Best MLB Triples Matchups — Thursday, October 8, 2026
Top triples spot: Chase DeLauter
Chase DeLauter (CLE) tops the board at 100, facing LHP Hagen Smith. The lefty is running the bases at .011 3B/PA against lefties this year — and .000 over the last two weeks, a strong bat that turns into a triple in about 1% of his trips. And Hagen Smith has been tough to triple against lefties lately — .000 triples 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. He's just .000 in 2 career PA against Hagen Smith, but that's a tiny sample and the matchup says regression. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Braden Montgomery (CWS) (60) vs LHP Parker Messick: a strong bat at .006 into an arm tough to triple against the same side (.000).
- Kyle Teel (CWS) (59) vs LHP Parker Messick: a league-average bat at .003 into an arm tough to triple against the same side (.000).
- Miguel Vargas (CWS) (58) vs LHP Parker Messick: a solid bat at .004 into an arm tough to triple against the same side (.000), due to bounce back.
- Sam Antonacci (CWS) (58) vs LHP Parker Messick: a league-average bat at .002 into an arm tough to triple against the same side (.000), hot bat.
- Munetaka Murakami (CWS) (48) vs LHP Parker Messick: a league-average bat at .002 into an arm tough to triple against the same side (.000).
- Tristan Peters (CWS) (38) vs LHP Parker Messick: a league-average bat at .003 into an arm tough to triple against the same side (.000).
- Randal Grichuk (CWS) (33) vs LHP Parker Messick: a solid bat at .004 into an arm tough to triple against the same side (.000).
Platoon edges to target
- Braden Montgomery (CWS) — righty bat vs LHP, .010 against lefties this year.
- Miguel Vargas (CWS) — righty bat vs LHP, .005 against lefties this year.
- Randal Grichuk (CWS) — righty bat vs LHP, .006 against lefties this year.
- Angel Martínez (CLE) — righty bat vs LHP, .007 against lefties this year.
- Brayan Rocchio (CLE) — righty bat vs LHP, .005 against lefties this year.
Lineup watch
18 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 triples matchups
Each score (0–100) starts with the hitter's triples 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.