Best MLB Home Runs Matchups — Sunday, July 12, 2026
Top home runs spot: Rafael Devers
Rafael Devers (SF) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Michael Lorenzen. The lefty is going deep on .059 HR/PA against righties this year — and .167 over the last two weeks, big-time bat that turns into a home run in about 6% of his trips. And Michael Lorenzen has been keeping the ball in the park against righties lately — .018 home runs per batter faced. The bullpen behind him is roughly average to that side. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.3 trips, so the volume's there. He's just .200 in 5 career PA against Michael Lorenzen, but that's a tiny sample and the matchup says regression. It all sets up in a neutral park, weather helping.
The rest of the top of the board
- Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) (100) vs LHP Robert Gasser: elite bat at .080 into an arm getting taken deep by the same side (.053).
- Munetaka Murakami (CWS) (100) vs RHP J.T. Ginn: elite bat at .073 into an arm getting taken deep by the same side (.067).
- Mickey Moniak (COL) (97) vs RHP Trevor McDonald: big-time bat at .059 into an arm homer-prone to the same side (.043).
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) (97) vs LHP Mitch Bratt: big-time bat at .057 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Hunter Goodman (COL) (92) vs RHP Trevor McDonald: elite bat at .065 into an arm keeping the ball in the park against the same side (.000).
- Ben Rice (NYY) (90) vs RHP Cade Cavalli: big-time bat at .062 into an arm getting taken deep by the same side (.050), hot bat.
- Shea Langeliers (ATH) (87) vs LHP Noah Schultz: big-time bat at .063 into an arm getting taken deep by the same side (.091), due to bounce back.
Platoon edges to target
- Rafael Devers (SF) — lefty bat vs RHP, .059 against righties this year.
- Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) — righty bat vs LHP, .161 against lefties this year.
- Munetaka Murakami (CWS) — lefty bat vs RHP, .090 against righties this year.
- Mickey Moniak (COL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .071 against righties this year.
- Ben Rice (NYY) — lefty bat vs RHP, .083 against righties this year.
How it played out
2 of the top 10 home runs matchups landed at least one home run. Top play Rafael Devers finished with 0 home runs. 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 home runs matchups
Each score (0–100) starts with the hitter's home runs 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.