Best MLB Hits Matchups — Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Top hits spot: Otto Lopez
Otto Lopez (MIA) tops the board at 100, facing RHP George Kirby. The righty is hitting .292 H/PA against righties this year — and .419 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a hit in about 30% of his trips. And George Kirby has been giving up plenty to righties lately — .241 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 4.5 trips, so the volume's there. He's just .000 in 3 career PA against George Kirby, but that's a tiny sample and the matchup says regression. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Michael Harris II (ATL) (99) vs RHP Jared Jones: an excellent bat at .280 into an arm tough on the same side (.095), hot bat.
- Chase DeLauter (CLE) (98) vs LHP Connor Prielipp: an excellent bat at .286 into an arm getting tattooed by the same side (.667).
- Liam Hicks (MIA) (95) vs RHP George Kirby: a strong bat at .266 into an arm getting tattooed by the same side (.321), hot bat.
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) (90) vs RHP Gabriel Hughes: an excellent bat at .279 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) (88) vs RHP Gabriel Hughes: a strong bat at .252 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Trea Turner (PHI) (86) vs RHP Chase Burns: an excellent bat at .276 into an arm getting tattooed by the same side (.294).
- Heliot Ramos (SF) (84) vs RHP Dylan Cease: a strong bat at .253 into an arm tough on the same side (.207), hot bat.
Pitchers getting tattooed today
- LHP Connor Prielipp has been vulnerable to lefties — .279 hits per batter faced. Bats to target: Chase DeLauter (CLE), Kahlil Watson (CLE), and Travis Bazzana (CLE).
- RHP Gerrit Cole has been vulnerable to righties — .267 hits per batter faced. Bats to target: Yandy Díaz (TB), Jonathan Aranda (TB), and Junior Caminero (TB).
- RHP Slade Cecconi has been vulnerable to righties — .262 hits per batter faced. Bats to target: Austin Martin (MIN), Brooks Lee (MIN), and Royce Lewis (MIN).
- RHP Tyler Phillips has been vulnerable to righties — .261 hits per batter faced. Bats to target: Dominic Canzone (SEA), J.P. Crawford (SEA), and Josh Naylor (SEA).
Platoon edges to target
- Michael Harris II (ATL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .303 against righties this year.
- Liam Hicks (MIA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .265 against righties this year.
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .271 against righties this year.
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .242 against righties this year.
- Kyle Stowers (MIA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .229 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Otto Lopez (MIA), Michael Harris II (ATL), Liam Hicks (MIA), Heliot Ramos (SF), Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC), and Bo Bichette (NYM). Cold but due to bounce back: Mookie Betts (LAD), Elly De La Cruz (CIN), Jonathan Aranda (TB), Paul Goldschmidt (NYY), and Junior Caminero (TB).
Lineup watch
270 of today's hitters are still on projected lineups, drawn from each team's last game. Batting order drives the score, so these flip the moment official lineups post — usually about two hours before first pitch. Anyone who doesn't make the official card gets flagged "Not starting" and drops to the bottom.
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.