1st Pitch for Friday, September 25, 2026
First Pitch Matchups
New here?How to read this page
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How to read this page
Tiers
HIGHMost likely to put the first pitch in play (★)
MEDMiddle of the pack
LOWLeast likely to put the first pitch in play
The Top Hitter Matchups list shows HIGH only, so every row there carries the ★.
Outcome Columns
Every percentage below is a share of the first pitches this hitter has seen from this kind of pitcher. A grayed cell means too few of them to say anything.
Swing%How often he swings at the first pitch.
Out/Other%How often the first pitch is hit and the at-bat ends without a hit — an out, a sacrifice, a fielder's choice or an error.
1B%How often the first pitch goes for a single.
XBH%How often the first pitch goes for a double, triple or home run.
Reading the Signals
— combinations to look for▶
HIGH tier + high XBH%Likely to put the first pitch in play, and it goes for extra bases when he does.
HIGH tier + low Swing%He rarely offers at the first pitch, but he does damage on the ones he takes a cut at.
LOW tierThe pitcher is likely to get ahead here — a called strike or a swing and miss on pitch one.
Dash (—) on ratesFewer than five first pitches under the Year and Hand you have picked — too few to print a rate. Widen either one to see more.
Filters
YEAR
HAND
The hitters most likely to put the first pitch in play
1
STL @ 
MIL6:40 PMHIGH
STL @ MIL6:40 PMBatterCesar Prieto(L)★
vsRobert Gasser(LHP)
Swing—
Out—
1B—
XBH—
2
TEX @ 
MIN7:10 PMHIGH
TEX @ MIN7:10 PMBatterCorey Seager(L)★
vsJoe Ryan(RHP)
Swing53%
Out12%
1B3%
XBH3%
About the MLB 1st Pitch board
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How each starting pitcher opens an at-bat, and which hitters do damage on the first pitch they see. It isolates a single moment of the plate appearance where tendencies are unusually stable and unusually exploitable.
How to read it
Two views. Top Hitter Matchups lists the hitters most likely to put the first pitch in play, with how often each swings at it and what follows — an out, a single, or extra bases. Starting Pitcher Summary is the other side: how often each starter opens with a strike, how often hitters swing, and how often they put it in play. A starter who fills the zone early against a hitter who attacks the first pitch is the pattern the board exists to find.