Lineup Lowdown: American 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.

Baltimore Orioles

-- It's been a bit surprising how willing the Orioles have been to cast aside Ryan Mountcastle, a guy who averaged 27.5 home runs and 87 RBI over the previous two seasons. Coming into action Monday, Mountcastle has started just five of 11 games and only two of seven contests against right-handed pitching since returning from the injured list. There are multiple factors working against him, though. One is that he simply hasn't been very good this season, at least not against righties (.539 OPS). Another is Ryan O'Hearn forcing his way into the lineup versus right-handers (.886 OPS). Also, the O's are simply teeming with options in the infield and outfield, making it difficult to just stick Mountcastle or O'Hearn at designated hitter. I suspect Mountcastle would right the ship in time if given the opportunity, but I'm not sure that opportunity comes.

-- All of those aforementioned options for Baltimore has meant youngsters Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser fighting for at-bats. Westburg started 12 of the first 15 games after his promotion, but since then has started only three of eight contests. Cowser has started six of the last eight games, but that came after he sat three in a row. Cowser in particular has struggled with the bat early on in his big-league career, but neither have provided much thump. I don't think they can be rostered in standard-sized redraft leagues at this point.

Boston Red Sox

-- Alex Verdugo has spent most of this season in Boston's leadoff spot, but with Jarren Duran staking claim there for the last month Verdugo has been moved down. He has made a couple recent starts in the two hole, but seven of his last nine starts have been either in the fifth or sixth slots in the lineup. Verdugo hasn't helped his case to be moved back up in the batting order by posting just a .477 OPS so far in his first 15 July contests.

-- Enrique Hernandez looks to have emerged as manager Alex Cora's preferred option at second base, having started there in three of the last four contests. Hernandez still can't get anything going at the plate, as he's sporting just a .399 OPS so far in July, but the throwing issues he was dealing with earlier this season appear to have dissipated and it's less of a concern at second base than at shortstop, anyway.

New York Yankees

-- The Yankees gave Oswald Peraza a four-game test run in the leadoff spot, but after a day off Saturday he returned to action Sunday hitting eighth. The 23-year-old is just 3-for-17 with nine strikeouts at the plate since being recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After Peraza started three straight at third base as the fill-in for Josh Donaldson (calf), it's been DJ LeMahieu at the hot corner for the last three tilts.

-- Batting leadoff for the Yanks on Sunday was Jake Bauers, who was thrown right into the spot in his first game back from the IL. Bauers is one of seven players to receive multiple starts in the leadoff spot for the Bronx Bombers this season with the steam struggling to find a lynchpin at the top of their batting order. The 27-year-old doesn't look like a bad option there against right-handed pitching. He's sporting an .808 OPS versus righties this season, and on the whole is walking at a 12 percent clip while also boasting a robust 20.7 percent barrel rate.

Tampa Bay Rays

-- Taylor Walls dealt with an oblique strain for a couple days before landing on the IL over the weekend. His absence means more playing time assurances at least in the short term for Isaac Paredes, who has started three straight games and five of the last six contests. Paredes has been in the lineup regularly this season, of course, but has been less than an everyday player. Prior to the previously mentioned six-game stretch, he had started just seven of the prior 12 tilts.

-- Like Paredes, Jose Siri is another guy who has been in the lineup more often than not this season, but who has still sat out more frequently than his fantasy managers would like. Siri's playing time has been on the upswing of late, though, as he heats back up at the dish. The 28-year-old has been in the lineup for each of the Rays' last five games and has gone deep four times already since the All-Star break to push his total on the season to a team-leading 20.

Toronto Blue Jays

-- Entering play Monday, it's been Danny Jansen at catcher for the Blue Jays in eight of their last 13 games (he also started an additional game at DH during that stretch). The 28-year-old has posted an .856 OPS with six home runs since the beginning of June and a .929 OPS so far in July. Jansen has tripled up Alejandro Kirk in home runs (12 to four) in 30 fewer plate appearances (247 to 217). Kirk had a nice April, but has put up a .597 OPS since then.

-- Santiago Espinal made the All-Star team last season after a solid first half, but that seems like a long time ago. He, Whit Merrifield and Cavan Biggio split second base duties pretty evenly back in April, but Espinal's chances since then have been few and far between. He entered action Monday having made just four starts in July and just one start in 14 games against right-handed pitching.

Chicago White Sox

-- Tim Anderson hasn't batted lower than second all season for the White Sox even amidst his uncharacteristic struggles. He's been in the No. 2 spot in the lineup for each of their games since June 26. Is manager Pedro Grifol's steadfast support of his shortstop finally beginning to pay off? Perhaps, as Anderson is 12-for-29 at the dish over his last seven contests. Granted, 10 of those 12 hits have been singles and the 30-year-old still hasn't homered since July 15 of last season. Still, it's progress.

-- Between Oscar Colas' return to the big leagues and Eloy Jimenez almost exclusively being used at DH, Gavin Sheets' playing time has really dried up. The left-handed swinger has started just two of the last 10 tilts for the Pale Hose, and those starts at first base came about only because Andrew Vaughn (foot) was banged up. If Vaughn avoids the IL (he's expected back Tuesday), Sheets' opportunities could continue to dwindle.

Cleveland Guardians

-- David Fry has seen an uptick in playing time lately, having entered play Monday starting six of his club's last eight contests. Four of the six starts have come in right field and four have been against left-handed pitching (not the same four). Fry hit a game-tying homer in the ninth inning of Sunday's eventual loss to the Phillies and is 7-for-19 with a couple dingers so far in the second half. Meanwhile, Will Brennan is just 4-for-27 since the All-Star break. At the very least, Brennan could continue to see his chances versus lefties (he has just a .404 OPS against them) dissipate.

-- It's a minor move, but Josh Bell entered play Monday having been used in the five spot for three straight contests after he had been batting sixth against right-handers for about a three-week stretch. As a result, Andres Gimenez is back at sixth versus righties. It's been a struggle on the whole for Bell in his first year in Cleveland, but over his last 128 plate appearances he's sporting an .827 OPS with seven long balls.

Detroit Tigers

-- Andy Ibanez has been a super utility player for most of this season with the Tigers, having made multiple starts at five different positions (not including DH). Of late, though, he's just been a second baseman, with each of his last 10 starts coming at the keystone.  Five of those nine times he's been in the No. 8 spot in the lineup. Ibanez had a big June, but has fallen back to earth in July with just a .644 OPS coming into action Monday.

-- Kerry Carpenter has been in right field (13 starts) a lot more than in the DH spot (three starts) so far this month. Even with that, Miguel Cabrera hasn't been playing a ton. He started at DH on Monday, but that was his first start over the last six games against right-handed pitching. The future Hall of Famer has actually hit well versus lefties this season (.320/.407/.400), although he's yet to hit a home run off them (and he has just one homer against a righty).

Kansas City Royals

-- Kyle Isbel entered play Monday having started 17 of 23 games since being activated off the IL, including 16 of 19 against right-handed pitching. He's even batted first, second and cleanup once apiece during that stretch. This, despite the fact that he's shown no real signs of improvement, at least not offensively. Isbel, to his credit, has graded out well as a defender in center field.

-- By contrast, Edward Olivares has graded out very poorly as an outfield defender outside of his arm strength. It's undoubtedly why he's spent so much time in the DH spot, having made three of four starts there since returning from the IL and nine of his previous 11 starts dating back to June 25. Unfortunately, Olivares' bat hasn't made up for his lackluster glove so far this season, although he has hit well in his brief time since coming back from the IL.

Minnesota Twins

-- Alex Kirilloff was moved up to the middle of the Twins' lineup last week, hitting third five times, second once and fourth once. The result was AL Player of the Week honors after the 25-year-old went 10-for-29 with three home runs and 10 RBI in seven games (he also homered in the final game of the week prior). The batted-ball data with Kirilloff isn't as promising, but we know the talent is there. He's certainly an interesting guy to scoop up off the waiver wire, if he's going to be batting behind Carlos Correa and Edouard Julien regularly.

-- Meanwhile, Byron Buxton batted sixth in each of the Twins' three games over the weekend against the White Sox before going on paternity leave Monday. Buxton had two home runs in one of those contests versus the Pale Hose, but that looks like a clear outlier compared to his other recent work, as he's just 4-for-47 with a 43.4 percent strikeout rate over his last 12 tilts. His strikeout rate on the season is up to 31.7 percent. Buxton's counting stats this season have been fine, but he's slashing an ugly .195/.284/.418.

Houston Astros

-- Corey Julks had started each of the six contests and even batted second Sunday before not starting Monday's tilt. Unfortunately, he went just 1-for-21 at the dish during that six-game span to drop his OPS on the season down to .693. Julks has been a pleasant surprise on the whole for the Astros this season, but between Chas McCormick's red-hot bat and Yordan Alvarez's (oblique) impending return, he could find himself on the bench more often than not down the stretch.

-- Jake Meyers' playing time has been a little hit-or-miss at times, but he has started in center field six of the last eight contests. The 27-year-old entered play Monday with an ugly .189/.275/.311 batting line since the beginning of June, but he's been arguably the best defensive center fielder in baseball this season, which should keep him from being outright benched even if he doesn't turn things around at the plate.

Los Angeles Angels

-- Trey Cabbage didn't start his first game after being called up against a lefty, but he's been in the lineup six of seven times since then. Five of his six starts have come at first base, with the other coming in right field. He's been in the eight spot in the Angels' lineup for all six starts. The 26-year-old has offered the full Trey Cabbage experience, slugging one home run and a couple doubles in his first 21 plate appearances while also striking out eight times.

-- Luis Rengifo has been unable to build upon his nice showing in 2022, but with all the injuries the Angels are dealing with they've had little choice but to run the versatile Rengifo out there more days than not of late. He's responded this month with a 1.062 OPS and five home runs, including a pair of long balls on Sunday. The utility player has started eight of the last 10 games and 11 of the last 14 contests, even batting leadoff for the Halos in their last two games.

Oakland Athletics

-- Zack Gelof has hit the ground running upon his promotion to the big leagues to start the second half. The 23-year-old has reached base 13 times in his first nine contests, collecting one home run, four doubles, a triple and two stolen bases along the way. Gelof has already been entrusted with the two spot in the A's lineup, having started there each of the last three contests and five times in total. Granted, he's probably not going to score many runs in that lineup even in a prime spot, but he's good enough to provide deep-league fantasy value.

-- Tyler Soderstrom was promoted the same day as Gelof, but has found the sledding much more difficult in the early going with just four hits – all singles – in his first 28 at-bats. The 21-year-old has made three starts at DH, three at catcher and two at first base. It had seemed like Ryan Noda's fractured jaw would open the door for Soderstrom to be the regular first baseman, but manager Mark Kotsay has preferred using Seth Brown there most days. Using Brown at first base has meant more time in right field for Cody Thomas, who has started four of the last five games there.

Seattle Mariners

-- In five games since Jarred Kelenic took on a water cooler and lost, the Mariners have used Cade Marlowe twice ,and AJ Pollock, Dylan Moore and Taylor Trammell once apiece in left field. Pollock, though, has suffered an injury of his own with a strained hamstring, so the pool of potential left fielders for the Mariners has drained further. Marlowe is easily the most interesting of the three to me with the power and speed he showed in the minors, but I'm not sure any of them distinguish themselves before Kelenic returns and Seattle will probably add a bat or two at the deadline, anyway.

-- One of the reasons the Mariners are in dire need of offense is the disappointing performance of Ty France, who entered play Monday with a .691 OPS on the season with just seven home runs. He's been particularly bad in July with just a .432 OPS and as a result has been shifted down in the lineup, batting either sixth or seventh in the last eight games after previously not hitting lower than third all season.

Texas Rangers

-- Corey Seager landed on the injured list with a sprained thumb over the weekend, which has opened up shortstop and the second spot in the Rangers' lineup. Ezequiel Duran has taken over at shortstop, after spending most of his time lately at DH. Each of the last two starts at DH have gone to Brad Miller, who had been buried on the bench since returning from the IL in late June. It's been Travis Jankowski elevated to the two hole. The 32-year-old obviously has his limitations, but he's had a nice year and can be useful in deep leagues while he's in the two spot.

-- A 9-for-52 slump for Leody Taveras coming into action Monday came at a bad time, as he might have been a candidate to move up in the order with Seager out and Adolis Garcia (hand) banged up. As it is, he has inched up just one spot to the eight hole for the last two contests. Batting ninth the last two days has been Josh Smith, who has started in left field while Jankowski shifts over to right to cover for Garcia.