The Lineup Card Week 6

Welcome back to The Lineup Card, a new weekly article here at Prospects Live this season that will cover developments and changes related to playing time, lineup position, bullpen usage, and more. Time and again, it’s been shown that the most successful fantasy teams are the ones that accumulate the most playing time, and this article is here to help you clue in to playing time and usage trends that will allow you to make the smart pickups before your league mates see them coming.

There was plenty of movement this week as injuries continue to wreak havoc on starting lineups, creating opportunities for players to step in and seize their moment. In the outfield, the Tigers and Braves may have new center fielders, the Reds may have a new left fielder, and who’s hitting leadoff for the White Sox? It’s all here and more in this week’s edition of The Lineup card.

The Lineup Card - Prospects LiveProspects LiveDavid Gofman

Yohendrick Pinango is playing every day - NOISE

Photo Credit: sportsnet.ca

Yohendrick Pinango was called up on April 25th, and since Wednesday, April 29th, he has started 7 of the team's last 8 games, including catching a start against a lefty. On Sunday and Monday, he hit leadoff when George Springer sat out with an injury, and on Tuesday, he slotted into the two hole. Overall, Pinango is hitting a cool .400, striking out just 11.5% of the time, but with just one of his 10 hits going for extra bases. Pinango did hit 15 home runs over 131 minor league games last year, so he has more pop than he’s shown. Unfortunately for Pinango, Addison Barger is expected to be activated off the IL this weekend, which may spell the end of Pinango’s opportunity this time around. He’s an interesting, deep league name to keep tabs on should an opportunity emerge again in Toronto.

Masataka Yoshida is in store for more ABs, but for real this time - SIGNAL

Photo Credit: Joe Sargent

Roman Anthony made every effort to avoid an IL stint with a sprained wrist, but after he was unable to go for the third straight day, the Red Sox decided their young star needed at least another week to recuperate. We’ve watched the Red Sox lineup situation closely over the first six weeks of the season, and for the time being, it appears the leadoff spot in the lineup fully belongs to Jarren Duran, and that Masataka Yoshida will be the primary beneficiary of extra at-bats in the DH spot. Yoshida has hit well in his limited opportunities this year, hitting .310 with a .420 OBP on the season while walking more than he has struck out. For his part, Duran also had an excellent weekend, homering twice over the team’s three-game series against Houston before tacking on another home run on Monday in Detroit.

Antonacci in the leadoff spot, Jarred Kelenic in RF - SIGNAL

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas

The ascension of Sam Antonacci in the White Sox lineup, at least against righties, appears complete as he has now hit leadoff in the team’s last three games against right-handed pitching. The White Sox are undoubtedly hoping Antonacci could provide a spark in the leadoff spot as he’s showcased his exceptional hit tool and plate discipline early in his career, hitting .262 with a .378 OBP while striking out just 9.5% of the time.

Staying in Chicago, as expected, Jarred Kelenic is getting a shot to hold down the right field job with Everson Pereira on the IL, and so far, he’s done enough to seemingly continue to get opportunities. While all four of his hits over his first 14 at bats have gone for singles, Kelenic does have an 18.2% barrel rate and a 45.5% hard hit rate in the small sample. Chicago did bring in Randal Grichuk this week, but that was after Austin Hays returned to the IL. Grichuk is a lefty specialist and shouldn’t challenge Kelenic for at-bats against righties.

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