Best MLB Total Bases Matchups — Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Top total bases spot: James Wood
James Wood (WSH) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Gabriel Hughes. The lefty is racking up bases at .464 TB/PA against righties this year — and .667 over the last two weeks, a strong bat that turns into a total base in about 45% of his trips. And Gabriel Hughes has been thin against righties lately. 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 4.7 trips, so the volume's there. No real history against Gabriel Hughes. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Dillon Dingler (DET) (100) vs RHP Colin Rea: a strong bat at .458 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.750).
- Masataka Yoshida (BOS) (100) vs RHP Dean Kremer: a solid bat at .413 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (1.063).
- Ketel Marte (AZ) (100) vs LHP Gage Jump: a solid bat at .417 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.500).
- Jacob Wilson (ATH) (97) vs RHP Merrill Kelly: a strong bat at .425 into an arm giving up bases to the same side (.364), hot bat.
- Cole Young (SEA) (96) vs RHP Brady Singer: a strong bat at .427 into an arm giving up bases to the same side (.364), due to bounce back.
- Jake McCarthy (COL) (95) vs RHP Cade Cavalli: a solid bat at .405 into an arm mostly containing the same side (.333), hot bat.
- CJ Abrams (WSH) (94) vs RHP Gabriel Hughes: an excellent bat at .500 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
Arms giving up extra bases today
- RHP Dean Kremer has been getting squared up by righties — .475 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Masataka Yoshida (BOS), Wilyer Abreu (BOS), and Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS).
- RHP Aaron Nola has been getting squared up by righties — .428 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Andy Pages (LAD), Mookie Betts (LAD), and Shohei Ohtani (LAD).
- RHP Colin Rea has been vulnerable to righties — .416 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Dillon Dingler (DET), Kevin McGonigle (DET), and Spencer Torkelson (DET).
- RHP Mitch Keller has been vulnerable to righties — .404 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Ben Rice (NYY), Trent Grisham (NYY), and Spencer Jones (NYY).
Platoon edges to target
- James Wood (WSH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .464 against righties this year.
- Masataka Yoshida (BOS) — lefty bat vs RHP, .353 against righties this year.
- Ketel Marte (AZ) — righty bat vs LHP, .545 against lefties this year.
- Cole Young (SEA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .395 against righties this year.
- Jake McCarthy (COL) — lefty bat vs RHP, .451 against righties this year.
How it played out
6 of the top 10 total bases matchups landed at least one total base. Top play James Wood finished with 0 total bases. 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 total bases matchups
Each score (0–100) starts with the hitter's total bases 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.
What the total bases board is
The Total Bases board projects how many bases a hitter racks up vs the posted total-bases line. One statistical model scores every matchup on the slate the same way — a star and a backup judged on the matchup in front of them, not their name — and every number is graded against the real box score once the games go final.
How the model gets its number
It isn't a gut call or a name game. The projection is built from a few things:
- His extra-base pop vs this arm.
- The park.
- Recent contact quality.
Those pieces combine into one number, and the model re-tunes itself weekly against how its past calls actually landed.
Is there a betting edge here?
Total bases grades right at break-even even when we tune it to the hilt — the book prices the marginal leans efficiently. Transparency board.
How to use it
See who the model projects for extra-base damage; no systematic edge to bet.
Everything here is a research signal from the model, graded in public — not betting advice, and no outcome is guaranteed.
Learn more: How the model works · The picks story · Today's plays