Best MLB Singles Matchups — Friday, August 14, 2026
Top singles spot: Chandler Simpson
Chandler Simpson (TB) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Chris Bassitt. The lefty is lining singles at .262 1B/PA against righties this year — and .394 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a single in about 24% of his trips. And Chris Bassitt has been thin against righties lately. One catch: the bullpen behind him has been stingy to that side late. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.5 trips, so the volume's there. He's owned Chris Bassitt too — .500 across 8 career trips. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Jake McCarthy (COL) (100) vs RHP Landen Roupp: an excellent bat at .174 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.115), due to bounce back.
- Jeff McNeil (ATH) (100) vs RHP Kumar Rocker: an excellent bat at .186 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.188).
- Brandon Nimmo (TEX) (96) vs LHP Gage Jump: an elite bat at .195 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.100), due to bounce back.
- Teoscar Hernández (LAD) (92) vs LHP Robert Gasser: a strong bat at .168 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.210).
- TJ Rumfield (COL) (89) vs RHP Landen Roupp: an excellent bat at .182 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.115).
- Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC) (87) vs LHP Matthew Liberatore: a strong bat at .165 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.300).
- Bryce Eldridge (SF) (87) vs LHP Kyle Freeland: a strong bat at .169 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.087).
Platoon edges to target
- Chandler Simpson (TB) — lefty bat vs RHP, .262 against righties this year.
- Jake McCarthy (COL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .160 against righties this year.
- Jeff McNeil (ATH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .193 against righties this year.
- Teoscar Hernández (LAD) — righty bat vs LHP, .167 against lefties this year.
- TJ Rumfield (COL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .177 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Wade Meckler (LAA), Jac Caglianone (KC), Sal Stewart (CIN), Abimelec Ortiz (WSH), Spencer Torkelson (DET), and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR). Cold but due to bounce back: Jake McCarthy (COL), Brandon Nimmo (TEX), Jonah Cox (SF), Rafael Devers (SF), and Jung Hoo Lee (SF).
How it played out
6 of the top 10 singles matchups landed at least one single. Top play Chandler Simpson 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.