Best MLB RBIs Matchups — Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Top rbis spot: Esmerlyn Valdez
Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Kyle Harrison. The righty is driving in runs at .344 RBI/PA against lefties this year — and .240 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a RBI in about 24% of his trips. And Kyle Harrison 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 Kyle Harrison. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Kyle Schwarber (PHI) (66) vs RHP Jake Irvin: an excellent bat at .151 into an arm vulnerable to the same side (.133), due to bounce back.
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) (65) vs RHP Eury Pérez: an excellent bat at .158 into an arm stingy with runs against the same side (.053), due to bounce back.
- James McCann (AZ) (65) vs RHP Casey Mize: an elite bat at .192 into an arm stingy with runs against the same side (.056), hot bat.
- Owen Caissie (MIA) (65) vs RHP Bryce Elder: an elite bat at .172 into an arm stingy with runs against the same side (.061), due to bounce back.
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) (63) vs RHP Jameson Taillon: an excellent bat at .157 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hot bat.
- Sal Stewart (CIN) (61) vs LHP Jacob Lopez: an excellent bat at .152 into an arm stingy with runs against the same side (.056).
- Kazuma Okamoto (TOR) (59) vs RHP Hunter Brown: an excellent bat at .160 into an arm stingy with runs against the same side (.040).
Platoon edges to target
- Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) — righty bat vs LHP, .344 against lefties this year.
- Kyle Schwarber (PHI) — lefty bat vs RHP, .121 against righties this year.
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .166 against righties this year.
- Owen Caissie (MIA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .209 against righties this year.
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) — lefty bat vs RHP, .179 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.