Best MLB Total Bases Matchups — Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Top total bases spot: Ben Rice
Ben Rice (NYY) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Zebby Matthews. The lefty is racking up bases at .479 TB/PA against righties this year — and .525 over the last two weeks, a strong bat that turns into a total base in about 43% of his trips. And Zebby Matthews has been getting squared up by righties lately — .652 total bases 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 owned Zebby Matthews too — .444 across 9 career trips. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD) (98) vs RHP Mason Adams: a strong bat at .463 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hot bat.
- Josue De Paula (LAD) (93) vs LHP Andrew Abbott: a solid bat at .370 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (1.375), due to bounce back.
- Lars Nootbaar (AZ) (88) vs RHP Ryan Gusto: a solid bat at .384 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.460).
- Brett Bateman (TOR) (87) vs RHP Keider Montero: a solid bat at .370 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.793).
- Cody Bellinger (NYY) (87) vs RHP Zebby Matthews: a solid bat at .391 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.652).
- Francisco Lindor (NYM) (86) vs RHP Chris Bassitt: a strong bat at .461 into an arm tough on the same side (.240).
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) (85) vs LHP Andrew Abbott: a league-average bat at .354 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (1.375).
Arms giving up extra bases today
- RHP Keider Montero has been getting squared up by righties — .447 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Brett Bateman (TOR), Nathan Lukes (TOR), and George Springer (TOR).
- LHP Andrew Abbott has been getting squared up by lefties — .442 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Josue De Paula (LAD), Freddie Freeman (LAD), and Kyle Tucker (LAD).
- RHP Anthony Molina has been getting squared up by righties — .438 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Alec Burleson (STL), Bryan Torres (STL), and Leo Bernal (STL).
- RHP Zebby Matthews has been getting squared up by righties — .425 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Ben Rice (NYY), Cody Bellinger (NYY), and Luis García Jr. (NYY).
Platoon edges to target
- Ben Rice (NYY) — lefty bat vs RHP, .479 against righties this year.
- Lars Nootbaar (AZ) — lefty bat vs RHP, .366 against righties this year.
- Cody Bellinger (NYY) — lefty bat vs RHP, .370 against righties this year.
- Francisco Lindor (NYM) — lefty bat vs RHP, .427 against righties this year.
- Luis García Jr. (NYY) — lefty bat vs RHP, .551 against righties this year.
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 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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