Best MLB Total Bases Matchups — Monday, July 27, 2026
Top total bases spot: James Wood
James Wood (WSH) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Max Scherzer. The lefty is racking up bases at .452 TB/PA against righties this year — and .517 over the last two weeks, a solid bat that turns into a total base in about 42% of his trips. And Max Scherzer has been thin against righties lately. One catch: the bullpen behind him has been stingy to that side late. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.7 trips, so the volume's there. No real history against Max Scherzer. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- CJ Abrams (WSH) (95) vs RHP Max Scherzer: an excellent bat at .524 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hot bat.
- Elly De La Cruz (CIN) (94) vs RHP Slade Cecconi: a solid bat at .408 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.647).
- Cole Young (SEA) (90) vs RHP Kumar Rocker: a solid bat at .392 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.478).
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) (87) vs RHP Walbert Ureña: an excellent bat at .520 into an arm tough on the same side (.308), due to bounce back.
- Paul Goldschmidt (NYY) (85) vs LHP Noah Schultz: a solid bat at .420 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.429).
- Jake Mangum (PIT) (85) vs RHP Merrill Kelly: a league-average bat at .354 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.500).
- Brandon Lowe (PIT) (84) vs RHP Merrill Kelly: a solid bat at .376 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.500).
Arms giving up extra bases today
- RHP Max Scherzer has been getting squared up by righties — .466 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: James Wood (WSH), CJ Abrams (WSH), and Andrés Chaparro (WSH).
- RHP Merrill Kelly has been vulnerable to righties — .407 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Jake Mangum (PIT), Brandon Lowe (PIT), and Bryan Reynolds (PIT).
- RHP Slade Cecconi has been vulnerable to righties — .405 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Elly De La Cruz (CIN), Nathaniel Lowe (CIN), and Eugenio Suárez (CIN).
- LHP Andrew Alvarez has been vulnerable to lefties — .400 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Nathan Lukes (TOR), Daulton Varsho (TOR), and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR).
Platoon edges to target
- James Wood (WSH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .452 against righties this year.
- CJ Abrams (WSH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .518 against righties this year.
- Elly De La Cruz (CIN) — lefty bat vs RHP, .387 against righties this year.
- Cole Young (SEA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .389 against righties this year.
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) — lefty bat vs RHP, .563 against righties this year.
Lineup watch
216 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 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.