Best MLB Singles Matchups — Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Top singles spot: Brandon Nimmo
Brandon Nimmo (TEX) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Patrick Sandoval. The lefty is lining singles at .216 1B/PA against lefties this year — and .429 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a single in about 21% of his trips. And Patrick Sandoval has been getting picked apart by lefties lately — .250 singles per batter faced. 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. He's just .167 in 6 career PA against Patrick Sandoval, 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
- Jonah Cox (SF) (100) vs RHP Andre Pallante: an elite bat at .192 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.300), hot bat.
- Josh Jung (TEX) (93) vs LHP Patrick Sandoval: an excellent bat at .184 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.294).
- Chandler Simpson (TB) (88) vs RHP Jack Perkins: an elite bat at .202 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.269).
- Steven Kwan (CLE) (84) vs RHP Davis Martin: an excellent bat at .173 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.200), hot bat.
- Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL) (84) vs RHP Kevin Gausman: a strong bat at .168 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.200).
- Yandy Díaz (TB) (82) vs RHP Jack Perkins: an excellent bat at .179 into an arm tough to string hits off the same side (.071).
- Bo Bichette (NYM) (80) vs RHP Shane Baz: an excellent bat at .182 into an arm getting picked apart by the same side (.182).
Platoon edges to target
- Josh Jung (TEX) — righty bat vs LHP, .229 against lefties this year.
- Chandler Simpson (TB) — lefty bat vs RHP, .257 against righties this year.
- Steven Kwan (CLE) — lefty bat vs RHP, .204 against righties this year.
- Lars Nootbaar (AZ) — lefty bat vs RHP, .143 against righties this year.
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .185 against righties this year.
Hot bats and bounce-back spots
Swinging hot bats: Jonah Cox (SF), Steven Kwan (CLE), Drake Baldwin (ATL), Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD), Nathan Lukes (TOR), and Victor Mesa Jr. (TB). Cold but due to bounce back: Luis Arraez (PHI), Tommy Edman (LAD), Luis Campusano (SD), Nick Loftin (KC), and Jared Young (NYM).
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.