7 years agoWashington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner is batting sixth in the lineup for the team's first game against the Reds on Friday. Ryan Zimmerman, who was held out of Cactus League action for all but one game, is batting cleanup. In a move that would have seemed unthinkable during the Dusty Baker era, Anthony Rendon is batting second. While Turner's move down the lineup hurts his fantasy appeal, it makes sense from a real-world baseball perspective. Turner's speed essentially creates a second top of the order for pitchers to deal with. The Nationals are so loaded with talent that the move doesn't hurt Turner's value too badly. Besides that, once injuries kick in, look for Turner to return to the top of the order. Rendon is the one whose value shoots up if he stays anywhere near the top of the lineup. He broke out in a big way in 2017 and could easily duplicate his success since he's in his prime at age 27.--Mario Hernandez - RotoBaller
Source: Chelsea Janes - The Washington Post