Times Facing Opponent in Game for 2017 batters vs SP, 3rd and vs. RP, 1st.

We keep hearing that starting pitchers (SP) become ineffective third time through the lineup. Let's look at some data for 2017 for batters with at least 100 plate appearances (PA) third time against a SP.

Data from baseball-reference.com

Worst (OPS < .700) vs SP, 3rd:

Rk	I	Player	Split	Year	G	OPS	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	ROE	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
1		Billy Hamilton	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	123	.558		123	116		25	0	4	1	8	0	0	5	25	.216	.248	.310	36	1	0	2	0	0	1	.267	76	40
2		Asdrubal Cabrera	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	103	.562		103	94		21	3	0	1	8	0	0	7	11	.223	.275	.287	27	3	0	1	1	0	0	.241	45	43
3		Maikel Franco	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	101	.591		101	92		21	3	0	1	10	0	0	9	10	.228	.297	.293	27	5	0	0	0	0	0	.247	77	51
4		Nomar Mazara	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	102	.601		102	88		16	5	0	2	8	0	0	13	16	.182	.294	.307	27	0	1	0	0	2	1	.200	64	53
5		Xander Bogaerts	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	108	.624		108	95		19	7	0	2	9	0	0	12	14	.200	.287	.337	32	3	0	0	1	1	1	.213	67	57
6		Corey Dickerson	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	108	.624		108	107		24	4	1	4	13	0	0	1	22	.224	.231	.393	42	2	0	0	0	0	2	.247	51	53
7		Nick Castellanos	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	110	.675		110	102		22	6	1	4	15	0	0	7	26	.216	.264	.412	42	2	0	0	1	0	1	.247	67	66
8		Freddy Galvis	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	102	.680		102	92		25	4	1	0	8	0	0	9	17	.272	.343	.337	31	2	1	0	0	0	0	.333	99	74
9		Kyle Seager	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	111	.693		111	95		21	5	0	3	12	0	0	13	16	.221	.324	.368	35	2	2	0	1	0	0	.234	82	75
10		Dee Gordon	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	131	.696		131	120		37	3	1	0	7	0	0	5	16	.308	.346	.350	42	1	3	1	2	0	0	.349	95	77
11		Justin Turner	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	106	.696		106	94		21	7	0	3	9	0	0	7	17	.223	.302	.394	37	4	4	0	1	0	0	.240	47	74
12		Elvis Andrus	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	119	.698		119	111		30	5	1	2	12	0	0	7	15	.270	.311	.387	43	4	0	0	1	0	1	.295	75	75

Best (15 batters OPS > 1.000; 32 total had OPS > .900) vs SP, 3rd:

Rk	I	Player	Split	Year	G	OPS	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	ROE	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
1		Giancarlo Stanton	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	134	1.372		134	121		51	14	0	15	39	0	0	10	20	.421	.463	.909	110	4	1	0	2	2	1	.409	167	232
2		Charlie Blackmon	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	142	1.255		142	125		51	9	4	10	23	0	0	12	18	.408	.471	.784	98	0	3	2	0	2	1	.423	149	207
3		Aaron Judge	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	109	1.249		109	94		33	8	1	11	21	0	0	13	31	.351	.440	.809	76	1	2	0	0	1	0	.423	133	203
4		Mike Trout	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	103	1.197		103	85		30	5	2	8	17	0	0	15	18	.353	.456	.741	63	1	2	0	1	2	0	.367	121	194
5		Kris Bryant	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	120	1.156		120	98		32	10	2	8	21	0	0	19	27	.327	.442	.714	70	1	2	0	1	0	1	.375	141	184
6		Domingo Santana	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	100	1.139		100	89		31	6	0	9	23	0	0	11	27	.348	.420	.719	64	3	0	0	0	0	1	.415	156	178
7		Jake Lamb	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	108	1.136		108	93		31	7	2	8	26	0	0	14	24	.333	.426	.710	66	2	1	0	0	1	1	.377	165	178
8		Jonathan Schoop	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	115	1.088		115	105		35	7	0	11	26	0	0	7	19	.333	.374	.714	75	4	1	0	2	0	2	.312	153	164
9		Ryan Zimmerman	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	100	1.069		100	94		36	7	0	6	23	0	0	6	13	.383	.420	.649	61	5	0	0	0	0	0	.400	131	163
10		Evan Longoria	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	123	1.067		123	112		40	13	0	7	20	0	0	8	20	.357	.407	.661	74	4	2	0	1	1	1	.384	186	162
11		Jean Segura	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	119	1.037		119	108		38	8	1	7	20	0	0	8	13	.352	.398	.639	69	4	1	0	1	0	1	.348	164	155
12		Edwin Encarnacion	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	114	1.036		114	91		25	1	0	10	20	0	0	22	22	.275	.421	.615	56	4	1	0	0	2	2	.254	134	156
13		Joey Votto	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	136	1.034		136	102		32	9	0	5	13	0	0	30	12	.314	.485	.549	56	2	4	0	0	5	3	.318	102	161
14		Jose Ramirez	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	112	1.012		112	102		33	14	0	6	15	0	0	9	10	.324	.375	.637	65	1	0	0	1	1	0	.310	110	147
15		Khris Davis	vs. SP, 3rd	2017	117	1.011		117	101		29	12	0	8	24	0	0	12	31	.287	.368	.644	65	2	2	0	2	0	2	.328	132	147

Some names among the best are not surprising: Stanton, Judge, Trout, Votto, Ramirez.

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Now let's look at how batters did the first time that they faced relief pitcher(s) (RP) in 2017 games. This should suggest whether and when a starting pitcher should be pulled. Keep in mind that first batters faced each time through the batting order are the top of the order. Again we're using 100 PA.

129 batters had OPS less than .700. Of note, at .699: Manny Machado. Here are the worst vs. RP, 1st:

Rk	I	Player	Split	Year	G	OPS	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	ROE	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
1		Andrew Romine	vs. RP, 1st	2017	95	.463		139	126		23	2	0	1	8	0	0	7	30	.183	.241	.222	28	3	3	2	1	0	0	.229	50	31
2		Austin Romine	vs. RP, 1st	2017	62	.471		105	97		18	4	0	1	10	0	0	3	27	.186	.214	.258	25	1	1	2	2	0	3	.239	67	31
3		Joc Pederson	vs. RP, 1st	2017	85	.493		133	113		15	5	0	2	9	0	0	14	31	.133	.263	.230	26	1	6	0	0	0	0	.163	36	40
4		Gregory Polanco	vs. RP, 1st	2017	101	.493		147	141		29	4	0	1	11	0	0	6	25	.206	.238	.255	36	3	0	0	0	3	1	.243	43	38
5		Danny Espinosa	vs. RP, 1st	2017	76	.497		112	99		14	0	0	4	14	0	0	8	55	.141	.234	.263	26	1	4	1	0	1	0	.250	90	39
6		Greg Garcia	vs. RP, 1st	2017	111	.511		142	116		21	1	1	0	7	0	0	18	34	.181	.304	.207	24	3	3	4	1	0	2	.253	46	47
7		Guillermo Heredia	vs. RP, 1st	2017	101	.514		155	140		27	1	0	2	6	0	0	9	28	.193	.271	.243	34	2	6	0	0	0	3	.227	58	45
8		Gorkys Hernandez	vs. RP, 1st	2017	94	.532		138	123		25	5	1	0	6	0	0	10	31	.203	.272	.260	32	1	2	2	1	0	2	.269	63	50
9		Joey Rickard	vs. RP, 1st	2017	86	.535		118	111		22	8	0	1	10	0	0	4	29	.198	.237	.297	33	4	2	0	1	0	3	.256	72	48
10		Chris Owings	vs. RP, 1st	2017	89	.537		140	130		28	7	0	1	10	0	0	6	34	.215	.245	.292	38	1	0	1	3	0	3	.276	48	50
11		Gregor Blanco	vs. RP, 1st	2017	68	.538		106	91		16	2	1	1	4	0	0	14	30	.176	.286	.253	23	1	0	1	0	0	0	.250	56	53
12		Darwin Barney	vs. RP, 1st	2017	87	.539		132	121		25	4	0	2	9	0	0	6	30	.207	.250	.289	35	5	1	4	0	0	0	.258	79	50
13		Evan Longoria	vs. RP, 1st	2017	142	.539		231	212		41	12	1	2	20	0	0	17	45	.193	.251	.288	61	5	0	0	2	2	1	.234	48	50

Evan Longoria 10th best vs SP, 3rd and 13th worst vs RP. So when SP is facing Longoria third time, bring in a RP!

The Romine brothers were the two worst.

31 batters had OPS greater than .900. Here are the tops vs. RP, 1st:

Rk	I	Player	Split	Year	G	OPS	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	ROE	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
1		J.D. Martinez	vs. RP, 1st	2017	113	1.148		183	159		50	7	3	19	42	0	0	22	46	.314	.393	.755	120	10	0	0	2	5	1	.323	114	212
2		Aaron Altherr	vs. RP, 1st	2017	92	1.069		149	131		41	8	2	12	29	0	0	16	37	.313	.389	.679	89	4	1	0	1	2	1	.349	146	191
3		Adam Lind	vs. RP, 1st	2017	103	1.048		134	119		43	5	0	9	32	0	0	13	24	.361	.418	.630	75	3	0	0	2	2	2	.386	138	188
4		Mike Trout	vs. RP, 1st	2017	101	1.037		167	125		37	8	0	9	28	0	0	37	30	.296	.461	.576	72	2	3	0	2	9	2	.318	96	188
5		Jose Altuve	vs. RP, 1st	2017	144	1.007		217	185		69	14	0	6	28	0	0	26	24	.373	.461	.546	101	6	5	0	1	3	1	.404	112	181
6		Bryce Harper	vs. RP, 1st	2017	106	1.004		179	156		52	12	1	9	30	0	0	20	35	.333	.408	.596	93	4	1	0	2	5	2	.377	99	177
7		Justin Bour	vs. RP, 1st	2017	98	.994		166	143		42	6	0	13	37	0	0	22	35	.294	.386	.608	87	3	0	0	1	7	1	.302	119	173
8		Jose Martinez	vs. RP, 1st	2017	95	.994		136	115		36	7	0	8	18	0	0	20	28	.313	.412	.583	67	4	0	0	1	2	3	.350	121	175
9		Salvador Perez	vs. RP, 1st	2017	105	.992		162	153		50	11	0	12	34	0	0	6	23	.327	.358	.634	97	6	2	0	1	2	0	.319	149	170
10		Joey Votto	vs. RP, 1st	2017	147	.986		233	175		50	10	0	11	32	0	0	53	37	.286	.455	.531	93	7	3	0	2	12	0	.302	92	175
11		Aaron Judge	vs. RP, 1st	2017	151	.983		254	200		53	5	1	18	42	0	0	50	84	.265	.413	.570	114	3	2	0	2	9	3	.350	89	172
12		Freddie Freeman	vs. RP, 1st	2017	116	.977		175	147		49	9	0	7	26	0	0	24	28	.333	.440	.537	79	5	4	0	0	9	2	.375	101	172
13		Scooter Gennett	vs. RP, 1st	2017	130	.974		197	181		56	12	1	14	50	0	0	13	53	.309	.355	.619	112	5	1	0	2	0	1	.362	120	166
14		Justin Turner	vs. RP, 1st	2017	122	.966		183	148		51	9	0	5	25	0	0	25	19	.345	.459	.507	75	2	8	0	2	5	1	.365	106	170
15		Aaron Hicks	vs. RP, 1st	2017	80	.959		137	110		31	6	0	8	23	0	0	21	29	.282	.404	.555	61	2	3	1	2	0	0	.307	125	165

Batters among the top 15 both vs SP, 3rd and vs RP, 1st: Trout, Judge, Votto. They would seem to present the opposing manager with the toughest decision whether to replace SP with RP.