Best MLB Hits Matchups — Sunday, April 26, 2026
Top hits spot: Ernie Clement
Ernie Clement (TOR) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Slade Cecconi. The righty is hitting .321 H/PA against righties this year — and .362 over the last two weeks, an excellent bat that turns into a hit in about 29% of his trips. And Slade Cecconi has been getting tattooed by righties lately — .321 hits per batter faced. One catch: the bullpen behind him has been stingy to that side late. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.7 trips, so the volume's there. He's owned Slade Cecconi too — .333 across 3 career trips. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Michael Harris II (ATL) (96) vs RHP Aaron Nola: an elite bat at .304 into an arm getting tattooed by the same side (.364), hot bat.
- Mickey Moniak (COL) (91) vs RHP Kodai Senga: an elite bat at .303 into an arm getting tattooed by the same side (.389), hot bat.
- Jake Mangum (PIT) (89) vs LHP Kyle Harrison: an excellent bat at .297 into an arm tough on the same side (.200), due to bounce back.
- Kevin McGonigle (DET) (85) vs RHP Rhett Lowder: an excellent bat at .293 into an arm tough on the same side (.207), hot bat.
- Junior Caminero (TB) (85) vs RHP Simeon Woods Richardson: a strong bat at .263 into an arm getting tattooed by the same side (.321), hot bat.
- Luis Arraez (SF) (84) vs RHP Max Meyer: an elite bat at .304 into an arm tough on the same side (.160), hot bat.
- Ozzie Albies (ATL) (84) vs RHP Aaron Nola: a strong bat at .263 into an arm getting tattooed by the same side (.364), hot bat.
Pitchers getting tattooed today
- RHP Kyle Bradish has been getting tattooed by righties — .296 hits per batter faced. Bats to target: Willson Contreras (BOS), Jarren Duran (BOS), and Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS).
- RHP Aaron Nola has been vulnerable to righties — .273 hits per batter faced. Bats to target: Michael Harris II (ATL), Ozzie Albies (ATL), and Matt Olson (ATL).
- RHP Kodai Senga has been vulnerable to righties — .270 hits per batter faced. Bats to target: Mickey Moniak (COL), Edouard Julien (COL), and Tyler Freeman (COL).
- RHP Ryne Nelson has been vulnerable to righties — .264 hits per batter faced. Bats to target: Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD), Ramón Laureano (SD), and Xander Bogaerts (SD).
Platoon edges to target
- Michael Harris II (ATL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .352 against righties this year.
- Mickey Moniak (COL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .344 against righties this year.
- Jake Mangum (PIT) — righty bat vs LHP, .400 against lefties this year.
- Kevin McGonigle (DET) — lefty bat vs RHP, .293 against righties this year.
- Luis Arraez (SF) — lefty bat vs RHP, .325 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Ernie Clement (TOR), Michael Harris II (ATL), Mickey Moniak (COL), Kevin McGonigle (DET), Junior Caminero (TB), and Luis Arraez (SF). Cold but due to bounce back: Jake Mangum (PIT), Chandler Simpson (TB), Alec Burleson (STL), Daulton Varsho (TOR), and Gleyber Torres (DET).
How it played out
6 of the top 10 hits matchups landed at least one hit. Top play Ernie Clement finished with 1 hit. 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 hits matchups
Each score (0–100) starts with the hitter's hits 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.