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

-- For each of his team's last 15 games heading into action Monday, Ozzie Albies has been in the No. 2 spot in the lineup. That slot had been exclusively occupied by Matt Olson, who moved to fifth for six games and the up to cleanup for the last nine contests. The switch-hitting Albies has always been a much better hitter from the right side of the plate and that's been no different with a 1.115 OPS versus lefties and .721 OPS against righties this season. He has popped 15 of his 20 home runs versus right-handers, though, and as long as he remains in the two-hole it will be a huge boost for his runs scored outlook.

-- Michael Harris put up a .372/.388/.617 batting line with five home runs and four stolen bases in June, finally looking like the player his fantasy managers drafted this spring. Even with the hot streak, Harris hasn't batted anywhere other than ninth since all the way back on May 16. Atlanta's lineup is featuring red-hot bats everywhere, so there isn't much reason for manager Brian Snitker to mess with Harris' lineup placement right now. It's not ideal from a counting-stats perspective, although Harris managed to drive in 14 runs and score 17 times from the nine spot last month.

Miami Marlins

-- Yuli Gurriel went through a stretch from late May to early June where he started 13 straight games, but over the last 25 contests he's been in the lineup just nine times. That includes just one start across his previous seven games. Gurriel was unavailable for a couple of those due to injury, but it seems more to be a re-commitment to Garrett Cooper, who slugged five home runs in June. Getting Jorge Soler out of the outfield and back at designated hitter would also appear to be a factor.

-- Nick Fortes came into play Monday having gone hitless over his last 23 at-bats. The 26-year-old has started more than 60 percent of the Marlins' games behind the plate since mid-May and certainly has more offensive upside than fellow catcher Jacob Stallings. He has not been able to separate himself enough to be a viable fantasy catcher in mixed leagues, however.

New York Mets

-- Tommy Pham went through a stretch in late May and early June when he started just one of seven games. Since then he's started each of the last 22 tilts and is sporting a robust .361/.409/.581 batting line with three home runs and four stolen bases during that span. He was up in the No. 2 spot in the Mets' batting order Sunday and followed by Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, with Starling Marte dropped down to the six hole. Pham could be a trade chip if the Mets wind up selling, although that could ding his fantasy outlook if he plays less in his new digs.

-- Daniel Vogelbach popped three long balls and plated nine runs in his first nine games following a week-plus hiatus as he worked on things. Since then, though, he's hitless in his last four contests. He's been the team's designated hitter in 11 of their last 12 games against right-handers, so it's clear he remains their preferred option in such situations. However, all bets will be off if the Mets sell, as it seems likely they'll want to get a longer look at younger players at that point.

Philadelphia Phillies

-- The Phillies recalled Darick Hall on Sunday and threw him into the lineup at first base and the eight spot. He had been optioned a couple weeks ago following a long stint on the injured list, but with Kody Clemens falling into a 5-for-39 funk the Phils decided to give Hall another shot. The 27-year-old should be given regular at-bats versus right-handed pitching, whether that's at first base or DH or both. Bryce Harper reportedly could be used at first base as soon as this week.

-- Bryson Stott has been platooned more lately, having been benched four of the last five times the Phillies faced a southpaw. Prior to that, he had started five straight versus lefties. Josh Harrison has played second base in those games Stott has sat out. Considering Stott is hitting .329/.385/.439 against left-handers and Harrison is batting just .204/.245/.225 versus lefties, it wouldn't make much sense for the arrangement to continue.

Washington Nationals

-- With Victor Robles returning to the IL with more back problems, the Nationals have turned to Derek Hill in center field, giving him 11 straight starts there heading into action Monday. Hill had been crushing the ball at Triple-A Rochester and is generally regarded as a good defender, but he's struggled mightily in his short time with the Nats and also previously with the Tigers.

-- Dominic Smith entered play Monday having homered three times over his last 19 games, which qualifies as a power explosion for him. As a result, he's inched his way up in the batting order, having batted fifth in three of the previous four contests before being elevated to cleanup Monday. He's essentially flip-flopped spots with fellow left-handed swinger Corey Dickerson, who came into action Monday homerless with a .492 OPS since the start of June.

Chicago Cubs

-- The Cubs initially eased Cody Bellinger back into things following his knee injury by putting him at first base, but he was back in center field for a fifth straight start Monday. However, while he's been displaced from center field, Mike Tauchman has still started four of five games during that stretch and been in the leadoff spot for all of those starts. Three of the four starts for Tauchman have come in right field while Seiya Suzuki battles a nagging neck issue, so it's possible Tauchman will go to the bench once Suzuki is full-go. That said, the fact that the Cubs are still using him at leadoff seemingly speaks to their fondness of the 32-year-old.

-- With Bellinger returning to the outfield and Matt Mervis back in the minors, first base has been occupied by Jared Young. The 27-year-old has made five straight starts at the position and six straight starts overall, even moving up to the three spot in the batting order Monday. Young has gotten off to a hot start at the dish, entering play Monday with a home run, two triples and a couple walks in 15 plate appearances. He's a non-prospect, but Young was mashing at Triple-A Iowa before his promotion so perhaps he can Frank Schwindel it for a while.

Cincinnati Reds

-- Joey Votto made his triumphant return on June 19 and surprisingly (at least to me, anyway) has started all but one game since then. I figured he'd be eased back into action given that he's 39 and coming off such a long layoff following shoulder surgery, but he's been in the lineup for 12 of 13 contests and has batted seventh each time. Votto entered play Monday hitless in his last six games, so perhaps the Reds should ease off the gas a bit.

-- Will Benson has taken hold of the left field job of late, making six straight starts at the position, including one against a lefty over that span. In 30 games since the beginning of June, Benson has made 21 starts, entering action Monday hitting .364/.482/.591 with three home runs and six stolen bases. On only three occasions during that stretch has he not hit in the lower third of the order. The biggest loser from a playing time perspective with Votto's return and Benson's emergence has been Nick Senzel. Senzel has been in the lineup just six times in 16 games since returning from the IL and hasn't made a start in more than a week.

Milwaukee Brewers

-- The Brewers shook up their infield last week when they opted to send the struggling Luis Urias down to Triple-A Nashville and recalled Brice Turang. Turang has started all five games since returning to the majors, including two straight against left-handers. The rookie infielder had been in a prolonged slump when he was optioned last month, but he got going at Nashville and is probably worth a look again in deep mixed leagues.

-- Blake Perkins has made nine straight starts, with one of them coming in center field, three in left field and five in right field. Unfortunately, he's slowed down at the dish just as the Brewers threw more playing time at him. Raimel Tapia has also started three of the last four games but hasn't done much. It seems as if Sal Frelick should get an opportunity sooner rather than later, although the Brewers are probably waiting for him to heat up at Nashville.

Pittsburgh Pirates

-- All 11 of Henry Davis' starts in the field since his promotion have come in right field (he's made two additional starts at DH). The former No. 1 overall pick has gotten off to a nice start at the plate, entering play Monday with a .304/.373/.413 batting line with a home run and a couple stolen bases. It's bizarre to me that Pittsburgh is content on making Davis a full-time right fielder (at least for now) when their catching duo is Austin Hedges and Jason Delay, but clearly they don't trust Davis' defense behind the plate. Perhaps he'll do some catching in the second half if (when?) the Pirates fall out of contention.

-- Not long after they promoted Davis, the Pirates made the decision to call up former No. 7 overall pick Nick Gonzales. The 24-year-old has started eight of 10 contests since his promotion, splitting time evenly between shortstop and second base. There's certainly potential for Gonzales to move up in the batting order if he hits, and he's off to a nice start as he entered play Monday with two homers, a double and a triple in his first 30 plate appearances. So far, though, he hasn't batted higher than sixth.

St. Louis Cardinals

-- Dylan Carlson started seven straight games and 11 of 13 after coming off the injured list back on June 9. He's started just four of eight since then, though, as the Cardinals have seemed to revert back to preferring Alec Burleson against righties, giving him starts in four of the last five contests in such situations. Meanwhile, after staking claim to the center field job Tommy Edman has played shortstop or second base in four of the last six games. That mostly seems to be due to Brendan Donovan being unable to play the field currently because of an arm issue. Edman could return to the infield when Tyler O'Neill (back) returns (he's beginning a rehab assignment Tuesday), although a trade or two before the deadline involving outfielders seems likely.

-- The Cards pledged to give Nolan Gorman more of an opportunity against lefties and they did for a while when he was swinging the bat well. He's been awful since the start of June, though, and as a result has been on the bench each of the last six times St. Louis has gone up against a southpaw. Gorman is still playing regularly versus righties, of course, and each of his last 10 starts have been in the field rather than at DH (eight at second base, three at third base). The team has churned through a host of players at DH lately, although that could be Donovan's home for a bit if he's not able to throw.

Arizona Diamondbacks

-- Each of Geraldo Perdomo's last 12 starts have come out of the leadoff spot, although he remains in a platoon at shortstop with Nick Ahmed, who has started each of the last two contests with a lefty on the mound. Given Ahmed's .441 OPS this season against left-handed pitching, you have to wonder if the Diamondbacks would be better off just making the switch-hitting Perdomo an everyday player.

-- Evan Longoria and Emmanuel Rivera have shared the third base job since the D-backs sent Josh Rojas down to Triple-A Reno. Longo has been the preference of late, though, in starting five of the last seven games at the hot corner. The uptick in playing time for the 37-year-old is probably long overdue. He's sporting a 1.116 OPS with eight home runs since May 9, but has only once started three games in a row over that span and you have to go back to May 23-26 for when that happened.

Colorado Rockies

-- Fifteen of Ezequiel Tovar's 17 starts since June 11 have come either in the two hole (14 starts) or leadoff (one start). Unfortunately, it was over the weekend when he batted seventh once and sixth the other time following Kris Bryant's return from the IL. Tovar did hit second Sunday, with Bryant moving back to the five spot. Tovar was excellent in June (.885 OPS, five home runs) after a solid May (.767 OPS, three home runs), as he's basically been what fantasy managers had hoped for after a horrid April. The rookie does have drastic splits, with an .812 OPS this year at home versus a .665 OPS on the road.

-- With Bryant's return over the weekend and C.J. Cron's activation a few days prior to that, Nolan Jones has been on the bench for three of the last six contests, including each of the last two games when the Rockies were facing a righty. Jones has slowed a bit at the plate over the last two weeks and hasn't done much with his opportunities against lefties, but there's no reason he shouldn't be playing every day versus right-handers.

Los Angeles Dodgers

-- Across his last eight starts, Mookie Betts has played second base three times, right field three times and shortstop twice. For those keeping score at home, that's now 19 appearances at second base and 15 at shortstop this season, so he's well on his way to insuring triple eligibility for 2024. Betts seeing more action in the infield of late has coincided with Miguel Vargas' collapse at the plate. The rookie second baseman entered play Monday in a 5-for-58 tailspin over his previous 19 tilts.

-- Another factor in Betts playing more infield has been manager Dave Roberts wanting to keep Jason Heyward's bat in the lineup (I'm as surprised as you are that I'm writing that in 2023). Heyward came into action Monday hitting .423/.500/.692 over his last nine contests to push his season OPS up to .831. Six of his eight starts over that stretch have been in right field, with one apiece coming in left field and center field.

San Diego Padres

-- The Padres have featured a new leadoff hitter lately, with Ha-Seong Kim occupying the top of the batting order nine of the last 11 games (and one of those two games he didn't, he sat out with a hamstring issue). Kim entered action Monday having homered five times and plated 10 runs over that span, so he figures to remain perched atop the Padres' lineup for a while. Former leadoff man Fernando Tatis has mostly hit second of late while Juan Soto bats third, although the two flip-flopped for Monday's tilt.

-- After going deep six times in his first 13 games with the Padres, Gary Sanchez entered play Monday having gone 8-for-46 with one dinger across his last 17 contests. He's seen his playing time taper off a bit as a result, as Sanchez has been on the bench for six of the last 18 games after he had started 13 of San Diego's 14 games since he joined the club.

San Francisco Giants

-- The Giants threw Luis Matos into the fire with a start in the two hole in his major-league debut back on June 14. He's mostly batted in the lower third of the order of late, though, with seven of his last 10 starts coming from the eight or nine spot. With Thairo Estrada going down with a fractured hand, there's the potential for Matos to move back up in the order at least versus left-handers. The rookie has yet to really get going at the plate, though.

-- Each of Joc Pederson's first 40 starts this season came at DH, but he's now made four straight starts in the outfield, splitting time between left and right field. That's because Michael Conforto and Mike Yastrzemski both missed time with hamstring issues before returning Monday (Conforto at DH, Yaz in right field). Given how much manager Gabe Kapler likes to mix and match, it's a bit surprising he had Pederson cemented into the DH spot for so long. Perhaps Joc will continue to see regular outfield duty for a bit while Conforto and Yastrzemski ease back into things.