Interleague Report: Week 21

Please note that in the “DH” column, the player listed is the player that has been added or removed from the lineup, not necessarily the player in the DH slot. For example, if the Phillies move Domonic Brown to DH and put Tony Gwynn Jr. in the OF, then I will list Gwynn Jr. in the “DH” column because he is the player who is gaining at-bats.

Last Week

AL at NL:

This happened: “The Tigers will most likely sit Castellanos, move Miguel Cabrera to third base, and start Victor Martinez at first base. Cabrera currently has eight games played and six games started at the hot corner. Martinez has 20 games player and 18 games started at first base.“

David Ortiz and Mike Napoli each got a start at first base.

I thought it would be Alejandro De Aza sitting with Adam Dunn moving to the outfield, but it was in fact Viciedo who was regulated to bench duties.

Fuld, who had been starting against both lefties and righties, did not start in any games this series.

NL at AL:

Jordan Pacheco got two starts (one at DH and one at first base) and Miguel Montero got a semi-rest at DH for the getaway game with Tuffy Gosewisch catching.

Ryan Howard and Marlon Byrd each got a day at DH meaning that Darin Ruf and Grady Sizemore each got a start.

With Josh Harrison moving into the starting shortstop role, the DH freed up playing time for Mercer with Harrison moving to third base and Pedro Alvarez moving to DH.

This Week

AL at NL:

I think that Kendrys Morales sits against the righties and the Logan Morrison sits against the lefty.

Shin-Soo Choo moves from DH to the outfield for games at National League parks. Consequently, Mike Carp or Jim Adduci will sit.

With Adam Lind due back, my guess is that Kawasaki gets bumped off of third base for interleague games to allow the Blue Jays to start Juan Francisco and Adam Lind on the corners.

Josh Willingham—the short side of the Royals’ DH platoon—will most likely start both games on the bench.

Baltimore has been rotating Steve Pearce, Delmon Young, and David Lough in the left field/DH spot not being occupied by Nelson Cruz on any given day. All three will sit and Cruz will start in left field.

NL at AL:

My guess is that Matt den Dekker gets a start against the righty (Eric Campbell is the other possibility) and that Eric Young Jr. gets a start against the lefty.

This Week

AL at NL: None

NL at AL:

Miami has a plethora of equally unexciting options to add to the lineup with the DH. My guess is that Reed Johnson gets a start against the lefty and that both Ed Lucas and Jeff Mathis get a start against a righty.

My bet is that Michael Taylor gets at least the start against the lefty, moving the now-back-from-injury Jayson Werth to DH. We have also seen Danny Espinosa and Jose Lobaton get starts when the Nationals are playing in an AL park.