Best MLB Singles Matchups — Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Top singles spot: Jake Mangum
Jake Mangum (PIT) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Kyle Harrison. The righty is lining singles at .259 1B/PA against lefties this year — and .333 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a single in about 21% of his trips. And Kyle Harrison has been thin against lefties 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. He's owned Kyle Harrison too — .333 across 6 career trips. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Mike Trout (LAA) (92) vs LHP Trevor Rogers: an excellent bat at .188 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.184).
- Gleyber Torres (DET) (89) vs RHP Bryan Woo: an excellent bat at .178 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.294).
- Yandy Díaz (TB) (88) vs RHP Tomoyuki Sugano: a strong bat at .170 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.357).
- Bo Bichette (NYM) (86) vs RHP Tanner Bibee: an excellent bat at .188 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.200).
- Jeremy Peña (HOU) (86) vs RHP Jameson Taillon: an elite bat at .190 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Jackson Merrill (SD) (80) vs LHP Mitch Bratt: an elite bat at .198 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.200).
- Cole Young (SEA) (79) vs RHP Drew Anderson: a strong bat at .159 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.353).
Platoon edges to target
- Jake Mangum (PIT) — righty bat vs LHP, .259 against lefties this year.
- Mike Trout (LAA) — righty bat vs LHP, .165 against lefties this year.
- Cole Young (SEA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .165 against righties this year.
- Luis Arraez (PHI) — lefty bat vs RHP, .225 against righties this year.
- Chandler Simpson (TB) — lefty bat vs RHP, .252 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Jacob Wilson (ATH), Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS), Chandler Simpson (TB), Freddie Freeman (LAD), Dillon Dingler (DET), and Yordan Alvarez (HOU). Cold but due to bounce back: Nathan Lukes (TOR), Drake Baldwin (ATL), Nick Gonzales (PIT), Dylan Crews (WSH), and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR).
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.