Beat the Streak is back for the 2022 season — and the $5.6 million prize is still up for grabs.
The idea is simple — pick one player (or two) every day who you think will get a hit. The objective — surpass Joe DiMaggio’s record-long 56-game hitting streak — is a bit more challenging.
Let’s take a closer at the action from yesterday and today:
Longest active streak: 21 (two participants)
Longest season streak: 21 (two participants)
Longest streak all-time: 51
Most popular picks (yesterday)
1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (11.2%)
2. Bryce Harper, Phillies (8.7%) *
3. José Iglesias, Rockies (8.4%)
4. Juan Soto, Nationals (7.6%) *
5. Trea Turner, Dodgers (5.1%)
* – Recorded a hit
Most popular picks (this season)
1. Trea Turner, Dodgers (12.8%)
2. Starling Marte, Mets (6.9%)
3. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (6.8%)
4. Manny Machado, Padres (4.5%)
5. Michael Brantley, Astros (4.1%)
Luis Arraez, Twins
Don’t be deterred by the matchup with Zack Greinke in this one. Sure, the six-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner has a 2.45 ERA through two starts, but don’t let that fool you — he’s been very hittable. Greinke has only one strikeout while allowing 10 hits in 11 innings pitched. He has a whiff percentage of just 12.3% while allowing a hard-hit percentage of 48.7%, all while pumping 50.3% of his pitches into the strike zone — a perfect combination for a hitter like Arraez. Arraez tends to move around the diamond and he gets plugged in wherever needed, so make sure he’s in the Twins’ lineup before locking him in. That said, he leads Minnesota with 10 hits despite starting just seven of the club’s 12 games — and he’s hitting .313 (10-for-32) with three extra-base hits overall.
Juan Soto, Nationals
The Nationals deserve a long look against D-backs starter Zach Davies, who has allowed 11 hits in just 9 1/3 innings this season. Josh Bell leads the Nats with a .354 average this season, but he’s just 2-for-18 with six K’s in his career against Davies. Obviously, that’s not the largest sample size and shouldn’t be enough on its own to steer you away from using Bell, but Soto isn’t exactly the worst alternative here. Davies doesn’t miss many bats and he gives up a lot of hard contact, something that should play very well for a guy like Soto, who’s patient enough to make Davies come into the zone against him.
Tim Anderson, White Sox
Anderson’s teammate Luis Robert has had quite a bit of success against Guardians starter Zach Plesac, but Robert is hitless in his last 20 at-bats. This could be a spot where manager Tony La Russa opts to give Robert a day to reset, but even if he’s in the lineup, the pick here is Anderson. The White Sox shortstop has at least one hit in six of his eight starts this season and is hitting .375 with a .988 OPS overall. Plesac has been attacking the zone through two starts, throwing 53% of his pitches in the zone and walking only one batter in 11 innings. That said, he ranks in the bottom-quarter of the league when it comes to average exit velocity, hard-hit percentage and barrel percentage — so expect Anderson to try to jump on a pitch early.
Guardians (vs. White Sox)
It’s hard to tell you to avoid the highest-scoring offense in the Majors, but that’s what we’re doing here. One day after the Guardians put up 11 runs — increasing their season average to an MLB-leading 6.0 runs per game — they draw a tough matchup against White Sox starter Dylan Cease. Cease has 16 strikeouts in just 10 2/3 innings through two starts this season — and that’s no fluke. The righty led all AL pitchers last season with 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings, and he’s picking up right where he left off.
NOTABLE BATTER VS. PITCHER MATCHUPS
Francisco Lindor (Mets): 5-for-12 (.417), 2 HR, 1 K vs. Anthony DeSclafani
Luis Robert (White Sox): 5-for-10 (.500) vs. Zach Plesac
J.P. Crawford (Mariners): 7-for-12 (.583), 1 HR vs. Taylor Hearn
Charlie Culberson (Rangers): 6-for-11 (.546), 1 HR vs. Marco Gonzales
Carlos Correa (Twins): 1-for-12 (.083), 2 K’s vs. Zack Greinke
Starling Marte (Mets): 3-for-23 (.130), 0 XBH, 6 K’s vs. Anthony DeSclafani
Josh Bell (Nationals): 2-for-18 (.111), 6 K’s vs. Zach Davies