Lineup Lowdown: National League

The goal with Lineup Lowdown is simple: we're looking for trends which could help identify players who 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

– Even amidst a bevy of injuries, manager Brian Snitker prefers a set-it-and-forget-it lineup. Since Michael Harris (hamstring) went down a couple weeks ago, the top five in the Braves' batting order has looked exactly the same for 16 straight contests. That has meant Jarred Kelenic settling into the leadoff spot both against righties (10 starts) and lefties (six starts). Kelenic is hitting .328/.373/.607 with five home runs and two stolen bases since taking over at leadoff, so he might even remain there after Harris returns.

– After occupying the bench three times in a four-game stretch, Adam Duvall has started six straight games, with five of them coming in right field and one in left. Ramon Laureano (oblique) being banged up no doubt is part of the reason for that. The Braves are struggling to fill their corner outfield spots and have received very little production from Duvall, Laureano, Forrest Wall and Luke Williams. It's not difficult to envision a reunion with Eddie Rosario, who was recently designated for assignment by the Nationals.

Miami Marlins

– The Marlins cut bait with Tim Anderson on Tuesday. Xavier Edwards was recalled to take his roster spot and also received the first opportunity at shortstop. Edwards has zero power and it's fair to question whether he'll be able to hit at all at the major-league level. He has loads of speed, though, so he could be interesting in fantasy in a regular role. Vidal Brujan could also be in the mix at shortstop.

– Otto Lopez put up just a .480 OPS in June but has nonetheless retained an everyday role, having started 18 of the last 19 contests. He was even up in the No. 2 spot in the Marlins' lineup Sunday versus a left-hander despite the fact that he's been dreadful this season (.479 OPS) against southpaws. It might make sense to give Nick Gordon some run at second base, but the Marlins have basically used him as a full-time outfielder, with all but one of his starts in the field coming there.

New York Mets

– The Mets initially eased Francisco Alvarez back into action upon his return from the injured list, first putting him in the eight spot in the lineup and then the seven spot. However, the 22-year-old then made six straight starts from the five hole before batting sixth Tuesday. He's been scorching hot with a 1.439 OPS, three home runs and 13 RBI over his last 11 contests.

– Starling Marte was recently lost to a knee injury and is expected to be sidelined until after the All-Star break. The club seemingly had an obvious platoon set up to fill in the vacancy in right field with the left-handed hitting DJ Stewart against right-handers and righty Tyrone Taylor versus southpaws. However, it's been Taylor in right for six of eight contests, including three against righties. Stewart had a nice April (.849 OPS) but has managed just a .532 OPS since May 1 and is a terrible outfield defender.

Philadelphia Phillies

– The Phillies lost Bryce Harper to a hamstring injury, and while it's considered minor, he'll remain out at least through the rest of this week. Instead of shifting Alec Bohm over to first base and installing Edmundo Sosa at third base – which is what I thought they'd do – the Phillies have given Kody Clemens four straight starts at first base against right-handers. When they face lefties, it does figure to be Sosa and Bohm in the corner spots.

– Kyle Schwarber (groin) was injured the same day as Harper and also landed on the IL. Three different guys have occupied the DH slot since Schwarber was hurt (Nick Castellanos, Bohm, David Dahl twice), and we also saw Johan Rojas return to the big leagues and make three starts in four games. Both Rojas and Whit Merrifield – who also has two starts over the four-game span – could see upticks in playing time while Schwarber is out, playing the field while other regulars are given DH days.

Washington Nationals

– The Nationals made a big move Monday, calling up top prospect James Wood from Triple-A Rochester and immediately installing him as their left fielder. Wood can handle all three spots, but the expectation is he'll mostly settle in in left. As a result, the defensively challenged Jesse Winker will shift to full-time DH duties against righties, with Harold Ramirez occupying the spot versus lefties. The aforementioned Eddie Rosario was designated for assignment, but he had already been losing at-bats with only one start in the last four games.

– Luis Garcia had started 13 straight games before sitting Monday and Tuesday, which included two against left-handed pitching. Prior to that, he had been on the bench for 11 straight tilts versus lefties. Garcia has just a .466 OPS against left-handers this season, and with Wood now an everyday guy in left Ildemaro Vargas is back to platooning with Garcia at second base.

Chicago Cubs

– Nico Hoerner has assumed everyday leadoff duties since Mike Tauchman (groin) went down, making 13 straight starts there. He had made eight straight starts from the six spot in the batting order prior to that. Though he has not had a great season at the plate on the whole, Hoerner's improved 9.1 percent walk rate has helped keep his on-base percentage (.334) afloat.

– Also being elevated in the Cubs' lineup has been Michael Busch, who has been in the two hole for 10 straight contests against right-handed pitching. A few weeks ago, it had looked like Busch was playing his way out of a regular role, but he's bounced back nicely with an .895 OPS across his last 21 tilts. He's still striking out at a 29.1-percent clip over that span, although that's actually a notable improvement from the 34.7-percent rate he carried into that stretch.

Cincinnati Reds

– The Reds reinstated Noelvi Marte last week on the first day he was eligible to return from his 80-game PED suspension and threw him right into the fire, giving him five straight starts at third base. He batted fifth in the first three of those contests before inching down to sixth and then seventh. Jeimer Candelario (hamstring) being banged up makes it easier to slide Marte into an everyday role, although all indications have been that would've been the plan, regardless of Candelario's health. Candelario has been at DH the last two tilts.

– With TJ Friedl (hamstring) on the shelf again, Jonathan India has seized the leadoff spot for Cincinnati. He's looking like he wants to keep the gig even after Friedl returns, too, as India has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball with 22 hits over his last 12 contests. India has a double in eight consecutive games, which is a franchise record and one away from tying a major-league record.

Milwaukee Brewers

– Christian Yelich has made 43 starts in left field and 17 starts at DH this season. Those two numbers might start to get closer together now, though, with Garrett Mitchell coming off the IL to join a crowded outfield. Yelich is not a good defender, so there's no real loss there, but seeing more time at DH would mean less time there for Rhys Hoskins, hurting the Brewers' defense at first base. Mitchell didn't start Monday against a lefty but was in center field and batting fifth Tuesday versus a righty.

– After starting each of the first 64 games of the season (52 at catcher, 12 at DH), William Contreras finally had some off days (three) mixed in in June. Whether it was due to him tiring or simply regression to the mean, Contreras finished the month with just a .535 OPS and one home run. He has not budged in the lineup, however, and seems unlikely to anytime soon. Contreras has started 75 games in the two hole and eight at leadoff.

Pittsburgh Pirates

– I'm not sure how close the Pirates were to designating Rowdy Tellez for assignment after he slashed a measly .177/.239/.223 through the first two months of the season, but I suspect it almost happened. However, their patience was rewarded in June as Tellez hit .333/.380/.546 with three home runs. As a result, Tellez has been all the way up in the cleanup spot for seven of the last nine contests versus righties, and in the other two games he batted fifth.

– Connor Joe has seen his playing time fall off in a major way lately, as he's been in the lineup just three across the Pirates' last nine games. He also hadn't hit higher than seventh in any of his last four starts against right-handed pitching before being elevated to cleanup Tuesday. This is after Joe went through a stretch from April 16 to June 12 where he didn't bat lower than cleanup in any of his starts. Joe's disappearance has meant more starts for Edward Olivares, who has manned right field for seven of the last nine tilts.

St. Louis Cardinals

– Nolan Arenado has batted sixth each of the last six times the Cardinals have faced a right-hander, which is the lowest he's hit in his four seasons with the club. The 33-year-old has been searching for his swing all season, as his pedestrian .702 OPS in June is actually his highest among the season's first three months. Arenado's 26 home runs last season were his lowest total since 2015, but he's currently on pace for just 14 long balls.

– Another Nolan, Nolan Gorman, has also been dropped in the batting order amidst his struggles. Four of the second baseman's last five starts have come from the seven spot and on Tuesday he hit eighth. He's also been on the bench each of the last two times the Cards have faced a left-hander. Gorman put up a .920 OPS in May, but in June he finished with a .532 OPS and hideous 38.2-percent strikeout rate. Lars Nootbaar (oblique) is due back soon and Tommy Edman (wrist) isn't far behind, and it wouldn't be a surprise if Gorman sees his playing time cut at that point, with Brendan Donovan seeing more action at second base.

Arizona Diamondbacks

– After manager Torey Lovullo indicated back on June 12 that he would likely scale Eugenio Suarez's playing time back a bit and give Blaze Alexander more reps at the hot corner, Suarez started 14 of 17 contests at third. Suarez has slashed just .191/.359/.310 since that date as his season-long slump continues. For what it's worth, Alexander was even worse (.138/.219/.138) over that stretch and has since been optioned to Triple-A Reno.

– While he has batted leadoff in each of the team's last six contests versus right-handed pitching, Corbin Carroll has been on the bench three times and batted seventh in the Snakes' previous four tilts against southpaws. Carroll has been bad against righties (.639 OPS) but has been even worse versus lefties (.578 OPS). He did have more walks (13) than strikeouts (12) in June, but Carroll's power continues to be non-existent, as he hasn't homered since May 7.

Colorado Rockies

– Michael Toglia has been an everyday guy for the Rockies since being summoned from Triple-A Albuquerque in early June, making 24 straight starts. Seven of his first 11 starts during that span came in right field, but he's since settled in as the everyday first baseman with 13 straight starts at that position. Toglia has homered five times and plated 11 runs over his last 15 contests, although he's batted just .207 and has struck out at a 29.7-percent clip. There's tons of raw power here, but fantasy managers (and the Rockies) will be hoping he can make enough contact to get to it.

– Jake Cave has seen his name penciled into the Rockies' lineup each of the last 10 times they've faced a right-hander or righty bulk reliever. Cave has done very little at the plate so far with a .622 OPS and not a single home run, and his margin for error figures to be slim with Charlie Blackmon back from the IL. Blackmon, though, has been at DH for both games versus righties since being activated and might settle in there with Elehuris Montero having been designated for assignment.

Los Angeles Dodgers

– The Dodgers have struggled to find a solution at third base since Max Muncy (oblique) went down in mid-May. First Enrique Hernandez handled the position, then the team gave Cavan Biggio a shot. Neither worked out, and now manager Dave Roberts plans to give Chris Taylor a long look at the hot corner. Taylor's 2024 campaign has mostly been a disaster, but he has perked up offensively lately, going 9-for-20 with two home runs and two stolen bases in his last nine games. Muncy won't return until after the All-Star break.

– Jason Heyward has occupied right field for each of the previous eight games, which includes one start against a lefty starter and another two versus a lefty opener. It's become quite clear that the Dodgers have no intention of giving Miguel Vargas regular reps anytime soon. He's started just five of 18 games since his latest promotion and none of them have come over the last four contests.

San Diego Padres

– The Padres lost Fernando Tatis to a stress reaction in his quad, calling up Bryce Johnson in his place and immediately giving Johnson seven straight starts in right field. Johnson has great speed and figures to do some running when he gets on base, but he's done very little of that (.286 OBP) since joining the Padres and did even less (.209 OBP) during his brief time with the Giants over the previous two seasons.

– Kyle Higashioka had already been seeing more action at catcher before Luis Campusano (thumb) went down but has now started eight of the last 10 contests. Higashioka clubbed eight home runs in June after entering the month with only one long ball on the season. Obviously, he's going to cool off, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see at least an even split with Campusano at catcher whenever the latter makes it back.

San Francisco Giants

– The Giants have rolled out Jorge Soler in the leadoff spot for each of the last four contests, with three of them coming versus right-handers. Considering he's doubled four times and reached base a total of six times in those three tilts, the move figures to stick for a while.

– With Soler taking over at the top of the batting order, Brett Wisely has gone from the regular leadoff man versus right-handers to hitting in the bottom third of the order in such situations. He has also slid over to second base to cover for the injured Thairo Estrada (wrist), with Nick Ahmed getting another shot at regular at-bats at shortstop. Ahmed had been limited to the short side of a platoon since returning from a wrist injury of his own.