Best MLB Doubles Matchups — Thursday, September 17, 2026
Top doubles spot: Brandon Nimmo
Brandon Nimmo (TEX) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Sonny Gray. The lefty is driving the ball at .049 2B/PA against righties this year — and .067 over the last two weeks, a strong bat that turns into a double in about 5% of his trips. And Sonny Gray has been getting squared up by righties lately — .156 doubles per batter faced. One catch: the bullpen behind him has been stingy to that side late. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.3 trips, so the volume's there. He's a fine .278 in 18 career PA against Sonny Gray. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Kody Clemens (MIN) (100) vs RHP Walbert Ureña: a solid bat at .043 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.118).
- Carter Jensen (KC) (100) vs RHP Miguel Ullola: an elite bat at .078 into an arm tough to drive against the same side (.000), hot bat.
- Ty France (SD) (100) vs RHP Tanner Gordon: an elite bat at .064 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.158).
- Brooks Lee (MIN) (92) vs RHP Walbert Ureña: a league-average bat at .039 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.118).
- Randal Grichuk (CWS) (90) vs LHP Framber Valdez: an elite bat at .076 into an arm tough to drive against the same side (.000), hot bat.
- Wade Meckler (LAA) (90) vs RHP Taj Bradley: an excellent bat at .056 into an arm tough to drive against the same side (.000).
- Emmanuel Rodriguez (MIN) (89) vs RHP Walbert Ureña: a solid bat at .045 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.118).
Platoon edges to target
- Brandon Nimmo (TEX) — lefty bat vs RHP, .049 against righties this year.
- Kody Clemens (MIN) — lefty bat vs RHP, .048 against righties this year.
- Carter Jensen (KC) — lefty bat vs RHP, .062 against righties this year.
- Brooks Lee (MIN) — lefty bat vs RHP, .038 against righties this year.
- Randal Grichuk (CWS) — righty bat vs LHP, .111 against lefties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Carter Jensen (KC), Randal Grichuk (CWS), Riley Greene (DET), Juan Brito (CIN), Max Clark (DET), and Dustin Harris (SD). Cold but due to bounce back: Wilyer Abreu (BOS), Mike Trout (LAA), Walker Jenkins (MIN), Isaac Paredes (HOU), and Jac Caglianone (KC).
How it played out
1 of the top 10 doubles matchups landed at least one double. Top play Brandon Nimmo finished with 0 doubles. We post the result next to every projection so you can grade the board yourself — and so the model gets re-tuned against what actually happened.
How to read these doubles matchups
Each score (0–100) starts with the hitter's doubles per plate appearance against the hand he's facing — weighted toward the last two weeks, then the season, then a two-year baseline. Then it layers in the bullpen, his spot in the order, and park and weather. Higher means more of it points his way. It's context, not a lock — a great spot still goes 0-for-4 sometimes, and a tough one runs into one. The edge is in stacking the odds, and since we grade every board, you can see how often the top of the list delivers.