Best MLB Singles Matchups — Saturday, August 1, 2026
Top singles spot: Luis Arraez
Luis Arraez (SF) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Walker Buehler. The lefty is lining singles at .225 1B/PA against righties this year — and .282 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a single in about 21% of his trips. And Walker Buehler has been tough to string hits off righties lately — .067 singles per batter faced. The bullpen behind him hasn't been any better to that side, so there's no relief late. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.7 trips, so the volume's there. He's owned Walker Buehler too — .300 across 10 career trips. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Cole Young (SEA) (94) vs LHP Connor Prielipp: an elite bat at .191 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.333), hot bat.
- Jeremy Peña (HOU) (92) vs RHP Jacob deGrom: an elite bat at .195 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.273), hot bat.
- Jake Mangum (PIT) (90) vs LHP Andrew Abbott: an elite bat at .198 into an arm prone to base hits from the same side (.161), hot bat.
- Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD) (90) vs RHP Tyler Mahle: an excellent bat at .184 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.174).
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) (86) vs RHP Miles Mikolas: an elite bat at .195 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.182), due to bounce back.
- Alec Burleson (STL) (85) vs RHP Kevin Gausman: an elite bat at .207 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.235).
- Chase DeLauter (CLE) (83) vs LHP Kohl Drake: an elite bat at .194 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
Platoon edges to target
- Luis Arraez (SF) — lefty bat vs RHP, .225 against righties this year.
- Jake Mangum (PIT) — righty bat vs LHP, .250 against lefties this year.
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .183 against righties this year.
- Alec Burleson (STL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .179 against righties this year.
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR) — righty bat vs LHP, .180 against lefties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Cole Young (SEA), Jeremy Peña (HOU), Jake Mangum (PIT), Dane Myers (CIN), Xavier Edwards (MIA), and Jake Bauers (MIL). Cold but due to bounce back: Drake Baldwin (ATL), Otto Lopez (MIA), Jake McCarthy (COL), Paul Goldschmidt (NYY), and Austin Martin (MIN).
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 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.