Best MLB Singles Matchups — Monday, July 20, 2026
Top singles spot: Jake McCarthy
Jake McCarthy (COL) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Andrew Alvarez. The lefty is lining singles at — 1B/PA against lefties this year, a solid bat that turns into a single in about 14% of his trips. And Andrew Alvarez has been thin against lefties lately. The bullpen behind him is roughly average to that side. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.7 trips, so the volume's there. No real history against Andrew Alvarez. It all sets up in a hitter's park, weather helping.
The rest of the top of the board
- James Wood (WSH) (100) vs LHP Kyle Freeland: a solid bat at .145 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hitter's park, due to bounce back.
- Kyle Karros (COL) (92) vs LHP Andrew Alvarez: a solid bat at .145 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hitter's park.
- Curtis Mead (WSH) (92) vs LHP Kyle Freeland: a solid bat at .145 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hitter's park.
- Cole Carrigg (COL) (84) vs LHP Andrew Alvarez: a solid bat at .145 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hitter's park.
- Andrés Chaparro (WSH) (84) vs LHP Kyle Freeland: a solid bat at .145 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hitter's park.
- JJ Wetherholt (STL) (82) vs RHP José Soriano: a solid bat at .145 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) (79) vs LHP JP Sears: a solid bat at .145 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hot bat.
Where singles fall in today
Coors Field is playing as a real hitter's park today (+6% single park). Top bat there: Jake McCarthy (COL) at 100.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Jake McCarthy (COL), Drake Baldwin (ATL), Bryce Eldridge (SF), Jacob Wilson (ATH), Nick Gonzales (PIT), and Elly De La Cruz (CIN). Cold but due to bounce back: James Wood (WSH), Taylor Ward (BAL), Ozzie Albies (ATL), Bobby Witt Jr. (KC), and Sam Antonacci (CWS).
How it played out
6 of the top 10 singles matchups landed at least one single. Top play Jake McCarthy finished with 2 singles. 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 singles matchups
Each score (0–100) starts with the hitter's singles 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.