Best MLB Walks Matchups — Sunday, July 26, 2026
Top walks spot: Yordan Alvarez
Yordan Alvarez (HOU) tops the board at 100, facing RHP Erick Fedde. The lefty is working counts at .173 BB/PA against righties this year — and .143 over the last two weeks, an elite bat that turns into a walk in about 16% of his trips. And Erick Fedde has been fairly stingy with walks against righties lately — .077 walks per batter faced. The bullpen behind him is roughly average to that side. He's hitting in a spot worth about 4.5 trips, so the volume's there. He's just .000 in 5 career PA against Erick Fedde, 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) (81) vs RHP Freddy Peralta: an elite bat at .156 into an arm handing out free passes to the same side (.167).
- Munetaka Murakami (CWS) (68) vs RHP Ronel Blanco: an elite bat at .160 into an arm handing out free passes to the same side (.200).
- Bryce Eldridge (SF) (57) vs RHP José Soriano: an excellent bat at .130 into an arm fairly stingy with walks against the same side (.080), hitter's park.
- Kyle Schwarber (PHI) (56) vs RHP Will Warren: an excellent bat at .139 into an arm prone to walking the same side (.105).
- Junior Caminero (TB) (56) vs LHP Parker Messick: an excellent bat at .131 into an arm fairly stingy with walks against the same side (.083).
- Bryce Harper (PHI) (54) vs RHP Will Warren: an excellent bat at .134 into an arm prone to walking the same side (.105), due to bounce back.
- Jordan Walker (STL) (51) vs LHP Andrew Abbott: a strong bat at .105 into an arm handing out free passes to the same side (.111).
Platoon edges to target
- Yordan Alvarez (HOU) — lefty bat vs RHP, .173 against righties this year.
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD) — lefty bat vs RHP, .173 against righties this year.
- Munetaka Murakami (CWS) — lefty bat vs RHP, .187 against righties this year.
- Bryce Eldridge (SF) — lefty bat vs RHP, .144 against righties this year.
- Kyle Schwarber (PHI) — lefty bat vs RHP, .147 against righties this year.
Where walks come easiest today
- Oracle Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Bryce Eldridge (SF) at 57.
- PNC Park is playing as hitter-friendly today (+3% walk park). Top bat there: Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC) at 45.
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.