runs across 27 games since the beginning of May. We know he's not going to be playing versus lefties. He's made just one start all season against them and that was an opener. It's also going to be very difficult to crack the top five in the Dodgers' batting order unless there's an injury. Peralta looks like he has a little left in the tank, though, bouncing back from a woeful April following a poor finish to last season.

San Diego Padres

-- Imagine telling the Padres on Opening Day that their cleanup hitter in mid-June would be… Gary Sanchez. That's where we're at, though, with Sanchez occupying the four spot for each of the last four contests. The 30-year-old has homered five times and driven in 12 runs in 12 games since joining the Friars and has started all but one game since being claimed off waivers late last month. Three of those starts have been at DH, as the Padres have looked to keep his bat in the lineup.

-- Trending in the wrong direction has been Xander Bogaerts. He missed four games with a nagging left wrist injury and then returned to action in the five spot, the lowest he's hit all season. Bogaerts originally hurt the wrist in spring training, but was given a cortisone shot and got off to a .347/.422/.556 start at the plate through April 18. That's the date when he said a hit by pitch aggravated his wrist injury, and since then he's batted only .216/.306/.320.

San Francisco Giants

-- Casey Schmitt got off to a scorching start with the Giants, but came into action Monday having produced just a .532 OPS across his previous 20 contests. He's still essentially been an everyday player over that span, though, mostly splitting time between shortstop and third base while adding in some starts at second base while Thairo Estrada (wrist) was sidelined.

-- Blake Sabol has been in the Giants' lineup for 17 of their last 20 games. Of those 17 starts, six have come at catcher, five have been in left field and six have been at DH. Granted, the Giants facing very few lefties amidst that stretch as well as Estrada, Joc Pederson (hand) and Patrick Bailey (neck) all missing chunks of action has aided Sabol's playing time. Sabol's production at the dish has fallen off over the last few weeks, but the 25-year-old has nonetheless proven to be quite a find as a Rule 5 pick.