Predicting the Starting Lineups for All 30 MLB Teams on September 1

With more than half of the teams in baseball convinced that they still have a chance to claim one of the 10 available playoff spots this season, general managers around the game are scrambling to try and bolster their lineups before the waiver trade deadline hits at the end of the month.

But the pickings on the trade market are slim, and many of those players come with either burdensome contracts or questions about their ability to produce, leaving teams leery of pulling the trigger on a deal.

That's not to say that we won't see any trades between now and August 31, for we will. But for most teams, the help that they need will come from within, whether it be in the form of minor league prospects or injured stars returning to health.

Let's take a look at how every team's starting lineup will look when you wake up on September 1.

*Unless otherwise noted, all statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and are current through games of August 18.

*New additions to the lineup are highlighted in bold; Players with an asterisk (*) next to their name are part of a platoon.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
A.J. Pollock	CF	R
Adam Eaton	LF	L
Paul Goldschmidt	1B	R
Aaron Hill	2B	R
Martin Prado	3B	R
Gerardo Parra	RF	L
Miguel Montero	C	L
Didi Gregorius	SS	L

The Arizona Diamondbacks' bats have come alive since the All-Star break, with the team's slash line rising across the board, most notably a 46-point increase in its OPS, from .708 to .754.

Part of that improvement can be attributed to Martin Prado, who has been on fire in the second half of the season, hitting .379 with a .440 on-base percentage, 1.022 OPS and 23 RBI in 26 games. 

None of the prospects that Arizona adds to the mix when rosters expand will take a permanent spot in the lineup, with the team's biggest addition being the return of catcher Miguel Montero, who has been on the disabled list since August 1 with a strained back.

After averaging a .283/.361/.457 slash line with 14 home runs and 69 RBI a season from 2009 through 2012, Montero has struggled badly in 2013, hitting .228 with nine home runs and 34 RBI.

While Montero's back didn't become a known issue until late July, you have to wonder if it's been bothering him all season, which would explain the drastic drop in the 30-year-old's production. A healthy, productive Montero only makes the team's lineup more difficult for opposing pitchers to get through.

Colorado Rockies

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Dexter Fowler	CF	S
D.J. LeMahieu	2B	R
Carlos Gonzalez	LF	L
Troy Tulowitzki	SS	R
Michael Cuddyer	RF	R
Todd Helton	1B	L
Wilin Rosario	C	R
Nolan Arenado	3B	R

With one of the most potent lineups in baseball, the Colorado Rockies' biggest change is the return to action of All-Star left fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who battled a finger injury on his right hand for more than a month before the team put him on the disabled list at the beginning of August.

It goes without saying that Gonzalez, who has been more productive away from the cozy confines of Coors Field than he has been at home this season, bucking trends of seasons past, gives Colorado a better chance to win when he's healthy and in the lineup.

Yet, amazingly enough, Colorado has a losing record (35-39) this season when both CarGo and Troy Tulowitzki are in the lineup at the same time, despite the pair hitting a combined .308 in those games (.295 for Gonzalez, .321 for Tulowitzki).

Still, getting a healthy Gonzalez back in the mix will make the final quarter of what has been a disappointing season in Colorado less painful to deal with.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Carl Crawford	LF	L
Yasiel Puig	RF	R
Adrian Gonzalez	1B	L
Hanley Ramirez	SS	R
Matt Kemp	CF	R
Juan Uribe	3B	R
A.J. Ellis	C	R
Mark Elllis	2B	R

The most amazing thing about the historic run that the Los Angeles Dodgers have gone on—winning 43 of their last 51 games—is that the team's best player, Matt Kemp, has been involved in only 11 of those games. That raises the question: What do the Dodgers do when Kemp is healthy enough to return from the disabled list?

Who will he replace in the lineup? Will he negatively impact the chemistry that the team has developed?

Kemp isn't amused by those queries, as he told the Los Angeles Times' Bill Shaikin:

"

I don't need to fit in anywhere. My job is to play center field.

Do you think I'm going to come in and mess up the chemistry? The only thing I'm going to do is make the team better. I'm not going to make the team worse.

"

Despite Kemp's overall mediocre numbers on the season—a .260 batting average, .700 OPS, 17 extra-base hits and 27 RBI in 62 games—it's hard to argue against the two-time All-Star. In the 11 games that Kemp has played during the team's hot streak, he's hit .324 with five extra-base hits (three home runs), 10 RBI, eight runs scored and a 1.012 OPS.

Adding his bat to a lineup that has posted a combined .285/.344/.427 slash line since June 22, averaging nearly five runs per game, only makes the Dodgers a more dangerous team to face.

San Diego Padres

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Will Venable	CF	L
Chris Denorfia	RF	R
Chase Headley	3B	S
Yonder Alonso	1B	L
Jedd Gyorko	2B	R
Cameron Maybin	LF	R
Logan Forsythe	2B	R
Nick Hundley	C	R

With Carlos Quentin likely out for the season with a knee injury, the San Diego Padres no longer have to worry about what to do with Cameron Maybin when he returns from the disabled list.

Maybin, who has missed all but 14 games this season with injuries to his wrist and knee, is normally the team's center fielder. But with Will Venable quietly having a solid season patrolling center field at Petco Park, he's not going to be handed his job back.

Instead, the team will slide Maybin over to left field, reducing the amount of ground that he'll have to cover (and saving some wear and tear on his knees) while ensuring that the 26-year-old gets some regular playing time.

San Francisco Giants

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Angel Pagan	CF	S
Marco Scutaro	2B	R
Brandon Belt	1B	L
Buster Posey	C	L
Hunter Pence	RF	R
Pablo Sandoval	3B	S
Brandon Crawford	SS	L
Gregor Blanco*	LF	L

On track to return from hamstring surgery when rosters expand on September 1, Angel Pagan will resume his duties as San Francisco's leadoff hitter, trying to spark the Giants' moribund offense.

While Pagan wasn't setting the world on fire when he was playing, his numbers on the season are better than those who have occupied center field in his absence, which is more of a statement on the sorry state of San Francisco's outfield than a compliment directed at the veteran:

Player	G	BA	OPS	XBH (HR)	RBI
Angel Pagan	46	.262	.688	14 (3)	24
Juan Perez	16	.238	.545	1 (0)	3
Gregor Blanco	108	.254	.658	22 (1)	32
Andres Torres	100	.242	.631	20 (2)	21
Jeff Francoeur	21	.200	.446	2 (0)	4

The Giants rank 24th in baseball with 474 runs scored on the season, outscored by the likes of the Milwaukee Brewers (485 runs) and San Diego Padres (484 runs). San Francisco's leadoff hitters have been especially disappointing, posting a combined .631 OPS, the 27th worst in baseball.

Unfortunately for the Giants, not even Pagan's return is going to be enough to afford them a chance to defend their World Series championship.

Atlanta Braves

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Jason Heyward	RF	L
Justin Upton	LF	R
Freddie Freeman	1B	L
Brian McCann	C	R
Chris Johnson	3B	R
Dan Uggla	2B	R
B.J. Upton*	CF	R
Andrelton Simmons	SS	R

Stumbling through the least productive season of his career, Dan Uggla had absolutely nothing to lose but some playing time by undergoing Lasik surgery on his eyes this past Friday. As Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, Uggla has already begun to notice a difference:

"

Uggla said his eyes were checked in a follow-up visit Saturday, and he tested out with 20/15 vision. Because of recent problems with astigmatism, he had been at about 20/30 or 20/35.

“That tells me right there that it went good,” Uggla said. “There are some things that are going to be cloudy or whatever at times. But over the next three, four, five days it should settle in.

“I feel like I could play today,” Uggla said. “Who knows if I’d be effective or not, but that’s how good I feel like I’m seeing right now.”

"

Uggla has never been one to hit for average, with a career .253 mark heading into the season, but he's always managed to be productive, averaging 30 home runs, 89 RBI and an OPS of .803 every season from 2006-2012.

If he's able to at least raise his miserable .189 batting average and .696 OPS to somewhere close to his career marks over the final month of the season, Atlanta's lineup would improve greatly.

Adding that production to the hot hitting of Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Chris Johnson and Justin Upton, who are all hitting above .300 since the All-Star break, could be the extra push that Atlanta needs to pull away from Los Angeles and Pittsburgh in the race for the best record in the National League.

Miami Marlins

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Christian Yelich	LF	L
Donovan Solano	2B	R
Giancarlo Stanton	RF	R
Logan Morrison	1B	L
Ed Lucas	3B	R
Adeinny Hechavarria	SS	R
Rob Brantly	C	L
Jake Marisnick	CF	R

While the 2013 season has been as painful as everyone expected it would be in Miami, the future has begun to arrive in South Beach—and the future looks bright.

After struggling over his first nine major league games as he got acclimated to major league pitching, Christian Yelich has shown off the skills that made him one of the best prospects in baseball heading into the season, hitting .349 with an .857 OPS over his last 15 games.

With Yelich and Jake Marisnick already in the lineup and Marcell Ozuna out for the season, Rob Brantly's return to the major leagues highlights the changes to the team's lineup to start the season's final month.

Brantly, acquired from Detroit as part of the Anibal Sanchez trade last season, looked like a major building block for the Marlins in 2012, hitting .290 with an .832 OPS over 31 games. But he hasn't been able to find his swing in 2013, hitting .225 with a .559 OPS over 59 games with the Marlins while posting an even worse .179/.393 mark in eight games with Triple-A New Orleans. 

With 30-year-old Jeff Mathis also offensively challenged and best suited for a backup role, the Marlins will give the 24-year-old Brantly another chance to prove that he is, in fact, the team's catcher of the future.

New York Mets

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Eric Young	LF	S
Daniel Murphy	2B	R
Marlon Byrd	RF	R
Ike Davis*	1B	L
Wilmer Flores	3B	R
Travis d'Arnaud	C	R
Juan Lagares	CF	R
Ruben Tejada	SS	R

Some familiar names will be returning to Citi Field when rosters expand, a group that will include outfielders Lucas Duda and Kirk Nieuwenhuis, along with shortstop Ruben Tejada.

The team's Opening Day shortstop this year, the 24-year-old Tejada simply couldn't hit major league pitching, with a .209 batting average and .529 OPS in 50 games. Things have gotten only slightly better with Triple-A Las Vegas, with Tejada hitting .262 with a .639 OPS over 44 games in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Only the Royals have gotten less production out of the shortstop position this year than the Mets. With a dearth of promising shortstop prospects in the system, they desperately need Tejada to show the stroke that saw him hit a combined .287 over nearly 800 major league at-bats from 2011 to 2012.

Getting Tejada some regular playing time against major league pitching down the stretch can only help him at the plate—and the team's offense—in 2014 and beyond.

For better or for worse, Tejada is the team's best option at the position.

Philadelphia Phillies

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Jimmy Rollins	SS	S
Michael Young	1B	R
Chase Utley	2B	L
Domonic Brown	LF	L
Darin Ruf	RF	R
Cody Asche	3B	L
Casper Wells	CF	R
Carlos Ruiz	C	R

While Michael Young has cleared waivers and is reportedly willing to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a trade to a contender, Philadelphia's versatile veteran infielder won't be traded and will remain with the underachieving club for the rest of the season.

Both the Red Sox and Yankees, the two teams thought to have the most interest in trading for Young last month, have filled the holes that they targeted Young to fill, and there simply isn't a big market for his services.

Players like Freddy Galvis and Tyson Gillies could be part of the group that Philadelphia promotes on September 1, but none of the youngsters who join the club are likely to see much time in the starting lineup.

With new manager Ryne Sandberg trying to win as many games as possible in an effort to have the interim tag removed from his title, the Phillies will rely heavily on their veteran bats to lead the team to a strong finish.

Washington Nationals

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Denard Span	CF	L
Ryan Zimmerman	3B	R
Bryce Harper	LF	L
Jayson Werth	RF	R
Ian Desmond	SS	R
Adam LaRoche	1B	L
Wilson Ramos	C	R
Anthony Rendon	2B	R

None of the players that the Washington Nationals add to the roster on September 1 are going to find much playing time down the stretch for Davey Johnson's team, including Danny Espinosa, the team's starting second baseman on Opening Day.

Espinosa has been downright awful at the plate, hitting .158 over 44 games with the Nationals and only .204 over 66 games with Triple-A Syracuse.

With Anthony Rendon entrenched at second base and Ian Desmond at shortstop, Espinosa will only see action as a pinch-hitter while making the occasional start when Rendon or Desmond needs a day off.

One name to keep an eye on is Eury Perez, a 23-year-old center fielder who could supplant Denard Span atop Washington's lineup next season if the Nationals look to move Span this winter. Things just haven't worked out as planned for Span in Washington, as the 29-year-old is having the worst season of his career and has been a disappointment in his first season with the Nats.

Chicago Cubs

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
David DeJesus*	LF	L
Junior Lake	CF	R
Anthony Rizzo	1B	L
Nate Schierholtz*	RF	L
Wellington Castillo	C	R
Mike Olt	3B	R
Starlin Castro	SS	R
Darwin Barney	2B	R

Mike Olt has struggled badly for Triple-A Iowa since the Chicago Cubs acquired him as part of the Matt Garza trade, with the 24-year-old third baseman hitting only .115 with two home runs and four RBI in 24 games, striking out nearly 27 percent of the time that he steps to the plate.

But Olt is the future at the hot corner in Chicago—at least until the team's first-round draft pick this year, Kris Bryant, is ready to take over—and giving him a taste of the big leagues as a member of the Cubs now will only help his development down the line.

While Donnie Murphy has been terrific at third base for Chicago, the 30-year-old is best suited in a utility role, giving manager Dale Sveum an experienced option off of the bench.

Cincinnati Reds

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Shin-Soo Choo	CF	L
Todd Frazier	3B	R
Joey Votto	1B	L
Brandon Phillips	2B	R
Jay Bruce	RF	L
Ryan Ludwick	LF	R
Zack Cozart	SS	R
Ryan Hanigan	C	R

What you see is what you get in Cincinnati, where the Reds don't have many holes in the lineup. And in the places they could stand to upgrade—third base and shortstop—the available options aren't any better than what they already have.

With that being the case, general manager Walt Jocketty recently told the Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay that the team doesn't plan on promoting many players when rosters expand, including shortstop-turned-outfielder Billy Hamilton, who is not on the team's 40-man roster.

Milwaukee Brewers

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Norichika Aoki	RF	L
Jean Segura	SS	R
Jonathan Lucroy	C	R
Aramis Ramirez	3B	R
Carlos Gomez	CF	R
Juan Francisco*	1B	L
Scooter Gennett	2B	L
Logan Schafer*	LF	L

Rickie Weeks' season-ending injury forced the Milwaukee Brewers' hand, with 23-year-old Scooter Gennett getting the call from Triple-A Nashville earlier than expected.

Gennett, who was originally promoted in June, only to struggle badly and be sent back down, has been on fire since returning to the fold at the end of July, hitting .421 with three home runs and six RBI. 

Named the team's 10th-best prospect by MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo, Gennett is the only position player in the team's top 10 to appear on Milwaukee's 40-man roster, meaning that Brewers fans aren't likely to see first base prospect Hunter Morris in action when rosters expand next month.

Despite the fact that Weeks is due $11 million next season, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt reports that Gennett could force his way into the team's 2014 lineup if he can sustain his performance over the final month of the season.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Starling Marte	LF	R
Neil Walker	2B	S
Andrew McCutchen	CF	R
Pedro Alvarez	3B	L
Russell Martin	C	R
Garrett Jones*	1B	L
Jose Tabata	RF	R
Jordy Mercer	SS	R

It's no secret that the Pittsburgh Pirates have been looking to add an impact bat in right field or at first base for over a month.

But with the available options either having burdensome contracts or simply not being obvious upgrades over what Pittsburgh already has, the team will roll with the lineup that has helped get it to the second-best record in the National League (72-51).

None of the team's September call-ups are going to supplant anyone in the starting lineup, instead serving as depth on the bench for manager Clint Hurdle to use as he sees fit.

St. Louis Cardinals

Predicted Starting Lineup As of September 1 

Player	Position	Bats
Matt Carpenter	3B	L
Carlos Beltran	RF	S
Matt Holliday	LF	R
Allen Craig	1B	R
Yadier Molina	C	R
Jon Jay	CF	R
Kolten Wong*	2B	L
Daniel Descalso*	SS	L

The St. Louis Cardinals' decision to promote second baseman Kolten Wong before rosters expand in September takes away the one big change I expected in the team's starting lineup, but it didn't make sense for the team to wait any longer to make the move.

With Matt Carpenter more than capable of playing third base and David Freese, the hero of the 2011 World Series, struggling badly, replacing Freese with Carpenter and inserting Wong at second base—against right-handed pitching only for now—was significantly easier than looking outside the organization for help at the hot corner.

While landing an upgrade at shortstop remains a priority for the Cardinals, that move won't come until the winter, when it's likely that trade talks with the White Sox about Alexei Ramirez will pick up once again.

Baltimore Orioles

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Nate McLouth*	LF	L
Manny Machado	3B	R
Nick Markakis	RF	L
Adam Jones	CF	R
Chris Davis	1B	L
Adam Dunn	DH	L
Matt Wieters	C	S
JJ Hardy	SS	R
Brian Roberts	2B	S

Baltimore isn't hiding the fact that it wants to solve its designated hitter dilemma before rosters expand in September, something that the team's executive vice president of baseball operations, Dan Duquette, reiterated to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun recently:

"

We have Wilson in our organization. If he is ready, and he can help us, we would put him on our ballclub, but he’s not quite ready yet. He’s getting closer, but he’s been out for a long time. We want to find another hitter. We have been looking at this issue for a while, and we want to find a solution for DH. [Betemit] can certainly be a solution. He is a good hitter, but he needs some at-bats.

"

The Orioles will find their answer sitting in the basement of the AL Central, as the team works out a last-minute deal with the White Sox to bring Adam Dunn, one that sees Chicago pick up a significant chunk of the roughly $20 million left on his contract in exchange for two mid-level prospects.

Dunn, who has already cleared waivers, has hit .299 with 26 extra-base hits (16 home runs) and 45 RBI since June 1. Adding his bat to an already dangerous lineup gives the Orioles a better chance of overcoming some of the team's shortcomings in the starting rotation than they have now.

Boston Red Sox

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Jacoby Ellsbury	CF	L
Shane Victorino	RF	S
Dustin Pedroia	2B	R
David Ortiz	DH	L
Mike Napoli	1B	R
Mike Carp	LF	L
Stephen Drew	SS	L
Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C	S
Will Middlebrooks	3B	R

While many of the players that will join the Boston Red Sox when rosters expand in September represent the future of the club, none of them will supplant any of the team's current starters.

Included in that group will be outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who could replace Jacoby Ellsbury in center field next season, and top prospect Xander Bogaerts, who figures to be the team's Opening Day shortstop in 2014.

While Bogaerts isn't currently on the team's 40-man roster, moving reliever Andrew Bailey, who is out for the season, from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL will open up the necessary roster spot for the phenom.

New York Yankees

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Brett Gardner	CF	L
Derek Jeter	SS	R
Robinson Cano	2B	L
Alfonso Soriano	DH	R
Alex Rodriguez	3B	R
Curtis Granderson	LF	L
Mark Reynolds*	1B	R
Chris Stewart	C	R
Ichiro Suzuki	RF	L

To say that this has been a disappointing season for Derek Jeter would be a gross understatement.

After averaging 151 games a season over the past 17 years, the 39-year-old shortstop has been limited to only five games in 2013 due to a rash of injuries. While some will be quick to point to this as a sign that Jeter's career is quickly coming to an end, it very well may be nothing more than bad luck.

That said, his return to action will be as big a move as the Yankees could make the rest of the way. And with a dearth of quality position players ready to make an impact in the minor leagues, nobody else who joins the club when rosters expand figures to see any significant playing time.

Tampa Bay Rays

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Desmond Jennings	CF	R
Ben Zobrist	2B	S
Evan Longoria	3B	R
Wil Myers	RF	R
James Loney	1B	L
Matt Joyce*	DH	R
Kelly Johnson*	LF	L
Yunel Escobar	SS	R
Jose Molina	C	R

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Desmond Jennings is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Monday, just over two weeks after being sidelined by a fractured middle finger on his left hand, giving Tampa Bay its leadoff hitter back and returning the lineup to some sense of normalcy.

As for the minor league position players who will join the fray once rosters expand, none will supplant any of the team's current starters.

Middle infielder Tim Beckham, the first overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft, should be among those added to the active roster and will make his major league debut, though he figures to be nothing more than a pinch-hitter down the stretch for the contending Rays. 

Toronto Blue Jays

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Jose Reyes	SS	S
Ryan Goins*	2B	L
Jose Bautista	RF	R
Edwin Encarnacion	1B	R
Adam Lind	DH	L
Brett Lawrie	3B	R
Colby Rasmus	CF	L
J.P. Arencibia	C	R
Anthony Gose*	LF	L

On the disabled list with a strained abdominal muscle, Colby Rasmus will return to action and look to finish the season strong after hitting .273 with 18 home runs, 60 RBI and an .813 OPS over 112 games before the injury, putting up the best numbers of his Blue Jays career.

Most of Toronto's September call-ups figure to be reinforcements for the pitching staff, but one under-the-radar name to watch is second baseman Ryan Goins.

The 25-year-old has had a decent season with Triple-A Buffalo, hitting .264 with 29 extra-base hits (six home runs), 46 RBI and a .694 OPS. With neither Macier Izturis nor Munenori Kawasaki the team's long-term answer at the position, Toronto might as well see what Goins has to offer.

With the team out of contention and looking for answers in 2014 and beyond, it has nothing to lose by giving him a shot.

Chicago White Sox

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Alejandro De Aza	CF	L
Gordon Beckham	2B	R
Alexei Ramirez	SS	R
Mike McDade	1B	S
Paul Konerko	DH	R
Conor Gillaspie*	3B	L
Dayan Viciedo	LF	R
Avisail Garcia	RF	R
Josh Phegley	C	R

Noticeable by his absence is Adam Dunn, traded to the Baltimore Orioles for two mid-level prospects as Chicago GM Rick Hahn continues to try and stockpile talent for the rebuilding process that he has decided to undertake.

Replacing Dunn in the lineup is 24-year-old Mike McDade, whom the White Sox claimed off of waivers from Cleveland back in May. McDade has put up decent numbers with Triple-A Charlotte since his arrival, hitting .272 with 26 extra-base hits (nine home runs), 41 RBI and a .737 OPS.

With Paul Konerko on the last legs of his career and Keon Barnum still years away from making an impact, the White Sox have nothing to lose by seeing whether McDade can figure into the team's plans in 2014 or not.

More changes will come to the team's lineup after the season, including the trade of shortstop Alexei Ramirez and left fielder Dayan Viciedo.

Cleveland Indians

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Michael Bourn	CF	L
Nick Swisher	1B	S
Jason Kipnis	2B	L
Carlos Santana	C	S
Michael Brantley	LF	L
Asdrubal Cabrera	SS	S
Jason Giambi*	DH	L
Lonnie Chisenhall*	3B	L
Drew Stubbs	RF	R

Any additions that Cleveland makes to the roster between now and the end of the season figure to be aimed at bolstering the pitching staff, not the starting lineup.

With the team's best hitting prospects, like shortstop Francisco Lindor, still at least a year away from making an impact, manager Terry Francona isn't concerned about having a lack of reinforcements on the way, as he explained to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

"I've got no problem with our team and where we are," Francona said. "We know ourselves pretty well. . .When we play the game right, we win. When we don't we lose."

Triple-A shortstop Juan Diaz could see some time as a pinch hitter and pinch runner for the Indians in September, but like any other position players who get the call, his playing time will be limited as the Indians make their playoff push.

Detroit Tigers

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Austin Jackson	CF	R
Torii Hunter	RF	R
Miguel Cabrera	3B	R
Prince Fielder	1B	L
Victor Martinez	DH	S
Nick Castellanos	LF	R
Omar Infante	2B	R
Bryan Pena	C	S
Jose Iglesias	SS	R

When you have the best lineup in baseball, there usually isn't much room for September call-ups to make their presence felt. That isn't the case in Detroit, where the team's one weak spot—left field—can be bolstered by the team's top prospect, Nick Castellanos.

Castellanos, 21, has had a solid season for Triple-A Toledo, hitting .278 with 49 extra-base hits (14 home runs), 65 RBI and a .792 OPS.

Andy Dirks has been disappointing, and both he and Matt Tuiasosopo are best utilized as fourth outfielders off of the bench. Neither has the All-Star upside of Castellanos, who could be the biggest addition that any contender makes heading into the season's final month.

Kansas City Royals

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
David Lough	RF	L
Eric Hosmer	1B	L
Billy Butler	DH	R
Alex Gordon	LF	L
Salvador Perez	C	R
Mike Moustakas	3B	L
Chris Getz*	2B	R
Alcides Escobar	SS	R
Jarrod Dyson	CF	L

Like their division rivals in Cleveland, the Kansas City Royals don't have any high-ceiling position players knocking on the door in the minor leagues that will join the team in September.

Instead, the Kansas City's focus will be on the pitching staff, with players like 30-year-old Irving Falu bolstering the team's bench.

Falu, a switch-hitter, figures to split time with Chris Getz at second base, but neither one is a long-term answer at the position for the team, something the Royals will have to address in the offseason. 

Minnesota Twins

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Brian Dozier	2B	R
Joe Mauer	C	L
Justin Morneau	1B	L
Josh Willingham	RF	R
Ryan Doumit	DH	S
Oswaldo Arcia	LF	S
Trevor Plouffe	3B	R
Clete Thomas	CF	L
Pedro Florimon Jr.	SS	S

Those looking for the Minnesota Twins to promote 3B Miguel Sano this September are sure to be disappointed by the news that he's not coming, something that GM Terry Ryan all but guaranteed in a conversation with Mike Barardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

"

We’re not in a position to be wanting to worry about roster spots when you don’t have to. He’s got all he can handle right now. Nobody says it wouldn’t benefit him. Sure, it would be beneficial for the experience and (to) see what it’s like, but also I’ve got to use some roster management here.

"

That line of thinking applies to 2B Eddie Rosario as well, leaving the most likely candidates to be promoted when rosters expand to be players like Chris Colabello, Darin Mastroianni and Chris Parmelee.

Houston Astros

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Robbie Grossman	LF	S
Brett Wallace	1B	L
Jose Altuve	2B	R
Jason Castro	C	R
George Springer	CF	R
Chris Carter	DH	R
Matt Dominguez	3B	R
L.J. Hoes	RF	R
Jonathan Villar	SS	S

The rebuilding effort continues in Houston, with the Astros continuing to plug young talent into the lineup to see whether they can join the likes of Jose Altuve and Jason Castro as significant building blocks for the future or if those players are nothing more than extra pieces.

After a strong showing in spring training, many thought that 23-year-old center fielder George Springer deserved to break camp with the team. Instead, he's split time between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Oklahoma City, hitting a combined .303 with 35 home runs, 100 RBI and an OPS of 1.023.

Clearly, he's ready for a bigger challenge, and he'll get one in September, when he takes over for the disappointing Brandon Barnes in center field and slides into the middle of Houston's lineup. The experience he gets this season can only help what Houston hopes will be a Rookie of the Year-winning campaign in 2014.

Los Angeles Angels

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
J.B. Shuck*	DH	L
Mike Trout	LF	R
Howie Kendrick	2B	R
Josh Hamilton	RF	L
Mark Trumbo	1B	R
Erick Aybar	SS	S
Chris Nelson	3B	R
Chris Iannetta	C	R
Peter Bourjos	CF	R

It's been a lost season for the Angels, a team that looks like world-beaters on paper and anything but that in practice.

With the team's best position prospect, third baseman Kaleb Cowart, at least another year away from making an impact—and not having a spot on the team's 40-man roster—any minor league players who join the fold for the final month of the season are largely going to be inconsequential.

But second baseman Howie Kendrick is a difference-maker, and the 30-year-old should be back from a hyper-extended left knee right around the time that rosters expand, if not earlier. Hitting .301 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI, Kendrick gives the Angels another veteran bat to rely on down the stretch.

Oakland Athletics

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Coco Crisp	CF	S
Eric Sogard*	2B	L
Jed Lowrie	SS	S
Yoenis Cespedes	LF	R
Brandon Moss*	1B	L
Josh Donaldson	3B	S
Josh Reddick	RF	L
Seth Smith*	DH	L
Derek Norris	C	R

Those expecting catcher John Jaso to return to Oakland just in time for the team's final push toward defending its AL West crown may want to temper those expectations, as manager Bob Melvin says that the concussed 29-year-old may miss the rest of the season, per Jeff Kirshman of MLB.com.

That doesn't mean Oakland doesn't have reinforcements on the way for the offense, with 27-year-old Michael Taylor the obvious choice for promotion. But with a crowded outfield as it is, he won't receive much in the way of playing time, doing nothing to increase his value as a trade chip this winter.

Seattle Mariners

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Brad Miller	SS	L
Nick Franklin	2B	S
Kyle Seager	3B	L
Kendrys Morales	DH	S
Michael Morse	RF	R
Raul Ibanez	LF	L
Justin Smoak	1B	S
Michael Saunders	CF	L
Humberto Quintero	C	R

Seattle has already promoted many of its best minor league bats, with Brad Miller and Nick Franklin already in the team's lineup and C Mike Zunino sidelined with a fractured bone in his left hand, an injury that's likely to keep him out of action until sometime after rosters expand.

While a player like Mike Morse would garner interest on the trade market, he'd never make it through waivers unclaimed, with the claiming team more interested in keeping him away from its competition than adding him to the roster.

Seattle's lineup will remain as it is for the rest of the season, with Zunino working his way back into the mix once he's deemed ready.

Texas Rangers

Projected Lineup on September 1

Player	Position	Bats
Leonys Martin*	CF	L
Elvis Andrus	SS	R
Ian Kinsler	2B	R
Adrian Beltre	3B	R
Lance Berkman	DH	S
A.J. Pierzynski	C	L
Alex Rios	RF	R
Mitch Moreland	1B	L
David Murphy*	LF	L

Texas already addressed the missing Nelson Cruz by trading for Alex Rios. While top prospect Jurickson Profar continues to struggle at the plate, his days as a regular in the lineup are coming to an end with the eventual return of veteran Lance Berkman to the mix.

Berkman was having a so-so season for the Rangers before going down with injuries to his knee and hip, hitting .254 with six home runs and 34 RBI over 68 games. 

If he's fully healthy when he returns, the 37-year-old should see an increase in his production over the final month of the season, rounding into form just as the playoffs approach.