Who has the best walks matchup today (Wednesday, July 8, 2026)?

Nick Kurtz (ATH) — top of the board at 100, facing RHP Troy Melton. An elite bat into a beatable arm is what pushes it to No. 1.

What are the best MLB walks matchups today (Wednesday, July 8, 2026)?

The top walks matchups on Wednesday, July 8, 2026: Nick Kurtz (100), Shohei Ohtani (97), James Wood (97), Juan Soto (90), Kyle Schwarber (63). The full board ranks every hitter in every game by walks upside.

Did the top walks matchup get a walk on Wednesday, July 8, 2026?

No — Nick Kurtz didn't record a walk.

Which hitters have a platoon edge today?

Nick Kurtz (ATH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .217 against righties this year. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .183 against righties this year. James Wood (WSH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .197 against righties this year. Juan Soto (NYM) — lefty bat vs RHP, .182 against righties this year. Kyle Schwarber (PHI) — lefty bat vs RHP, .149 against righties this year.

Which parks favor walks today?

UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Shohei Ohtani (LAD) at 97. PNC Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Matt Olson (ATL) at 49. Oracle Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Rafael Devers (SF) at 47. Petco Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Corbin Carroll (AZ) at 37.

How is the walks matchup score calculated?

It's his walk rate against that hand, weighted to recent form over a two-year baseline, set against how freely that arm gives them up. Command and plate discipline carry this board; the park barely moves it. 0–100 across the slate.

What does BB/PA mean?

Walks per plate appearance — how often a hitter draws a base on balls. Around .085 (one walk every ~12 trips) is league average; .12+ is elite plate discipline. The matchup pairs the hitter's walk rate with how freely the pitcher gives them up.

What does the score actually mean?

Higher is better. This board rewards patience and punishes chase — a disciplined bat against a wild arm will out-grade a better hitter who swings at everything.

What's the confidence meter?

It's how much data is behind the call — sample size on both the hitter and the pitcher, plus whether the lineup's official. A high score with low confidence is a thinner read than the same score backed by a deep track record. It's not a probability of a walk.

What is a platoon split (handedness split)?

Walk rates split by hand too, and often the other way round to what you'd expect — some hitters get more free passes against the same hand because the arm won't give in with the platoon disadvantage.

What are park factors?

Parks barely move walks, and the board reflects that. What matters is the arm's command and the umpire behind the plate, not the dimensions. Above 1.00 bumps the score, below 1.00 trims it — the swing is small here.

What do "2W", "SZN" and "2Y" mean?

The timeframes behind each rate: the last two weeks (recent form), the current season, and a trailing two years (a stable baseline). Recent form counts most, and small samples get pulled toward league average so a hot week doesn't fool the model.

What do "≈ est", "Due" and "Not starting" mean?

"≈ est" is a hitter we don't have splits for yet — a rookie or unmatched ID — shown at a league-baseline estimate instead of dropped. "Due" means he hasn't recorded a walk in a while and profiles for regression. "Not starting" means he was projected but didn't make the official lineup, so he slides to the bottom where you can still look him up.

Can I use this for walks props or DFS?

That's what it's built for — pre-slate research. The board surfaces which hitters have the best conditions today, and where one exists, we show the book's "1+ walk" line so you can shop the price. We're not a sportsbook and we don't post picks — we show the matchup data, the line, and the result. (Best-price and all-book odds are a Pro feature.)

How accurate is the model?

We grade every board against the box score. Walks are among the most stable rates in baseball, so this board's record holds up better over short runs than the power boards — the season number is posted either way.

When do lineups update?

Projected lineups (marked "Proj") come from each team's last game. Official lineups usually drop about two hours before first pitch, and the board updates itself as they post. Batting order is a big driver, so it's worth a second look mid-afternoon — rankings shift as lineups lock.

Yes. The full board, every game page, and the daily archive are free, no login. Best-price odds and the betting tools are the paid tier.

Best MLB walks matchups — Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Every hitter on the Wednesday, July 8, 2026 slate — ranked by who's most likely to draw a walk. Results show how each call played out.

How the model did — Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Our top 5 hitters went 3/5 (60%) on 1+ walk, against 39% on the season.

Top 5

3/560%

season 39%

Top 10

4/1040%

season 41%

Full slate

77/26629%

season 28%

Top call James Wood came through. Nick Kurtz didn't.

Each hitter below carries a 0–100 matchup score — a read on the spot in front of him, not a ranking of how good he is, so a star in a brutal matchup can sit below an average hitter in a soft one. Confidence next to it is coverage: how much real data backs the number. Every call here was graded against the box score — wins and misses both, with the record on this page. How this board is built →

Final · 10–0

TORaway

SFhomeTop matchup47 Final · 9–7

CHCaway

BALhomeTop matchup47 Final · 1–6

ATHaway

DEThomeTop matchup100 Final · 3–0

ATLaway

PIThomeTop matchup49 Final · 0–2

SEAaway

MIAhomeTop matchup34 Final · 0–3

NYYaway

TBhomeTop matchup43 Final · 2–8

HOUaway

WSHhomeTop matchup97 Final · 2–6

KCaway

NYMhomeTop matchup90 Final · 5–11

PHIaway

CINhomeTop matchup63 Final · 5–6

CLEaway

MINhomeTop matchup27 Final · 5–0

BOSaway

CWShomeTop matchup51 Final · 1–5

MILaway

STLhomeTop matchup52 Final · 13–1

LAAaway

TEXhomeTop matchup42 Final · 3–4

COLaway

LADhomeTop matchup97 Final · 4–10

AZaway

SDhomeTop matchup37

Not starting59 not in the official lineup — moved to the bottom

PosSort

#Hitter · Matchup · 325 shownScore

79 with a BBLive count — updates as games play

1
James WoodRF
WSHvsHOU· 0-for-2
3BBFinal
Proj 1.6 BB, #3
2
Juan SotoLF
NYMvsKC· 0-for-3
2BBFinal
Proj 1.5 BB, #4
T2
Bryce Harper1B
PHI@CIN· 0-for-3
2BBFinal
Proj 1.0 BB, #6
T2
Elly De La CruzSS
CINvsPHI· 2-for-3
2BBFinal
Proj 0.6 BB, #40
T2
Curtis Mead3B
WSHvsHOU· 0-for-3
2BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #54
T2
Alejandro OsunaLF
TEXvsLAA· 1-for-2
2BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #176
T2
Travis Bazzana2B
CLE@MIN· 1-for-3
2BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #200
T2
Jorbit Vivas3B
WSHvsHOU· 1-for-3
2BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #207
T2
Luke Keaschall2B
MINvsCLE· 1-for-2
2BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #213
T2
Zach McKinstry2B
DETvsATH· 0-for-2
2BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #245
T2
Austin MartinRF
MINvsCLE
2BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB
12
Kyle SchwarberDH
PHI@CIN· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 1.0 BB, #5
T12
Cole CarriggCF
COL@LAD· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.8 BB, #12
T12
Rafael Devers1B
SFvsTOR· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.8 BB, #14
T12
Max Muncy3B
LADvsCOL· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.8 BB, #16
T12
Jake Bauers1B
MIL@STL· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.7 BB, #18
T12
Joc PedersonDH
TEXvsLAA· 0-for-2
1BBFinal
Proj 0.7 BB, #19
T12
Pete Crow-ArmstrongCF
CHC@BAL· 2-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.7 BB, #20
T12
Spencer Torkelson1B
DETvsATH· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.7 BB, #26
T12
Corbin CarrollRF
AZ@SD· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.7 BB, #27
T12
Brandon NimmoRF
TEXvsLAA· 0-for-1
1BBFinal
Proj 0.7 BB, #28
T12
Michael Busch1B
CHC@BAL· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.7 BB, #30
T12
Tyler SoderstromLF
ATH@DET· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.6 BB, #43
T12
Carter JensenC
KC@NYM· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.6 BB, #46
T12
Taylor WardDH
BALvsCHC· 2-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.6 BB, #47
T12
CJ AbramsSS
WSHvsHOU· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #53
T12
JJ BledayLF
CINvsPHI· 2-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #58
T12
Sal Stewart1B
CINvsPHI· 2-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #60
T12
Kody Clemens1B
MINvsCLE· 3-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #62
T12
Luis García Jr.1B
WSHvsHOU· 3-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #74
T12
Rhys Hoskins1B
CLE@MIN· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #76
T12
Brandon MarshLF
PHI@CIN· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #78
T12
Christian YelichDH
MIL@STL· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #80
T12
Adley RutschmanC
BALvsCHC· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #81
T12
Evan CarterCF
TEXvsLAA· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.5 BB, #88
T12
Mookie BettsSS
LADvsCOL· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #98
T12
Riley GreeneLF
DETvsATH· 2-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #99
T12
George SpringerDH
TOR@SF· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #104
T12
Josh Naylor1B
SEA@MIA· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #110
T12
Mike TroutCF
LAA@TEX· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #113
T12
Nick Loftin3B
KC@NYM· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #115
T12
Carson BengeRF
NYMvsKC· 2-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #116
T12
Anthony Seigler2B
BOS@CWS· 0-for-1
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #117
T12
Willy AdamesSS
SFvsTOR· 0-for-2
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #125
T12
Drew GilbertCF
SFvsTOR· 0-for-2
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #130
T12
Bryson Stott2B
PHI@CIN· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #137
T12
Taylor WallsSS
TBvsNYY· 0-for-2
1BBFinal
Proj 0.4 BB, #140
T12
Sung-Mun Song2B
SDvsAZ· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #147
T12
Francisco AlvarezC
NYMvsKC· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #150
T12
Kevin McGonigleSS
DETvsATH· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #152
T12
Chase DeLauterRF
CLE@MIN· 2-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #156
T12
Jared Young1B
NYMvsKC· 0-for-2
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #161
T12
Jarren DuranLF
BOS@CWS· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #165
T12
Daulton VarshoCF
TOR@SF· 2-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #167
T12
Brett SullivanC
COL@LAD· 0-for-1
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #174
T12
Alejandro KirkC
TOR@SF· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #175
T12
Tsung-Che ChengSS
BOS@CWS· 2-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #177
T12
Marcell OzunaDH
PITvsATL· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #183
T12
Nick Gonzales3B
PITvsATL· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #189
T12
Kahlil WatsonRF
CLE@MIN· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #190
T12
Spencer Steer1B
CINvsPHI· 2-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #194
T12
Nathan LukesRF
TOR@SF· 2-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #195
T12
Brooks Lee3B
MINvsCLE· 2-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #197
T12
Eugenio SuárezDH
CINvsPHI· 0-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #203
T12
Royce Lewis1B
MINvsCLE· 0-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #210
T12
Carson KellyC
CHC@BAL· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.3 BB, #223
T12
J.T. RealmutoC
PHI@CIN· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #226
T12
Alec Bohm3B
PHI@CIN· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #228
T12
Justin CrawfordCF
PHI@CIN· 2-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #230
T12
Dylan CrewsRF
WSHvsHOU· 1-for-4
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #244
T12
Nico Hoerner2B
CHC@BAL· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #247
T12
Ildemaro Vargas1B
AZ@SD· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #248
T12
Ryan KreidlerSS
MINvsCLE· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #250
T12
Victor RoblesRF
SEA@MIA· 0-for-1
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #253
T12
Josh LoweLF
LAA@TEX· 1-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #258
T12
TJ FriedlCF
CINvsPHI· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #260
T12
Sam AntonacciLF
CWSvsBOS· 1-for-2
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB, #262
T12
Jacob WilsonSS
ATH@DET· 0-for-3
1BBFinal
Proj 0.1 BB, #265
T12
Steven KwanLF
CLE@MIN· 1-for-1
1BBFinal
Proj 0.2 BB

Best MLB Walks Matchups — Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Nick Kurtz (ATH) is the top walks matchup on the Wednesday, July 8, 2026 board at 100, with Shohei Ohtani (LAD) and James Wood (WSH) right behind. Every hitter on the slate is ranked by who's most likely to draw a walk — plate discipline and how freely the pitcher and bullpen issue walks, plus lineup spot. It's the read DFS and prop players make before lock.

Top walks spot: Nick Kurtz

Nick Kurtz (ATH) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Troy Melton. The lefty is working counts at .217 BB/PA against righties this year — and .071 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a walk in about 18% of his trips. And Troy Melton has been tough to walk against righties lately — .045 walks 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 1 career PA against Troy Melton, 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

Shohei Ohtani (LAD) (97) vs RHP Gabriel Hughes: an elite bat at .162 into an arm with little track record against the same side, hitter's park.
James Wood (WSH) (97) vs RHP Spencer Arrighetti: an elite bat at .168 into an arm handing out free passes to the same side (.238).
Juan Soto (NYM) (90) vs RHP Steven Cruz: an elite bat at .163 into an arm handing out free passes to the same side (.143), hot bat.
Kyle Schwarber (PHI) (63) vs RHP Chase Burns: an excellent bat at .139 into an arm tough to walk against the same side (.061).
Bryce Harper (PHI) (62) vs RHP Chase Burns: an excellent bat at .135 into an arm tough to walk against the same side (.061), due to bounce back.
Iván Herrera (STL) (52) vs LHP Kyle Harrison: an elite bat at .153 into an arm tough to walk against the same side (.037).
Miguel Vargas (CWS) (51) vs LHP Jake Bennett: an excellent bat at .136 into an arm with little track record against the same side.

Platoon edges to target

Nick Kurtz (ATH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .217 against righties this year.
Shohei Ohtani (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .183 against righties this year.
James Wood (WSH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .197 against righties this year.
Juan Soto (NYM) — lefty bat vs RHP, .182 against righties this year.
Kyle Schwarber (PHI) — lefty bat vs RHP, .149 against righties this year.

Where walks come easiest today

UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Shohei Ohtani (LAD) at 97.
PNC Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Matt Olson (ATL) at 49.
Oracle Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Rafael Devers (SF) at 47.
Petco Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Corbin Carroll (AZ) at 37.

How it played out

4 of the top 10 walks matchups landed at least one walk. Top play Nick Kurtz finished with 0 walks. 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 walks matchups

Each score (0–100) starts with the hitter's walks 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.

Keep reading

What the walks board is

The Walks board projects the chance a hitter draws a walk. 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 plate discipline.
The pitcher's control.
The count leverage in the matchup.

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?

An over-only market with heavy juice; our overs grade anti-predictive and lose to the vig. No edge — transparency board.

How to use it

Spot the patient-hitter-vs-wild-arm setups; not a bettable edge.

Everything here is a research signal from the model, graded in public — not betting advice, and no outcome is guaranteed.

Learn more: How the model works · The picks story · Today's plays

Frequently asked questions

Who has the best walks matchup today (Wednesday, July 8, 2026)?: Nick Kurtz (ATH) — top of the board at 100, facing RHP Troy Melton. An elite bat into a beatable arm is what pushes it to No. 1.
What are the best MLB walks matchups today (Wednesday, July 8, 2026)?: The top walks matchups on Wednesday, July 8, 2026: Nick Kurtz (100), Shohei Ohtani (97), James Wood (97), Juan Soto (90), Kyle Schwarber (63). The full board ranks every hitter in every game by walks upside.
Did the top walks matchup get a walk on Wednesday, July 8, 2026?: No — Nick Kurtz didn't record a walk.
Which hitters have a platoon edge today?: Nick Kurtz (ATH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .217 against righties this year. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .183 against righties this year. James Wood (WSH) — lefty bat vs RHP, .197 against righties this year. Juan Soto (NYM) — lefty bat vs RHP, .182 against righties this year. Kyle Schwarber (PHI) — lefty bat vs RHP, .149 against righties this year.
Which parks favor walks today?: UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Shohei Ohtani (LAD) at 97. PNC Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Matt Olson (ATL) at 49. Oracle Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Rafael Devers (SF) at 47. Petco Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Corbin Carroll (AZ) at 37.
How is the walks matchup score calculated?: It's his walk rate against that hand, weighted to recent form over a two-year baseline, set against how freely that arm gives them up. Command and plate discipline carry this board; the park barely moves it. 0–100 across the slate.
What does BB/PA mean?: Walks per plate appearance — how often a hitter draws a base on balls. Around .085 (one walk every ~12 trips) is league average; .12+ is elite plate discipline. The matchup pairs the hitter's walk rate with how freely the pitcher gives them up.
What does the score actually mean?: Higher is better. This board rewards patience and punishes chase — a disciplined bat against a wild arm will out-grade a better hitter who swings at everything.
What's the confidence meter?: It's how much data is behind the call — sample size on both the hitter and the pitcher, plus whether the lineup's official. A high score with low confidence is a thinner read than the same score backed by a deep track record. It's not a probability of a walk.
What is a platoon split (handedness split)?: Walk rates split by hand too, and often the other way round to what you'd expect — some hitters get more free passes against the same hand because the arm won't give in with the platoon disadvantage.
What are park factors?: Parks barely move walks, and the board reflects that. What matters is the arm's command and the umpire behind the plate, not the dimensions. Above 1.00 bumps the score, below 1.00 trims it — the swing is small here.
What do "2W", "SZN" and "2Y" mean?: The timeframes behind each rate: the last two weeks (recent form), the current season, and a trailing two years (a stable baseline). Recent form counts most, and small samples get pulled toward league average so a hot week doesn't fool the model.
What do "≈ est", "Due" and "Not starting" mean?: "≈ est" is a hitter we don't have splits for yet — a rookie or unmatched ID — shown at a league-baseline estimate instead of dropped. "Due" means he hasn't recorded a walk in a while and profiles for regression. "Not starting" means he was projected but didn't make the official lineup, so he slides to the bottom where you can still look him up.
Can I use this for walks props or DFS?: That's what it's built for — pre-slate research. The board surfaces which hitters have the best conditions today, and where one exists, we show the book's "1+ walk" line so you can shop the price. We're not a sportsbook and we don't post picks — we show the matchup data, the line, and the result. (Best-price and all-book odds are a Pro feature.)
How accurate is the model?: We grade every board against the box score. Walks are among the most stable rates in baseball, so this board's record holds up better over short runs than the power boards — the season number is posted either way.
When do lineups update?: Projected lineups (marked "Proj") come from each team's last game. Official lineups usually drop about two hours before first pitch, and the board updates itself as they post. Batting order is a big driver, so it's worth a second look mid-afternoon — rankings shift as lineups lock.
Is MatchWiz free?: Yes. The full board, every game page, and the daily archive are free, no login. Best-price odds and the betting tools are the paid tier.