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: 33 (kiyoshilotus26)
Longest season streak: 40 (WestD3)
Longest streak all-time: 51
Most popular picks (yesterday)
1. J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (11.6%)*
2. Manny Machado, Padres (8.8%)*
3. Trea Turner, Dodgers (6.3)*
4. José Ramírez, Guardians (5.4%)*
5. Christian Yelich, Brewers (3.5%)*
* – Recorded a hit
Most popular picks (this season)
1. Trea Turner, Dodgers (8.0%)
2. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (7.1%)
3. J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (5.5%)
4. Michael Brantley, Astros (4%)
5. José Iglesias, Rockies (3.8%)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (vs. Orioles)
While Vlad Jr. has struggled a bit at home this season, hitting just .216 with a .720 OPS at Rogers Centre, he has been heating up a bit lately. He has three homers in his past five games in Toronto, and he gets a solid matchup here against O’s starter Kyle Bradish. The right-handed rookie enters with a 6.45 ERA and he’s allowed a .301 opponents’ batting average — but despite being a righty, he’s struggled particularly against right-handed hitters. Right-handed batters are hitting .358 with a 1.158 OPS against Bradish (compared to a .231 average and .615 OPS for lefties).
George Springer, Blue Jays (vs. Orioles)
Everything mentioned above for Guerrero also applies to Springer, who comes into this one hitting .300 over his past 11 games, during which he’s racked up six extra-base hits, including three homers. It’s not a bad strategy to double down on Blue Jays in this particular slate, especially considering Bradish ranks in the third percentile when it comes to opponents’ average exit velocity, as well as within the bottom-10 percentile in barrel percentage, xBA, xSLG and xwOBA.
Orioles (vs. Blue Jays — Alek Manoah)
Manoah has posted a 1.81 ERA through 11 starts, all while holding opposing hitters to a .213 batting average. Couple that with the Orioles ranking 25th with a .232 team average, and there just isn’t much to like about this particular matchup.
Phillies/Marlins (vs. Sandy Alcantara/Aaron Nola)
The Phillies and Marlins both have some decent offensive options, but both sides will have their hands full in this matchup. Philadelphia’s hitters will be facing Alcantara, who has a 1.61 ERA through 12 starts and has allowed just one earned run in his past four outings — a span of 33 innings. As for Miami’s hitters, they take on a veteran in Nola who has held opposing hitters to a .196 average over his past nine starts. He’s also coming off his best start of the season, having tossed eight scoreless innings against the Brewers his last time out.
NOTABLE BATTER VS. PITCHER MATCHUPS
Bryce Harper (Phillies): 9-for-25 (.360), 4 XBH vs. Sandy Alcantara
Michael A. Taylor (Royals): 8-for-16 (.500), 3 XBH vs. Alex Wood
Rhys Hoskins (Phillies): 5-for-26 (.192), 12 K vs. Alcantara
Miguel Cabrera (Tigers): 2-for-16 (.125), 9 K vs. Lance Lynn
Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals): 2-for-14 (.143), 2 K vs. Mitch Keller