Best MLB Singles Matchups — Sunday, August 9, 2026
Top singles spot: Kevin McGonigle
Kevin McGonigle (DET) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Logan Webb. The lefty is lining singles at .175 1B/PA against righties this year — and .317 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a single in about 20% of his trips. And Logan Webb has been getting picked apart by righties lately — .189 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 Logan Webb. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Jeremy Peña (HOU) (100) vs RHP Randy Vásquez: an excellent bat at .181 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.048), due to bounce back.
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) (100) vs LHP Eduardo Rodriguez: an elite bat at .194 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.381), due to bounce back.
- Chandler Simpson (TB) (99) vs RHP Emerson Hancock: an elite bat at .221 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.226).
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) (94) vs RHP Randy Vásquez: a strong bat at .157 into an arm around league average against the same side (.148).
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) (90) vs LHP Eduardo Rodriguez: a strong bat at .164 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.381).
- Ty France (SD) (87) vs RHP Cristian Javier: an excellent bat at .185 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.214), due to bounce back.
- Trea Turner (PHI) (85) vs RHP Shane Bieber: a strong bat at .168 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.333).
Platoon edges to target
- Kevin McGonigle (DET) — lefty bat vs RHP, .175 against righties this year.
- Chandler Simpson (TB) — lefty bat vs RHP, .253 against righties this year.
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) — lefty bat vs RHP, .154 against righties this year.
- Steven Kwan (CLE) — lefty bat vs RHP, .196 against righties this year.
- Alec Burleson (STL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .173 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Steven Kwan (CLE), Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD), Jonathan Aranda (TB), Jake McCarthy (COL), Jordan Walker (STL), and Jose Altuve (HOU). Cold but due to bounce back: Jeremy Peña (HOU), Freddie Freeman (LAD), Ty France (SD), Alec Burleson (STL), and Yandy Díaz (TB).
How it played out
5 of the top 10 singles matchups landed at least one single. Top play Kevin McGonigle finished with 1 single. 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.