Best MLB RBIs Matchups — Saturday, July 18, 2026
Top rbis spot: Esmerlyn Valdez
Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Logan Allen. The righty is driving in runs at .412 RBI/PA against lefties this year — and .643 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a RBI in about 26% of his trips. And Logan Allen has been thin against lefties lately. 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 Logan Allen. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Luis García Jr. (WSH) (62) vs RHP J.T. Ginn: an elite bat at .165 into an arm getting lit up by the same side (.300).
- Jo Adell (LAA) (61) vs LHP Tarik Skubal: an elite bat at .183 into an arm stingy with runs against the same side (.067), due to bounce back.
- Jordan Walker (STL) (61) vs RHP Brandon Pfaadt: an elite bat at .169 into an arm mostly holding up against the same side (.105), hot bat.
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) (60) vs LHP Ryan Weathers: an elite bat at .162 into an arm stingy with runs against the same side (.000).
- Brandon Lowe (PIT) (58) vs RHP Gavin Williams: an elite bat at .164 into an arm stingy with runs against the same side (.030).
- Kazuma Okamoto (TOR) (58) vs RHP Davis Martin: an elite bat at .162 into an arm getting lit up by the same side (.250).
- Eugenio Suárez (CIN) (57) vs RHP Tomoyuki Sugano: an elite bat at .168 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
Platoon edges to target
- Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) — righty bat vs LHP, .412 against lefties this year.
- Luis García Jr. (WSH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .209 against righties this year.
- Jo Adell (LAA) — righty bat vs LHP, .214 against lefties this year.
- Brandon Lowe (PIT) — lefty bat vs RHP, .192 against righties this year.
- Samuel Basallo (BAL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .182 against righties this year.
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 rbis matchups
Each score (0–100) starts with the hitter's RBIs 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.