Brief

Astros, Guardians and Phillies Lineups Revealed for 2026 Playoffs

The Houston Astros, Cleveland Guardians and Philadelphia Phillies have announced their projected starting lineups for the 2026 MLB postseason, with each team’s roster built around star performers and injury‑shaped adjustments.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:32:24 GMT

The 2026 MLB postseason begins on Tuesday, and the Houston Astros, Cleveland Guardians and Philadelphia Phillies have released their projected starting lineups for the first round of play. The Astros’ lineup is anchored by Yordan Alvarez, who is expected to deliver the bulk of the club’s offense, while the Guardians and Phillies are relying on a mix of veteran power and younger talent to compensate for lower run production during the regular season.

Astros’ Starting Order

The Astros’ projected lineup places Jeremy Peña at shortstop, Yordan Alvarez as the designated hitter, Isaac Paredes at third base, José Altuve at second base, Yainer Díaz at catcher, Christian Walker at first base, Lucas Spence in center field, Cam Smith in right field, and Taylor Trammell in left field. Bench options include Christian Vázquez, Nick Allen, Raynel Delgado, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Nelson Velázquez. Alvarez’s performance is expected to be the key to the Astros’ success, with the rest of the offense producing a .233/.300/.396 line this year.

Injuries are a concern for Houston, with Daulton Varsho, Jake Meyers and Brice Matthews all on the injured list in September. All three are expected to miss at least the wild‑card round, with Meyers out for the year. Raynel Delgado is a potential 14th‑position player for the wild‑card series, offering insurance for Paredes after a knee injury.

Guardians’ Lineup

The Guardians’ projected lineup features Steven Kwan at center field, José Ramírez at third base, Chase DeLauter in right field, Jo Adell as the designated hitter, Travis Bazzana at second base, Nathaniel Lowe at first base, Angel Martínez in left field, Patrick Bailey at catcher and Brayan Rocchio at shortstop. Bench players include Austin Hedges, David Fry, Angel Genao and Daniel Schneemann.

Rhys Hoskins is the only Guardians player on the injured list, sidelined since August 18 with lower back inflammation. He has been attending batting practice at the team’s “stay‑ready” camp and could contribute off the bench if available. José Ramírez’s recent performance has been a concern, hitting .229/.296/.302 after returning from a fractured left hamate bone in July, and dropping to .198/.237/.264 in September.

Phillies’ Lineup

The Phillies’ projected lineup lists Kyle Schwarber as the designated hitter, Trea Turner at shortstop, Bryce Harper in right field, and the remaining positions are not fully detailed in the source. The Phillies are among the few playoff teams that did not rank in the upper half of the league in runs scored during the regular season.

All three teams rank inside the top 10 in starting pitching ERA, underscoring the importance of pitching for a deep playoff run.

Key facts

The Astros’ projected lineup includes Yordan Alvarez as the designated hitter (bleacherreport.com)
Rhys Hoskins is the only Guardians player on the injured list (bleacherreport.com)
All three teams rank inside the top 10 in starting pitching ERA (bleacherreport.com)

Background

The 2026 MLB postseason will feature 13 teams, each with a unique starting rotation. The Astros, Guardians and Phillies are among the playoff teams that did not rank in the upper half of the league in runs scored during the regular season, but all have strong pitching staffs.