Best MLB Total Bases Matchups — Saturday, September 26, 2026
Top total bases spot: Miguel Vargas
Miguel Vargas (CWS) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Jose Quintana. The righty is racking up bases at .442 TB/PA against lefties this year — and .200 over the last two weeks, a league-average bat that turns into a total base in about 35% of his trips. And Jose Quintana has been getting squared up by lefties lately — 1.000 total bases per batter faced. 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 4.5 trips, so the volume's there. He's a fine .286 in 7 career PA against Jose Quintana. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Randal Grichuk (CWS) (98) vs LHP Jose Quintana: a strong bat at .474 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (1.000).
- Jeremy Peña (HOU) (95) vs RHP Jack Perkins: a strong bat at .446 into an arm tough on the same side (.091).
- Carter Jensen (KC) (94) vs RHP Tanner Bibee: a strong bat at .439 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.571).
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) (93) vs RHP Jack Perkins: a strong bat at .469 into an arm tough on the same side (.286), hot bat.
- J.P. Crawford (SEA) (92) vs RHP Ryan Johnson: a league-average bat at .356 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.451).
- Charles McAdoo (TOR) (92) vs RHP Rhett Lowder: a solid bat at .370 into an arm getting squared up by the same side (.667).
- Drake Baldwin (ATL) (92) vs RHP Jack Ralston: a strong bat at .441 into an arm with little track record against the same side.
Arms giving up extra bases today
- LHP Jose Quintana has been getting squared up by lefties — .423 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Miguel Vargas (CWS), Randal Grichuk (CWS), and Sam Antonacci (CWS).
- RHP Rhett Lowder has been vulnerable to righties — .416 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Charles McAdoo (TOR), Alejandro Kirk (TOR), and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR).
- RHP Tanner Bibee has been vulnerable to righties — .411 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Carter Jensen (KC), Jac Caglianone (KC), and Vinnie Pasquantino (KC).
- RHP Justin Verlander has been vulnerable to righties — .397 total bases per batter faced. Bats to target: Brandon Lowe (PIT), Oneil Cruz (PIT), and Konnor Griffin (PIT).
Platoon edges to target
- Miguel Vargas (CWS) — righty bat vs LHP, .442 against lefties this year.
- Randal Grichuk (CWS) — righty bat vs LHP, .601 against lefties this year.
- Carter Jensen (KC) — lefty bat vs RHP, .424 against righties this year.
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) — lefty bat vs RHP, .512 against righties this year.
- J.P. Crawford (SEA) — lefty bat vs RHP, .325 against righties this year.
Lineup watch
234 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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