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: 31 (Redsoxchica8, RockRaines)
Longest season streak: 38 (two players)
Longest streak all-time: 51
Most popular picks (yesterday)
1. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (19.8%)
2. Trea Turner, Dodgers (14.5%)*
3. Tim Anderson, White Sox (9.9%)
4. J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (5.8%)*
5. Michael Brantley, Astros (5.7%)
* – Recorded a hit
Most popular picks (this season)
1. Trea Turner, Dodgers (7.1%)
2. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (7.1%)
3. Michael Brantley, Astros (4.4%)
4. José Iglesias, Rockies (4.2%)
5. Manny Machado, Padres (3.6%)
Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox (vs. White Sox)
Bogaerts has cooled off a bit following a blistering start — he’s hitting just .262 in his past 12 games — but he still has a prime matchup here against White Sox starter Dallas Keuchel. The veteran southpaw has a 6.60 ERA, and he’s allowing opponents to hit .323 in seven starts this season. Keuchel also has just 16 strikeouts in 30 innings, putting him in the first percentile when it comes to strikeout rate. Bogaerts should put a few balls in play here, and that bodes well for the Red Sox shortstop.
Brendan Rodgers, Rockies (vs. Nationals)
This is as much about Rodgers’ hot streak (he’s hitting .351 in May after hitting .078 in April) as it is the matchup against Patrick Corbin and his 6.60 ERA. Rodgers has a 12-game hitting streak, during which he’s hitting .367 (18-for-49) with five extra-base hits. As for Corbin, he ranks in the bottom-10 percentile in opponents’ xBA, xSLG and hard-hit percentage.
Mookie Betts, Dodgers (vs. D-backs)
This pick is simply about riding the hot hand. Betts has been on fire over the last couple weeks, racking up 14 extra-base hits (seven homers and seven doubles) in his past 12 starts. He’s hitting .408 (20-for-49) in those dozen games, and he should be fresh for this one after getting the day off yesterday aside from a pinch-hit appearance — as if he needed the extra rest.
Blue Jays (vs. Angels — Shohei Ohtani)
The Blue Jays’ offense hasn’t quite been the powerhouse we all expected (yet), though they do have plenty of guys in their lineup who are still capable of going off on any given night. That said, Ohtani has a 2.82 ERA and is holding opposing hitters to a .205 average while racking up 53 strikeouts in just 38 1/3 innings. There are better options out there.
Athletics (vs. Rangers — Martín Pérez)
Pérez, who is coming off a complete-game shutout in his last outing, enters with a 1.64 ERA and a .216 opponents’ batting average in eight starts. He also held this A’s team to just two hits over six scoreless innings earlier this season. That said, if you want to roll with Jed Lowrie — who has a .419 lifetime average and has amazingly never struck out in 36 career plate appearances against Pérez — we can’t blame you.
NOTABLE BATTER VS. PITCHER MATCHUPS
Brendan Rodgers (Rockies): 5-for-10 (.500), HR vs. Patrick Corbin
Austin Riley (Braves): 10-for-27 (.370), 6 XBH (3 HR) vs. Aaron Nola
Jed Lowrie (Athletics): 13-for-31 (.419), 0 K’s vs. Martín Pérez
Josh Bell (Nationals): 2-for-21 (.095), 9 K’s vs. Germán Márquez
Mike Trout (Angels): 0-for-10, 4 K’s vs. Hyun Jin Ryu