Best MLB Singles Matchups — Saturday, August 29, 2026
Top singles spot: Luis Arraez
Luis Arraez (PHI) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Ryan Johnson. The lefty is lining singles at .223 1B/PA against righties this year — and .286 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a single in about 21% of his trips. And Ryan Johnson has been tough to string hits off righties lately — .074 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 4.3 trips, so the volume's there. He's owned Ryan Johnson too — .667 across 3 career trips. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Henry Bolte (ATH) (100) vs RHP Shane Baz: an excellent bat at .184 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.357), due to bounce back.
- Xavier Edwards (MIA) (100) vs RHP Cade Cavalli: an elite bat at .221 into an arm around league average against the same side (.147), hot bat.
- Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD) (92) vs RHP Nick Martinez: an excellent bat at .172 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.250).
- Chandler Simpson (TB) (90) vs RHP Walker Buehler: an elite bat at .221 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.045).
- Alejandro Kirk (TOR) (90) vs LHP Kade Anderson: an excellent bat at .189 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Josh Naylor (SEA) (89) vs RHP José Soriano: an elite bat at .197 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.216).
- Mauricio Dubón (ATL) (89) vs RHP Zach Agnos: an elite bat at .195 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.111).
Platoon edges to target
- Luis Arraez (PHI) — lefty bat vs RHP, .223 against righties this year.
- Xavier Edwards (MIA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .208 against righties this year.
- Chandler Simpson (TB) — lefty bat vs RHP, .262 against righties this year.
- Alejandro Kirk (TOR) — righty bat vs LHP, .224 against lefties this year.
- Josh Naylor (SEA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .184 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Xavier Edwards (MIA), Geraldo Perdomo (AZ), Drake Baldwin (ATL), Héctor Rodríguez (CIN), Kaelen Culpepper (MIN), and Bryce Harper (PHI). Cold but due to bounce back: Henry Bolte (ATH), Juan Soto (NYM), Pete Alonso (BAL), Trent Grisham (NYY), and Jake Mangum (PIT).
How it played out
7 of the top 10 singles matchups landed at least one single. Top play Luis Arraez finished with 0 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.