Best MLB Home Runs Matchups — Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Top home runs spot: Esmerlyn Valdez
Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Eduardo Rodriguez. The righty is going deep on .132 HR/PA against lefties this year — and .105 over the last two weeks, elite bat that turns into a home run in about 8% of his trips. And Eduardo Rodriguez has been leaking power to lefties lately — .035 home runs 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. No real history against Eduardo Rodriguez. It all sets up in a neutral park, weather helping.
The rest of the top of the board
- Munetaka Murakami (CWS) (92) vs RHP Cam Schlittler: elite bat at .071 into an arm keeping the ball in the park against the same side (.000), hot bat.
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) (92) vs RHP Grayson Rodriguez: big-time bat at .061 into an arm homer-prone to the same side (.040).
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) (84) vs RHP Emerson Hancock: big-time bat at .059 into an arm getting taken deep by the same side (.091).
- Ben Rice (NYY) (69) vs RHP Davis Martin: big-time bat at .058 into an arm keeping the ball in the park against the same side (.000).
- Coby Mayo (BAL) (68) vs LHP Tarik Skubal: elite bat at .066 into an arm keeping the ball in the park against the same side (.000).
- Hunter Goodman (COL) (67) vs RHP the starter: big-time bat at .065 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Byron Buxton (MIN) (63) vs RHP Randy Dobnak: big-time bat at .064 into an arm getting taken deep by the same side (.050), due to bounce back.
Platoon edges to target
- Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) — righty bat vs LHP, .132 against lefties this year.
- Munetaka Murakami (CWS) — lefty bat vs RHP, .084 against righties this year.
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) — lefty bat vs RHP, .075 against righties this year.
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .045 against righties this year.
- Ben Rice (NYY) — lefty bat vs RHP, .077 against righties this year.
Lineup watch
198 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 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.