Best MLB Total Bases Matchups — Thursday, September 17, 2026
Top total bases spot: Kody Clemens
Kody Clemens (MIN) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Walbert Ureña. The lefty is racking up bases at .447 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 Walbert Ureña has been vulnerable to righties lately — .412 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 4.5 trips, so the volume's there. No real history against Walbert Ureña. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Carter Jensen (KC) (100) vs RHP Miguel Ullola: an excellent bat at .496 into an arm tough on the same side (.000), hot bat.
- Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD) (100) vs RHP Tanner Gordon: a strong bat at .424 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.526).
- Kevin McGonigle (DET) (100) vs RHP Erick Fedde: a solid bat at .404 into an arm tough on the same side (.286).
- Kyle Schwarber (PHI) (98) vs RHP Nolan McLean: a solid bat at .378 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.568).
- Brooks Lee (MIN) (98) vs RHP Walbert Ureña: a solid bat at .386 into an arm vulnerable to the same side (.412).
- Moisés Ballesteros (LAA) (97) vs RHP Taj Bradley: a solid bat at .407 into an arm tough on the same side (.290).
- Jeremy Peña (HOU) (94) vs RHP Seth Lugo: a solid bat at .406 into an arm vulnerable to the same side (.409).
Arms giving up extra bases today
- LHP Kyle Harrison has been getting squared up by lefties — .444 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Konnor Griffin (PIT), Bryan Reynolds (PIT), and Rafael Flores Jr. (PIT).
- RHP Brady Singer has been getting squared up by righties — .435 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Kyle Tucker (LAD), Freddie Freeman (LAD), and Tommy Edman (LAD).
- RHP Tanner Gordon has been vulnerable to righties — .409 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD), Dustin Harris (SD), and Manny Machado (SD).
- RHP Aaron Nola has been vulnerable to righties — .408 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Bo Bichette (NYM), Francisco Lindor (NYM), and Juan Soto (NYM).
Platoon edges to target
- Kody Clemens (MIN) — lefty bat vs RHP, .447 against righties this year.
- Carter Jensen (KC) — lefty bat vs RHP, .422 against righties this year.
- Kevin McGonigle (DET) — lefty bat vs RHP, .392 against righties this year.
- Kyle Schwarber (PHI) — lefty bat vs RHP, .426 against righties this year.
- Brooks Lee (MIN) — lefty bat vs RHP, .451 against righties this year.
How it played out
8 of the top 10 total bases matchups landed at least one total base. Top play Kody Clemens 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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