Ranking the 10 Best Lineups in MLB Thus Far in 2021 | Bleacher ...

And if they were healthy, both Gio Urshela and Luke Voit would be expected to contribute at a high level.Things simply have not gone according to plan.But after adding both Rizzo and Gallo at the trade deadline, the Yankees might finally be turning a corner at the dish.They scored 13 and 10 runs in back-to-back games this past week and scored at least five runs in four out of five games from August 3-7—after entering that five-game stretch with 11 consecutive games of four runs or fewer.It's possible the Yankees go right back to their underachieving ways the rest of the season, but it seems more likely they're finally starting to live up to their potential. Seby Zavala/Zack Collins, COther Key Reserves: Adam Engel, OF; Gavin Sheets, OF/DHInjured: Luis Robert, CF; Yasmani Grandal, C; Billy Hamilton, OF; Jake Lamb, 1B/3BWhite Sox batters have been uncommonly snake-bitten by injuries.Eloy Jimenez made his season debut on July 26 after suffering a ruptured pectoral tendon in spring training. And now Billy Hamilton is out indefinitely with an oblique injury.Can't catch a break.Still racking up runs.The quartet of Tim Anderson, Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada and Andrew Vaughn has done a more-than-fine job leading the way, but it's the effectiveness of the "band-aid solutions" that has been most impressive for the ChiSox.Utility man Leury Garcia has been indispensable, making multiple starts at each of 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF and RF with a serviceable bat. Neither one has a good batting average and they both strike out a lot, but that's an impressive amount of power for guys in those spots in the lineup.And now at the heart of the order, they have a rock solid right-left-right combo of Cruz, Austin Meadows and Randy Arozarena, who boast a combined total of 59 home runs.In particular, Arozarena has been red hot as of late. Donovan Solano, 2BOther Key Reserves: Wilmer Flores, UT; LaMonte Wade Jr., OF; Austin Slater, OF, Darin Ruf, 1B; Alex Dickerson, OF*Currently on the ILThere's no such thing as a "normal" lineup for the Giants, who have only had two players (Brandon Crawford at shortstop and Mike Yastrzemski in right field) make at least 70 starts at one position. They are also optimistic that both Brandon Belt (knee) and Evan Longoria (shoulder) will be able to return soon from injuries that have kept two of their costliest assets sidelined since June.So even though this isn't the lineup San Francisco is throwing out there, it's our best guess at what it will look like in October.And while it isn't quite as formidable as what the Dodgers have at their disposal, it's one heck of a second fiddle among National League West clubs.As a testament to how many options the Giants have, Darin Ruf, LaMonte Wade Jr., Alex Dickerson and Wilmer Flores have each hit at least 11 home runs this season, but they are likely to serve in pinch-hitting roles for the postseason. Hunter Renfroe is on pace for his fourth 26-homer season in the past five years, and both Enrique Hernandez and Alex Verdugo are batting over .250 with double-digit home runs.But that 8-9 punch of Marwin Gonzalez and Bobby Dalbec leaves a lot to be desired and keeps Boston from really having a case for the top spot on this list.In fairness, the Red Sox are hoping that won't be the bottom of the order by the time the postseason begins. Get Arroyo back to play 1B, move Rodriguez from CF to 2B and Verdugo from LF to CF to make room for Schwarber in left and that's a starting nine with a real argument for best in the bigs.1. Tucker Barnhart, COther Key Reserves: Mike Moustakas, 3B; Tyler Stephenson, C; Shogo Akiyama, OFThree weeks ago—after Nick Castellanos landed on the IL and before Joey Votto started mashing home runs on a nightly basis—it felt like Cincinnati's dream of reaching the postseason was finished. They also won 11 of those games, vaulting back into playoff contention.And why not?There's not a single weak link in the lineup.If we combine Tucker Barnhart and Tyler Stephenson—each of whom is batting above .260 with six home runs on the year—into one "starting unit" at catcher, all eight of the Reds' starters have double-digit home runs, and six of them are hitting better than .260. Tough to say when the Astros will be getting their two-time All-Star third baseman back in the lineup.Even without him, though, they're practically lapping the American League field with an average of 5.5 runs scored per game this season.Leadoff hitter Jose Altuve is leading the team with 25 home runs. Reese McGuire, COther Key Reserves: Cavan Biggio, 3BVladimir Guerrero Jr. is having an MVP-caliber season with 34 home runs and a FanGraphs WAR more than 10 percent better than the next-closest batter.And he's just the tip of the iceberg in Toronto.Because George Springer spent the majority of the first three months of the season on the IL, it wasn't until recently that we finally got to see this Toronto lineup in all its glory. AJ Pollock, LFOther Key Reserves: Corey Seager, SS; Albert Pujols, DHInjured: Gavin Lux, 2BWe're still getting a sense of what the Dodgers lineup will look like with Trea Turner in the mix, as the former Washington Nationals star is just now making his way back from a stint on the COVID-19 IL.To put it lightly, though, there's no shortage of star power or raw power here.With the exception of Cody Bellinger, every member of this starting lineup is batting at least .260 with at least 13 home runs and 40 runs batted in. He has struggled mightily this season after suffering a fractured fibula in early April, but the man hit 47 home runs two years ago in the process of winning NL MVP.He's liable to turn a corner any day now and make this lineup more than formidable from top to bottom.Even with Bellinger hitting well below the Mendoza Line and even without Trea Turner for the first four months of the season, the Dodgers are still leading the National League in runs scored by a wide margin.It's scary to think this lineup should be even better the rest of the way.