The Z Files: NL Playing Time Overview

Last week, I broke out the crystal ball and looked at American League hitting lineups, with an eye on players that could help fantasy squads in the short and long term. Some of the observations didn't age well, while others proved prescient. This week, I'll read the bones for the Senior Circuit, looking at current and down-the-road playing-time scenarios.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Catcher: John Ryan Murphy is the starter with Jeff Mathis handling all Zack Greinke starts. Alex Avila works in now and again, always with a righty on the hill. Avila obviously doesn't catch Greinke. He hasn't been behind the dish for a Patrick Corbin start since May 9. This could be coincidence, or maybe Murphy has become Corbin's personal catcher. This is relevant for DFS as Murphy hits in the meat of the order while Mathis and Avila reside at the bottom.

Infield: Apparently Paul Goldschmidt didn't forget how to hit. Jake Lamb is playing nearly every day, ceding to Devin Marrero for some but not all southpaws. Daniel Descalso only plays versus righties. Nick Ahmed and Ketel Marte play against all left-handers with one having to sit with a righty on the hill. Lately, Marte has been playing a speck more than Ahmed, but when Ahmed plays, he hits out of the two-hole.

Outfield: Presently, the lefty-swinging trio of David Peralta, Jarrod Dyson and Jon Jay play against all right-handers. Chris Owings works in against southpaws, alternating which of the three lefties get the day off. Missing from the equation are A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza. Both are currently sidelined and while they haven't incurred any setbacks, neither had a timetable for a return. In Pollock's case, his left thumb is healing, but he hasn't been cleared for baseball activities. While he could still return before the break, it's best to plan on after the All-Star Game, most apropos for those counting on Dyson for steals. Souza is swinging a bat but isn't allowed to throw yet. He's in the same boat as Pollock, plan on the break, treat earlier as a bonus. Once both return, Dyson likely returns to a bench role, while it remains to be seen how Jay and Souza split time. A platoon doesn't work since Souza would be on the lesser side. If you've been riding Jay, at minimum his playing time will decrease. The other repercussion if/when Pollock and Souza both return is that Descalso will no longer pick up the odd game in the outfield, costing Ahmed or Marte on occasion.

Atlanta Braves

Catcher: The parents of Tyler Flowers and Kurt Suzuki did an excellent job teaching their sons to share, as the duo continues to split time in a very productive manner.

Infield: The Austin Riley watched has waned as the top prospect remains out after spraining his right PCL. He could bash himself back into the picture later in the summer, but for now the infield is stable with Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson and Johan Camargo. Note, Albies has cooled considerably, registering a tempered .595 OPS over the last month, and without a steal in that span.

Outfield: The club is understandably taking the prudent approach with Ronald Acuna, looking to send the phenom on rehab over the weekend. In his stead, Charlie Culberson continues to play along with Peter Bourjos as Preston Tucker failed to impress in his audition. Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis remain workhorses at the other spots.

Chicago Cubs

Catcher: Despite his nearly vanishing power, Willson Contreras is the bell cow with Chris Gimenez the current backup.

Infield: Perhaps the most relevant note about the infield is that Joe Maddon has only deployed the Anthony Rizzo bunt defense once. As you likely recall, last season Maddon had Rizzo playing so close to the plate he wasn't allowed to wear his first baseman's mitt on 10 occasions. The switch to a regular glove forced the official scorer to credit Rizzo with an appearance at second base, sending eligibility ripples throughout the fantasy universe, some extending into this season.

Outfield: Add the Cubs to the list of too many cooks in the kitchen. Kyle Schwarber and Jason Heyward occupy the corners against all righties while sitting against most lefties. Albert Almora and Ian Happ play versus southpaws while splitting center against right-handers. Add Ben Zobrist playing against left-handers and working in other times, and daily and DFS players have to check the Cubs lineup every game before locking in many of their players.

Cincinnati Reds

Catcher: Tucker Barnhart has quietly done the job behind the plate, usually hitting from the two-hole, which is nice for DFS.

Infield: The infield is stable, calming the Nick Senzel talk, even though the prized prospect has picked it up big time at Triple-A Louisville. Third and second are blocked, while Jose Peraza is not only hitting a little, he's the best suited of the group to play shortstop, even though he's not known for his slick leather.

Outfield: In what will soon be a theme, the Reds are trying to find ample playing time for four worthy fly-chasers. It wasn't long ago Jesse Winker played himself into a bench role, but that didn't last very long as the youngster started getting on base while Adam Duvall slumped. Billy Hamilton continues to play every day with Scott Schebler a near-regular. Winker and Duvall are sharing left with Winker playing a little more. As opposed to some of the similar scenarios yet to be discussed, the Reds are in the best spot to deal either Duvall or Schebler, though the market isn't likely to be great for either.

Colorado Rockies

Catcher: The list of failed Rockies catching prospects is almost as long as a CVS receipt. Will Tom Murphy join them? Time will tell, but he's getting his long awaited second chance to buck the trend. Chris Iannetta and Tony Wolters remain in the mix.

Infield: It took a while, but Ian Desmond has finally settled in as the everyday first baseman. The rest of the infield is among the league's most stable with DJ LeMahieu, Trevor Story and Nolan Arenado in the lineup nearly every game.

Outfield: Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez are the regulars, with Gerardo Parra and Noel Cuevas forming a platoon. Most of the early-season attention was on David Dahl before he broke his foot, with a post-ASG return expected. Now the focus should be on Raimel Tapia, who has been crushing it at Triple-A Albuquerque, where the usual "great hitting environment" caveat applies. Still, .296/.338/.518 with 17 steals in 18 tries deserves mentioning.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Catcher: In a surprise move, at least based on his usage in last season's playoffs, Yasmani Grandal began the season as the workhorse and still is, with Austin Barnes in a reserve role. Grandal's offense has been slipping lately, but Barnes has been in a rut all season, so a change isn't imminent.

Infield: The left side is set with Justin Turner and Chris Taylor. The right side is a mix with Max Muncy playing nearly every day, bouncing between first and second, with Logan Forsythe and Cody Bellinger playing where Muncy isn't. Bellinger obviously also plays outfield. Enrique Hernandez occasionally plays up the middle but has mostly been roaming the outfield. Chase Utley is due back over the weekend, but even though he's a lefty while Forsythe swings from the right side, Utley is earmarked for a reserve role, getting his at-bats versus right-handers but also freeing up Dave Roberts to use the double shift frequently.

Outfield: Matt Kemp has slowed considerably the last two weeks, but that was to be expected. He's still an everyday player and will remain so, but expect the veteran to be lifted for defense at the end of games. Joc Pederson plays versus righties with Hernandez the lesser side of that arrangement. Bellinger and Yasiel Puig are in the lineup every day, with Bellinger sometimes grabbing his first baseman's mitt. While most are pining for the return of Alex Verdugo, currently raking for Triple-A Oklahoma City, don't forget about Andrew Toles, also hitting well now that he's off the 7-day disabled list. With Kemp still in the mix and a rejuvenated Pederson, there's no room for Verdugo or Toles, even though they may be better than what the Dodgers have now for the rest of the season. The club is in a rough spot. They can't be sellers, not given their potential with healthy pitching, but will the arms ever be healthy? The direction they take obviously revolves around Clayton Kershaw. If the southpaw suffers a setback or a recurrence, the Dodgers would look to move Kemp to open up time for Verdugo and perhaps Toles.

Miami Marlins

Catcher: Poor J.T. Realmuto.

Infield: JT Riddle's late-May debut has pushed Miguel Rojas to third, as Martin Prado can't stay on the field. Starlin Castro continues to play second with Justin Bour at first.

Outfield: Lewis Brinson and converted third baseman Brian Anderson occupy two spots, with Derek Dietrich and Cameron Maybin encompassing a platoon. While Magneuris Sierra and Monte Harrison have a higher ceiling, Austin Dean could be closer to a call-up. The 24-year-old is slashing .309/.392/.438 for Triple-A New Orleans with an impressive 23:20 K:BB.

Milwaukee Brewers

Catcher: Manny Pina ha stabilized an injury-riddled crew, with Erik Kratz his back-up.

Infield: He's still not hitting, but injuries have given the club little choice but to play Orlando Arcia. Travis Shaw joins Arcia on the left side. Jonathan Villar gets most of the action at second with Hernan Perez chipping in. Despite Eric Thames' return, Jesus Aguilar remains the primary first-sacker.

Outfield: Of all the congested scenarios discussed, this is the most crowded. Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich are regulars, leaving one spot for Ryan Braun, Thames and Domingo Santana. Braun plays the most, with Santana the odd man out following Thames return. This doesn't even consider Keon Broxton, slashing a modest .278/.344/.448 with 20 steals for Triple-A Colorado Springs.

New York Mets

Catcher: Devin Mesoraco and Kevin Plawecki are splitting duties behind the dish while Travis d'Arnaud recuperates from Tommy John surgery.

Infield: Asdrubal Cabrera, Amed Rosario and Todd Frazier are the mainstays across the infield. It took a couple months, but the Mets finally ended the Adrian Gonzalez era, handling first base to Dominic Smith, at least against right-handers. Wilmer Flores grabs the at-bats with a southpaw on the hill. With Jay Bruce and Yoenis Cespedes out, though, Smith has shifted to the outfield, leaving Flores to man first base.

Outfield: Brandon Nimmo has assumed the full-time role, only occasionally sitting against southpaws. Michael Conforto is in a similar spot as Nimmo, plating nearly every day. As mentioned, Smith joins them for now against right-handers, with Jose Bautista in the lineup when a lefty toes the rubber.

Philadelphia Phillies

Catcher: Since both are right-handed, Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp are in a time share with Alfaro almost always catching Jake Arrieta and Aaron Nola. Overall, Alfaro catches a little more than Knapp.

Infield: While unfortunate, the injury to J.P. Crawford clarifies the infield scenario in the City of Brotherly Love, with Maikel Franco reinstated at the hot corner. Scott Kingery is also the everyday shortstop while Cesar Hernandez and Carlos Santana remain stalwarts on the right side. Crawford is expected to be out 4-6 weeks with a broken hand, putting him on track to return somewhere between the break and the end of July.

Outfield: Here's another musical chairs outfield with a quartet of quality players. Rhys Hoskins and Odubel Herrera play every day, leaving Aaron Altherr and Nick Williams to share duties while occasionally filling in for the regulars. Altherr's season-long struggles have made this situation easy to read, as he's facing primarily southpaw pitching.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Catcher: Francisco Cervelli has been one of the few consistent performers behind the dish. He'll continue to play nearly every day, but keep in mind he has an extensive concussion history, going back several years. This doesn't mean it's time to cash in and deal him, but if you can afford to keep a decent backup around, it may come in handy.

Infield: Josh Bell, Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer and a Colin Moran/David Freese platoon comprise the Pirates infield. The question is, what happens when/if Jung Ho Kang returns? Considering the club quickly jumped him to Triple-A Indianapolis, the assumption is "when". As such, the question shifts to where, as in third base or shortstop? Mercer is on the last year of his contract, so he's trade bait, likely to a team looking for a utility guy to help shore up their defense. In his time in the minors, so far it's been six at one, a half dozen at the other as Kang has split time equally on the left side.

Outfield: Like their fellow Keystone State club, the Pirates are rotating four players in the three spots, primarily because Gregory Polanco has been in a season-long rut. Rookie Austin Meadows has pushed Polanco to a part-time role. Starling Marte and Corey Dickerson both play nearly every day, though Dickerson is currently away from the club on Family Medical Leave, due back as early as the weekend. When healthy, which is an issue for Marte, he and Dickerson will play. Complicating matters is Polanco and Meadows both swing from the left side. My approach is neither Meadows nor Polanco are mixed-league worthy, but I'm holding both in NL-only as an injury to Dickerson or Marte renders them both regulars.

San Diego Padres

Catcher: The Padres are anxiously awaiting the return of Austin Hedges – the 2017 version, not the one who was sporting a .528 OPS before hitting the disabled list. Barring another setback, Hedges could be back over the weekend. Backup duties should fall to A.J. Ellis, who's outhit Raffy Lopez while Hedges has been sidelined.

Infield: It took a while, but the Padres have trimmed the fat, going with Eric Hosmer, Jose Pirela, Freddy Galvis and a Cory Spangenberg/Christian Villanueva platoon at the hot corner. Down on the farm, 19-year-old Fernando Tatis Jr. is holding his own at Double-A San Antonio, while recently turned 21-year-old Luis Urias is doing the same for Triple-A El Paso. Considering their age-to-level, both are on the fast track, though there's no reason for the cost-conscious Padres to accelerate either to the majors until 2019.

Outfield: While the infield logjam has been cleared up, the Padres are another squad with more bodies than spots in the Petco pasture, though if Franchy Cordero requires surgery on his elbow, that helps thin the herd. Wil Myers is expected to be activated soon, perhaps by the time you're reading this. That leaves two spots for Travis Jankowski, Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe, with Franmil Reyes still in the mix. Jankowski is the only lefty of the bunch, but Margot is a better center fielder. It's honestly a crapshoot. The best I can surmise is Margot likely isn't going to be an everyday player any more. Hopefully, due to his struggles so far, you've already upgraded the spot in mixed leagues. NL-only players will likely label Margot as a disappointment come season's end. That said, he won't turn 24 until September, and in the long term he still has a great chance to figure things out.

San Francisco Giants

Catcher: Buster Posey continues to be one of the busier backstops, though with Brandon Belt's absence, Posey has been able to switch to his first baseman's mitt several times, paving the way for Nick Hundley to play more than the typical Posey understudy.

Infield: Belt is back, joined by Joe Panik on the right side. Brandon Crawford is back from paternity leave with Pablo Sandoval getting the majority of the run at the hot corner while Evan Longoria is out. Alen Hanson will continue to move around the diamond, playing more than most reserves but not enough to be relevant in mixed formats.

Outfield: The Giants are now an all right-handed group with Mac Williamson and Gorkys Hernandez playing most of the time alongside Andrew McCutchen, relegating Austin Jackson and Hunter Pence to reserve roles. Lefty-swinging Steven Duggar has picked it up for Triple-A Sacramento, where a recent hot spell has pushed his OPS to .793 for the season with 11 swipes. There's no indication the Giants are ready to summon the 24-year-old, but if he keeps up this pace, a platoon with Hernandez makes sense.

St. Louis Cardinals

Catcher: With Yadier Molina in town, the only pro athlete other than the Cardinals' reserve receiver seeing less playing time is Tom Brady's backup.

Infield: When everyone is healthy, Jedd Gyorko serves as the utility guy, but since someone has been injured just about every day, Gyorko has played almost as much as a regular. Matt Carpenter is an everyday player, jumping around the infield. Jose Martinez plays most of the time at first, but he's had injury woes over the first half. Yairo Munoz and Greg Garcia are playing for Paul DeJong as the injured shortstop still isn't cleared to hit a fastball. Then there's Kolten Wong, who continues to flash stints of mediocrity between stretches on the pine.

Outfield: In previous seasons, the Cardinals would be another squad with a quality outfielder pining for more playing time. This year, they're pretty settled with Marcell Ozuna and Tommy Pham regulars alongside a Dexter Fowler/Harrison Bader platoon. Fowler has been in a season-long slump and is a threat to lose more than platoon time to Bader. Tyler O'Neill waits on the farm, but since he and Bader both hit from the right side, he'll need an injury for another chance, at least for regular playing time. Long term, O'Neill is still earmarked for a starting role with Bader likely to settle in as a fourth outfielder type.

Washington Nationals

Catcher: Matt Wieters remains sidelined, leaving the crouching to Pedro Severino and Spencer Kieboom, with Severino getting the lion's share of the action.

Infield: Here's another instance of, "these things always seem to work themselves out" as Wilmer Difo owners get an extension at the expense of Matt Adams' broken finger and Ryan Zimmerman's continued absence. Recently returned Daniel Murphy slides over to first against righties, leaving the keystone for Difo. Mark Reynolds handles first versus southpaws with the left side well taken care of by Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon.

Outfield: Bryce Harper, Adam Eaton and Juan Soto are all lefty swingers, so the main question is who sits versus southpaws to get Michael Taylor's righty stick into the lineup? There's only been three occasions a lefty has started since Eaton returned, with Eaton sitting twice and Soto the other time. This is the likely scenario, with Harper also once in a while replaced by Taylor. For those wondering, the latest report had Victor Robles returning to action in early July. Barring an injury at the big-league level, don't expect anything more than a September call-up.