Best MLB Total Bases Matchups — Saturday, September 5, 2026
Top total bases spot: Randy Arozarena
Randy Arozarena (SEA) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Jeffrey Springs. The righty is racking up bases at .444 TB/PA against lefties this year — and .895 over the last two weeks, a strong bat that turns into a total base in about 46% of his trips. And Jeffrey Springs has been getting squared up by lefties lately — .472 total bases per batter faced. 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. He's a fine .267 in 15 career PA against Jeffrey Springs. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Hunter Goodman (COL) (100) vs LHP Matthew Liberatore: a solid bat at .411 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.759).
- Roman Anthony (BOS) (100) vs RHP Chris Bassitt: a strong bat at .459 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.478).
- Brett Bateman (TOR) (96) vs RHP Seth Lugo: a league-average bat at .366 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.759).
- Mickey Gasper (BOS) (95) vs RHP Chris Bassitt: a strong bat at .461 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.478).
- Connor Norby (COL) (91) vs LHP Matthew Liberatore: a league-average bat at .333 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.759).
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) (90) vs RHP Zack Wheeler: a solid bat at .414 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.826).
- Lars Nootbaar (AZ) (90) vs RHP Ethan Pecko: a solid bat at .404 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.643).
Arms giving up extra bases today
- RHP Seth Lugo has been getting squared up by righties — .456 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Brett Bateman (TOR), Nathan Lukes (TOR), and George Springer (TOR).
- LHP Matthew Liberatore has been getting squared up by lefties — .453 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Hunter Goodman (COL), Connor Norby (COL), and Cole Carrigg (COL).
- LHP Yusei Kikuchi has been getting squared up by lefties — .441 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT), Konnor Griffin (PIT), and Bryan Reynolds (PIT).
- RHP Zack Wheeler has been getting squared up by righties — .439 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Drake Baldwin (ATL), Michael Harris II (ATL), and Matt Olson (ATL).
Platoon edges to target
- Randy Arozarena (SEA) — righty bat vs LHP, .444 against lefties this year.
- Hunter Goodman (COL) — righty bat vs LHP, .454 against lefties this year.
- Roman Anthony (BOS) — lefty bat vs RHP, .384 against righties this year.
- Brett Bateman (TOR) — lefty bat vs RHP, .313 against righties this year.
- Mickey Gasper (BOS) — lefty bat vs RHP, .470 against righties this year.
How it played out
8 of the top 10 total bases matchups landed at least one total base. Top play Randy Arozarena finished with 1 total base. 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.
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