Best MLB Walks Matchups — Saturday, July 25, 2026
Top walks spot: Yordan Alvarez
Yordan Alvarez (HOU) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Sean Burke. The lefty is working counts at .175 BB/PA against righties this year — and .161 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a walk in about 16% of his trips. And Sean Burke has been tough to walk against righties lately — .000 walks 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. No real history against Sean Burke. It all sets up in a neutral park.
The rest of the top of the board
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) (75) vs RHP Nolan McLean: an elite bat at .156 into an arm prone to walking the same side (.107).
- Juan Soto (NYM) (69) vs RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto: an elite bat at .176 into an arm tough to walk against the same side (.029), due to bounce back.
- Munetaka Murakami (CWS) (64) vs RHP Hunter Brown: an elite bat at .158 into an arm handing out free passes to the same side (.240).
- Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) (47) vs LHP Shota Imanaga: a strong bat at .111 into an arm tough to walk against the same side (.023), hitter's park, due to bounce back.
- Bryce Eldridge (SF) (47) vs RHP Ryan Johnson: an excellent bat at .123 into an arm handing out free passes to the same side (.200), hitter's park.
- Brice Turang (MIL) (42) vs RHP Ryan Feltner: an excellent bat at .126 into an arm handing out free passes to the same side (.300).
- Freddie Freeman (LAD) (42) vs RHP Nolan McLean: a strong bat at .111 into an arm prone to walking the same side (.107), hot bat.
Platoon edges to target
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) — lefty bat vs RHP, .175 against righties this year.
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .173 against righties this year.
- Juan Soto (NYM) — lefty bat vs RHP, .198 against righties this year.
- Munetaka Murakami (CWS) — lefty bat vs RHP, .185 against righties this year.
- Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) — righty bat vs LHP, .152 against lefties this year.
Where walks come easiest today
- PNC Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) at 47.
- Oracle Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Bryce Eldridge (SF) at 47.
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 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.