Best MLB Singles Matchups — Friday, August 7, 2026
Top singles spot: Kevin McGonigle
Kevin McGonigle (DET) tops the board at 100, facing RHP JT Brubaker. The lefty is lining singles at .169 1B/PA against righties this year — and .275 over the last two weeks, an excellent bat that turns into a single in about 18% of his trips. And JT Brubaker has been getting picked apart by righties lately — .273 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. No real history against JT Brubaker. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) (100) vs RHP Merrill Kelly: an elite bat at .209 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.243), hot bat.
- Jake Mangum (PIT) (90) vs LHP Zac Thornton: an elite bat at .199 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Luis Arraez (PHI) (90) vs RHP José Soriano: an elite bat at .212 into an arm prone to base hits from the same side (.154).
- Bobby Witt Jr. (KC) (86) vs RHP Kevin Gausman: an excellent bat at .171 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.222).
- Wade Meckler (LAA) (81) vs RHP Tyler Phillips: an excellent bat at .177 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.120).
- Chandler Simpson (TB) (78) vs RHP Logan Gilbert: an elite bat at .222 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.120), hot bat.
- Jake McCarthy (COL) (78) vs RHP Kyle Leahy: a strong bat at .158 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.227), hot bat.
Platoon edges to target
- Kevin McGonigle (DET) — lefty bat vs RHP, .169 against righties this year.
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .188 against righties this year.
- Jake Mangum (PIT) — righty bat vs LHP, .250 against lefties this year.
- Luis Arraez (PHI) — lefty bat vs RHP, .222 against righties this year.
- Wade Meckler (LAA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .223 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Freddie Freeman (LAD), Chandler Simpson (TB), Jake McCarthy (COL), Alec Burleson (STL), Jordan Walker (STL), and Gleyber Torres (DET). Cold but due to bounce back: Ozzie Albies (ATL), Jackson Holliday (BAL), Jo Adell (CLE), Cole Young (SEA), and Munetaka Murakami (CWS).
How it played out
3 of the top 10 singles matchups landed at least one single. Top play Kevin McGonigle finished with 3 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.