Best MLB Singles Matchups — Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Top singles spot: Roman Anthony
Roman Anthony (BOS) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Reid Detmers. The lefty is lining singles at .227 1B/PA against lefties this year — and .167 over the last two weeks, a strong bat that turns into a single in about 17% of his trips. And Reid Detmers has been getting picked apart by lefties lately — .318 singles per batter faced. The bullpen behind him is roughly average to that side. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.7 trips, so the volume's there. He's just .000 in 2 career PA against Reid Detmers, but that's a tiny sample and the matchup says regression. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Henry Bolte (ATH) (99) vs RHP José Soriano: an excellent bat at .183 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.210).
- Nathan Lukes (TOR) (98) vs RHP Jack Perkins: an elite bat at .194 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.114), hot bat.
- Steven Kwan (CLE) (96) vs RHP Brandon Young: an elite bat at .201 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.000).
- Bryan Torres (STL) (94) vs RHP Landen Roupp: an excellent bat at .183 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.174).
- Yandy Díaz (TB) (92) vs RHP AJ Smith-Shawver: an excellent bat at .180 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.059).
- Jackson Chourio (MIL) (90) vs LHP David Peterson: a strong bat at .161 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.222).
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) (90) vs LHP Nick Lodolo: a strong bat at .166 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.300).
Platoon edges to target
- Nathan Lukes (TOR) — lefty bat vs RHP, .207 against righties this year.
- Steven Kwan (CLE) — lefty bat vs RHP, .205 against righties this year.
- Bryan Torres (STL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .187 against righties this year.
- Jackson Chourio (MIL) — righty bat vs LHP, .171 against lefties this year.
- Chandler Simpson (TB) — lefty bat vs RHP, .257 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Nathan Lukes (TOR), Elly De La Cruz (CIN), Gleyber Torres (DET), Mike Trout (LAA), Iván Herrera (STL), and Tyrone Taylor (CHC). Cold but due to bounce back: Blaze Alexander (BAL), Turner Hill (SF), Ty France (SD), Shohei Ohtani (LAD), and David Fry (CLE).
Lineup watch
270 of today's hitters are still on projected lineups, drawn from each team's last game. Batting order drives the score, so these flip the moment official lineups post — usually about two hours before first pitch. Anyone who doesn't make the official card gets flagged "Not starting" and drops to the bottom.
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.