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: 26 (standpat)
Longest season streak: 26
Longest streak all-time: 51
Most popular picks (yesterday)
1. Starling Marte, Mets (12.3%) *
2. Corey Seager, Rangers (8.5%)
3. Trea Turner, Dodgers (7.4%) *
4. Nick Castellanos, Phillies (4.6%) *
5. DJ LeMahieu, Yankees (4.0%) *
* – Recorded a hit
Most popular picks (this season)
1. Trea Turner, Dodgers (10.2%)
2. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (5.7%)
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (4.5%)
4. Starling Marte, Mets (4.1%)
5. Nick Castellanos, Phillies (3.7%)
Nick Castellanos, Phillies
Castellanos has wasted no time settling in with the Phillies despite getting a late start at Spring Training after not signing until March 22. He’s hitting .317 with a .923 OPS and he’s recorded at least one hit in 13 of his 16 games this season. Making this pick even more enticing is that he’s facing a left-hander in Colorado starter Kyle Freeland. Castellanos has a .303/.355/.539 career slash line vs. southpaws (.271/.322/.470 vs. righties).
Michael Brantley, Astros
Like Castellanos, Brantley has a favorable matchup against Rangers starter Dane Dunning. The Texas right-hander has given up 17 hits in just 12 2/3 innings over three starts this season — allowing at least five base knocks in each outing. Dunning has also struggled more against left-handed batters (like Brantley) than righties throughout his career.
J.D. Martinez, Red Sox
Martinez may have only one multihit game this season, but he’s been held hitless in just two of his 12 games. He’s also hit well against Blue Jays starter José Berríos in their past meetings, and Berríos isn’t exactly dealing so far this season. It’s no surprise Berríos has a 6.35 ERA through three starts considering he’s allowing a hard-hit percentage of 55% — the third-highest in the Majors.
Giants (vs. Brewers — Corbin Burnes)
After a surprisingly rocky start on Opening Day at Wrigley Field, Burnes has looked far more like the reigning NL Cy Young winner over his last two starts. He’s posted a 1.29 ERA while allowing just seven hits and striking out 18 — including 10 his last time out — over 14 innings. This is also just a quick one-game stop for the Giants on their way back from D.C. following Sunday’s 12-3 win. They’ll be back in San Francisco to host the A’s on Tuesday, so this is essentially a second consecutive getaway day game for the Giants — not an ideal time to be facing someone like Burnes.
Cardinals (vs. Mets — Max Scherzer)
Despite missing Opening Day due to some right hamstring soreness, Scherzer has proved he’s perfectly fine since taking the hill in the Mets’ second game. He has a 2.50 ERA over three starts, but he was particularly dominant his last time out when he held the Giants to just one hit over seven innings while striking out seven. As noted below, some of the Cardinals’ top players have also had some career-long struggles against the three-time Cy Young winner.
Angels (vs. Guardians — Shane Bieber)
Nobody will ever question you for taking Mike Trout, who’s hitting .333 with a 1.141 OPS after an impressive weekend series vs. the Orioles, but this isn’t exactly an ideal matchup for the Halos. Though Bieber missed nearly three months with a right shoulder injury last season, the 2020 AL Cy Young winner isn’t showing any cause for concern through three starts in ’22. He’s allowed just eight hits over 16 innings while racking up 16 strikeouts and a 2.25 ERA.
NOTABLE BATTER VS. PITCHER MATCHUPS
J.D. Martinez, Red Sox: 7-for-20 (.350), 2 XBH, 4 K’s vs. José Berríos
Max Muncy, Dodgers: 8-for-18 (.444), HR, 2 K’s vs. Merrill Kelly
Justin Turner, Dodgers: 7-for-15 (.467), 2 K’s vs. Merrill Kelly
Will Smith, Dodgers: 6-for-11 (.545), HR, 2 K’s vs. Merrill Kelly
Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals: 5-for-32 (.156), 0 XBH, 16 K’s vs. Max Scherzer
Yadier Molina, Cardinals: 1-for-17 (.059), 4 K’s vs. Max Scherzer
Starling Marte, Mets: 5-for-32 (.156), 6 K’s vs. Miles Mikolas
George Springer, Blue Jays: 2-for-15 (.133), 4 K’s vs. Nathan Eovaldi
Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox: 3-for-20 (.150), 7 K’s vs. José Berríos