Best MLB Singles Matchups — Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Top singles spot: Cole Young
Cole Young (SEA) tops the board at 100, facing RHP the starter. The lefty is lining singles at .174 1B/PA against righties this year — and .258 over the last two weeks, an excellent bat that turns into a single in about 19% of his trips. And the starter has been thin against righties lately. 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. No real history against the starter. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Jackson Merrill (SD) (98) vs LHP Eduardo Rodriguez: an elite bat at .198 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.350).
- Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS) (97) vs RHP Davis Martin: an excellent bat at .182 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.200), hot bat.
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) (96) vs RHP Javier Assad: an elite bat at .207 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.222), hot bat.
- Gleyber Torres (DET) (95) vs RHP Emerson Hancock: an excellent bat at .178 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.238).
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) (90) vs RHP Ryan Gusto: an excellent bat at .181 into an arm prone to base hits from the same side (.158).
- Chandler Simpson (TB) (88) vs RHP Gabriel Hughes: an elite bat at .219 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Trea Turner (PHI) (88) vs RHP Zack Littell: a strong bat at .156 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.263).
Platoon edges to target
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .188 against righties this year.
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .178 against righties this year.
- Chandler Simpson (TB) — lefty bat vs RHP, .252 against righties this year.
- Nathan Lukes (TOR) — lefty bat vs RHP, .213 against righties this year.
- Liam Hicks (MIA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .192 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Cole Young (SEA), Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS), Freddie Freeman (LAD), Jeremy Peña (HOU), Andy Pages (LAD), and Munetaka Murakami (CWS). Cold but due to bounce back: Yandy Díaz (TB), Nathan Lukes (TOR), Nick Gonzales (PIT), Sam Antonacci (CWS), and Nolan Schanuel (LAA).
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.