Best MLB Singles Matchups — Sunday, August 2, 2026
Top singles spot: Steven Kwan
Steven Kwan (CLE) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Merrill Kelly. The lefty is lining singles at .190 1B/PA against righties this year — and .298 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a single in about 20% of his trips. And Merrill Kelly has been around league average against righties lately — .148 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 just .000 in 3 career PA against Merrill Kelly, but that's a tiny sample and the matchup says regression. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR) (96) vs LHP Matthew Liberatore: an excellent bat at .175 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.306).
- Bo Bichette (NYM) (94) vs RHP Sandy Alcantara: an excellent bat at .189 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.219).
- Jake Mangum (PIT) (90) vs RHP Chase Burns: an elite bat at .193 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.171), hot bat.
- Chandler Simpson (TB) (88) vs LHP Anthony Kay: an elite bat at .195 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.176).
- Jeremy Peña (HOU) (85) vs RHP Kumar Rocker: an elite bat at .194 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.000), hot bat.
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) (85) vs RHP Cade Cavalli: an excellent bat at .187 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.063).
- Nick Gonzales (PIT) (83) vs RHP Chase Burns: an elite bat at .209 into an arm around league average against the same side (.143).
Platoon edges to target
- Steven Kwan (CLE) — lefty bat vs RHP, .190 against righties this year.
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR) — righty bat vs LHP, .180 against lefties this year.
- Jake Mangum (PIT) — lefty bat vs RHP, .224 against righties this year.
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .181 against righties this year.
- Alec Burleson (STL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .174 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Jake Mangum (PIT), Jeremy Peña (HOU), George Springer (TOR), Jacob Wilson (ATH), Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS), and Ryan Jeffers (MIN). Cold but due to bounce back: JJ Wetherholt (STL), José Ramírez (CLE), Taylor Ward (BAL), Paul Goldschmidt (NYY), and Nick Kurtz (ATH).
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.