Best MLB Singles Matchups — Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Top singles spot: Chandler Simpson
Chandler Simpson (TB) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Justin Hagenman. The lefty is lining singles at .262 1B/PA against righties this year — and .250 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a single in about 22% of his trips. And Justin Hagenman has been thin against righties lately. The bullpen behind him is roughly average to that side. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.3 trips, so the volume's there. No real history against Justin Hagenman. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Luke Keaschall (MIN) (100) vs RHP Drew Anderson: an excellent bat at .178 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.286), hot bat.
- Bryan Torres (STL) (100) vs RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto: an excellent bat at .190 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.094).
- Cody Bellinger (NYY) (100) vs LHP Reid Detmers: a strong bat at .165 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.316), hot bat.
- Samad Taylor (SD) (96) vs LHP Brandon Williamson: an excellent bat at .187 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
- Jackson Chourio (MIL) (95) vs LHP David Peterson: a strong bat at .167 into an arm prone to base hits from the same side (.158), hot bat.
- William Contreras (MIL) (94) vs LHP David Peterson: an excellent bat at .186 into an arm prone to base hits from the same side (.158).
- Liam Hicks (TB) (93) vs RHP Justin Hagenman: an elite bat at .198 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
Platoon edges to target
- Chandler Simpson (TB) — lefty bat vs RHP, .262 against righties this year.
- Bryan Torres (STL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .189 against righties this year.
- Samad Taylor (SD) — righty bat vs LHP, .346 against lefties this year.
- Jackson Chourio (MIL) — righty bat vs LHP, .175 against lefties this year.
- William Contreras (MIL) — righty bat vs LHP, .178 against lefties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Luke Keaschall (MIN), Cody Bellinger (NYY), Jackson Chourio (MIL), Jake McCarthy (COL), Nico Hoerner (CHC), and Drake Baldwin (ATL). Cold but due to bounce back: Dylan Crews (WSH), Luis Robert Jr. (BAL), José Caballero (NYY), Riley Greene (DET), and Brandon Marsh (PHI).
How it played out
6 of the top 10 singles matchups landed at least one single. Top play Chandler Simpson finished with 2 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.