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

-- Ryan O'Hearn had already been playing regularly versus right-handed pitching between first base, designated hitter and right field, but he's been cemented in at first base the last couple weeks with Ryan Mountcastle (shoulder) out. DH at-bats have been opened up, though. Either Anthony Santander or Adley Rutschman have been at DH for five of 11 games sans Mountcastle, with the other six going to Heston Kjerstad who was summoned to the majors for the first time. Kjerstad has popped a couple homers and is hitting the ball incredibly hard (94 mph average exit velocity) so far, but it sounds like Mountcastle is in line to return when first eligible Tuesday, which means the rookie's at-bats could dry up.

-- Adam Frazier is hitting .242/.283/.313 since the start of August and is in the midst of a 1-for-17 slide at the plate. The slump has resulted in him being out of the lineup for two of the last three games and three of the last seven contests against right-handed pitching. It's a dip in playing time, but Frazier's four starts over that span are similar to Jordan Westburg (four), Ramon Urias (three) and Jorge Mateo (three).

Boston Red Sox

-- Two weeks ago in covering the AL in this space, I noted that Ceddanne Rafaela wasn't seeing much playing time during his first stint in the big leagues. That has changed in a major way since then, with the rookie starting 12 of the last 14 contests and all but one of those starts coming out of the leadoff spot. Rafaela has made eight starts in center field during that span and that looks to be his long-term position, but he's also played some shortstop and second base. Strikeouts have been an issue for the 23-year-old, but he's cranked a couple homers, added a stolen base and batted .294 in his first 23 games.

-- The unfortunate season-ending injury to Triston Casas (shoulder) has meant the return of Bobby Dalbec, who has started six of seven games at first base since being recalled. Dalbec has gone 7-for-21 with one homer and two doubles over that stretch, but has also struck out 10 times, including a golden sombrero in his last contest. We know Dalbec's limitations, but he's certainly capable of providing a little power boost in the final week if you're in need.

New York Yankees

-- Austin Wells' playing time hasn't been as steady as you'd like this month as the Yankees try to accommodate three catchers. He has started five of the last seven tilts, though, and six of his last seven starts have come out of the cleanup spot (he hit fifth in the other game). The 24-year-old hasn't done much at the dish yet, although he did belt his first home run last week. Wells would have plenty of fantasy appeal in 2024 if he can show the Yankees he's ready to take over as their primary catcher.

-- Oswaldo Cabrera is suddenly receiving everyday playing time again, having made a 12th consecutive start Monday. He's spent most of that time in left field with Everson Pereira (hamstring) banged up, but Pereira returned to action Monday and Cabrera was still in there, shifting over to right. Cabrera came into action Monday having posted an .822 OPS with one home run and one stolen base during the aforementioned stretch.

Tampa Bay Rays

-- The Rays are playing without a full deck right now. Wander Franco remains on administrative leave, and Luke Raley (neck) and Brandon Lowe (knee) recently joined Jose Siri (hand) on the IL. Additionally, Randy Arozarena (quad) and Yandy Diaz (hamstring) got dinged up over the weekend. I'm not sure whether the plan was to promote Junior Caminero, anyway, or whether the intention was to play him regularly upon his call-up. The club might not have much of a choice now, though. Caminero didn't start Friday against a righty in his first game up, but he was in there at DH the next two days versus lefties, batting fifth each time.

-- Also being thrust into a more prominent role has been Curtis Mead. Mead has started each of the last three contests and five of the last six at third base, with Isaac Paredes shifting over to second base for those last three games. The 22-year-old Mead was even up in the third spot in the batting order for the last two contests. While he doesn't possess the upside of Caminero (few do), Mead is a great prospect in his own right and it seems as if Tampa Bay trusts him more in the field right now, so he might be the better option in redrafts for the final week.

Toronto Blue Jays

-- Cavan Biggio has been a regular against right-handed pitching this month. The only time he wasn't in the lineup versus a righty came back on Sept. 1 and he's also made a couple starts against lefties. Biggio is sporting a .274/.403/.403 batting line with one home run so far this month and each of his last six starts have either come from the third or fourth spot in the batting order. He's started games at four different positions this month, but four of his last six starts have been at first base with Vladimir Guerrero missing a couple games and being used at DH in others due to a nagging knee issue. Brandon Belt (back) might return this week, but Biggio's versatility could allow him to remain in the lineup often.

-- Whit Merrifield has been in the lineup for just eight of the last 15 games. A groin injury has been a cause for some of that, though, and he has started four of the last five contests, reaching base seven times over that span. On the flip side, Davis Schneider has started only two of the last five games after having started 21 of the previous 22 tilts. Schneider is in an 0-for-30 tailspin and looks to be behind Biggio and Merrifield in the pecking order at this point.

Chicago White Sox

-- Gavin Sheets has made 12 straight starts in right field against right-handed pitching since Oscar Colas was sent back to Triple-A Charlotte. The 27-year-old has managed to drive in 11 runs over that span, but is sporting just a .189/.220/.297 batting line with one home run. The White Sox have gone up against a left-hander on just one occasion since Colas' demotion and Trayce Thompson was in right that day.

-- Lenyn Sosa went through a stretch from mid-August to early September when he started 13 of 15 contests at second base. He's often looked overmatched at the plate, though, and as a result he's started only seven of the last 20 at the keystone (along with an additional three starts at third base). Elvis Andrus has handled seven base 11 times over that span, while Zach Remillard has manned the position a couple times.

Cleveland Guardians

-- Will Brennan has been in the starting lineup for nine of the previous 10 tilts and 12 of the last 13, as he's once again become manager Terry Francona's go-to option in right field versus right-handed pitching (he's even made two starts against lefties over that span). Brennen has done next-to-nothing with the opportunity, carrying a .499 OPS over the aforementioned 13 contests. Myles Straw and Ramon Laureano have both made eight starts during the stretch.

-- After Gabriel Arias started at shortstop 16 times during a 17-game stretch, the Guardians have thrown Jose Tena into the mix more there of late with four starts over the last 13 contests. While Cleveland has some interesting young options at the position, it's anyone's guess as to who might man shortstop heading into 2024. Arias was given a long leash after Amed Rosario was traded and has cranked 10 homers in 343 plate appearances in 2023, but he's also put up just a .632 OPS while striking out at a 32.4 percent clip.

Detroit Tigers

-- The Tigers' leadoff spot has changed hands many times this season, with six players making multiple starts there and four players being used there on at least 10 occasions. Matt Vierling has often occupied the spot against left-handers, but lately he's found himself there quite a bit versus right-handers, too. Across the previous 11 tilts, Vierling has batted leadoff nine times, with five of those coming against righties. The 27-year-old's splits are virtually the same this season, and he's earned more looks at the top of the batting order by slashing .261/.381/.435 this month.

-- One of the guys who had been seeing ample time at leadoff was Akil Baddoo. Baddoo, though, has seen his playing time and his OPS plummet. The 25-year-old is batting only .151/.224/.226 with a 35 percent strikeout rate over his last 20 games. He's started just six of his club's last 14 contests, with three of those times he was on the bench coming against a right-hander.

Kansas City Royals

-- Nick Pratto has been at first base for nine of 15 games since he returned from the injured list, although he's been in the lineup just once over the last three games versus right-handers. Pratto has not left the bottom third of the Royals' batting order during that span, which is not surprising considering he's gone 5-for-31 with 18 strikeouts and just one extra-base hit. Nick Loftin (three starts), Matt Duffy (two starts) and Salvador Perez (one start) have handled first base on days Pratto wasn't there.

-- When healthy, Kyle Isbel has been the Royals' everyday center fielder for much of the season. He and Drew Waters have had a pretty even split at the position this month, though, with Isbel making 11 starts and Waters nine (Dairon Blanco has also made one start in center). Waters has made an additional six starts in right field in September on days Isbel is in center. While neither player has hit very well, Waters does have eight homers and 16 stolen bases in 94 tilts. Both players have graded out well defensively in center field.

Minnesota Twins

-- The left side of the Twins' infield has taken a hit, with Carlos Correa going on the IL with a plantar fasciitis flare-up and Royce Lewis going down with a strained hamstring. Kyle Farmer has started each of the five games Correa has missed at shortstop, while third base without Lewis has been a timeshare of Willi Castro (two starts), Donovan Solano (one start) and Jorge Polanco (one start). Castro seeing action at third base has meant more time in center field for Michael Taylor, who has started there three of the last four contests. Correa is expected back later this week, while Lewis' situation seems more up in the air.

-- Alex Kirilloff has started 10 of 16 contests at first base since making it back from the IL. Just three of those starts have come across the Twins' previous seven games, though, and he's been on the bench twice during that span against a right-hander. Kirilloff is batting .244/.250/.390 with two home runs across 44 plate appearances this month. Donovan Solano (four starts), Edouard Julien (one start) and Jordan Luplow (one start) have been at first base on days Kirilloff begins on the bench.

Houston Astros

-- Michael Brantley hasn't started a game since Sept. 17 because of ongoing issues with his surgically repaired right shoulder. That, combined with his own elbow soreness, has meant Yordan Alvarez essentially being a full-time DH for the past week and a half. Chas McCormick has started all nine games since Brantley's shoulder issue flared up again. Seven have come in left field and none have been in center, where Mauricio Dubon has earned six starts and Jake Meyers has been given three.

-- Manager Dusty Baker dabbled with Jeremy Pena in the two hole for a 10-game stretch and gave him back-to-back starts there last week. However, seven of Pena's last nine starts have come from the lower third of the batting order. The domino effect has been Alex Bregman scooting up from cleanup to the two spot and Kyle Tucker and Jose Abreu inching up one spot in the order to fourth and fifth, respectively.

Los Angeles Angels

-- Mike Trout (wrist) and Taylor Ward (face) are done for the season, Mickey Moniak (back) appears headed for the same fate and Hunter Renfroe is no longer around, leaving the Angels' outfield in shambles. If there's a silver lining, it's that Jo Adell is back after missing more than two months and made his seventh straight start Monday. In the first six of those games he homered and doubled two times apiece and also struck out 10 times. He's probably more likely to do more of the latter than the former in the final week, but he makes for a fine dart throw nonetheless.

-- The Angels are giving Logan O'Hoppe all the playing time he can handle down the stretch, as he's had just one off day since Sept. 8, and all but one of those starts came at catcher (the lone outlier being a start at DH). O'Hoppe has also batted either fourth or fifth in every one of those starts and brought an .800 OPS with seven home runs in September into play Monday. The young backstop's plate discipline could improve, but he's making a lot of loud contact.

Oakland Athletics

-- The downshift in playing time for Esteury Ruiz since he returned from a shoulder injury in early August has been a little odd. Ruiz started 94.3 percent of the Athletics' games before the injury, with the overwhelming majority of those coming from the leadoff spot. Since coming back he's started 59 percent of his team's games and in more than half of those starts he's batted either eighth or ninth. I understand wanting to give Lawrence Butler plenty of run in center field, but I'm not sure why Tony Kemp – who has been less productive and is on an expiring contract – is playing more than Ruiz.

-- Tyler Soderstrom rejoined the big club when rosters expanded, but was given just two starts in his first eight games back. He went through a stretch of four starts in five contests, but has since been out of the lineup three times over the previous four tilts. Of course, Soderstrom hasn't exactly pushed the envelope with a .497 OPS and a 32 percent strikeout rate.

Seattle Mariners

-- Jarred Kelenic missed a couple games shortly after returning from a fractured foot with soreness in his other foot, but other than that he's started nine of a possible 11 games, including two against left-handers (the two he sat out when healthy were both versus southpaws). Kelenic entered action Monday having yet to homer and with just one extra-base hit since returning, but he does have twice as many walks (eight) as strikeouts (four).

-- Both Dominic Canzone and Mike Ford have seen their playing time take a hit since Kelenic returned, with Canzone starting five of 13 contests and Ford four of 13. The Mariners facing five lefties over that stretch is a factor in that, as Teoscar Hernandez often slides into the DH spot those days and Sam Haggerty or Dylan Moore (and sometimes both) play the outfield.

Texas Rangers

-- The Rangers have thrown Josh Jung right back into the fire since he returned from a fractured thumb, giving him a seventh straight start Monday. Each of the last six starts have come from the cleanup spot after he batted fifth in his first game back. Ezequiel Duran hasn't started a single game since Jung was activated and he didn't start the two prior to Jung returning, either. He has just a .613 OPS since the All-Star break.

-- Texas elected to promote Evan Carter earlier this month when Adolis Garcia went down with a knee injury. Garcia is back now, but Carter has more than earned the opportunity to stick around in an everyday role, as he carried a robust 1.130 OPS with four home runs and three stolen bases into play Monday. The left-handed hitting Carter has been on the bench three times on the four occasions the Rangers faced a southpaw since his promotion, although Monday was the first time in a couple weeks that he didn't start. Carter has batted ninth in all but one of his starts and in that other one he hit eighth.