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 look at the action from yesterday and today:
Longest active streak: 37 (AlbuqDodgers)
Longest season streak: 45 (kiyoshilotus26)
Longest streak all-time: 51
Most popular picks (yesterday)
1. Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (8.0%)*
2. Christian Yelich, Brewers (6.9%)*
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (6.2%)*
4. Trea Turner, Dodgers (6.0%)*
5. Manny Machado, Padres (4.9%)
* – Recorded a hit
Most popular picks (this season)
1. Trea Turner, Dodgers (9.7%)
2. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (6.3%)
3. Manny Machado, Padres (4.57%)
4. Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (4.55%)
5. J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (4.4%)
Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (vs. Nationals)
Thursday’s schedule presents a pair of problems when trying to lock in our picks. First, there are only seven games on the slate. Second, there are a lot of quality pitchers set to toe the rubber. Along with the trio of aces mentioned below — Sandy Alcantara, Corbin Burnes and Dylan Cease — some other pitchers scheduled to start today include Adam Wainwright (3.21 ERA), Sonny Gray (3.10 ERA), Nestor Cortes (2.68 ERA) and J.P. Sears (2.37 ERA). Those seven names account for half of the starters, so the best thing we can do is turn to one of the most reliable hitters in the game in Goldschmidt. The NL MVP favorite has cooled off a bit over the past couple of weeks, but he still enters this game hitting .329 with a 1.033 OPS. As for the matchup, Nationals starter Josiah Gray has been hit or miss this season. Though he’s looked nearly unhittable at times, he’s also allowed at least six runs in five of his 24 outings.
Seiya Suzuki, Cubs (vs. Reds)
Suzuki has been locked in at the plate over the past few weeks, hitting .356 over his past 17 games. It’s a good bet that success continues today, with the Reds set to start Luis Cessa, who will be making just his fifth start since moving from the bullpen to the rotation. Not only does he have a 5.18 ERA in 40 appearances overall this season, but he also figures to pitch only five innings or so — and the Reds’ bullpen has an MLB-worst 4.78 ERA this season.
Athletics (vs. White Sox — Dylan Cease)
Cease came within one out of a perfect game his last time out, and honestly, it only feels like a matter of time before he tosses a no-hitter. He’s allowed three hits or fewer in five of his past six starts and he’s holding hitters to an incredible .185 average this season.
Giants (at Brewers, doubleheader Game 1 — Corbin Burnes)
Burnes has stumbled a bit of late, posting a 7.29 ERA over his past four starts to raise his season ERA from 2.39 to 3.02. While two of those four starts came against the Dodgers, he’s coming off a pair of five-run outings against the Pirates and D-backs, respectively. Even with his recent struggles, Burnes still comes into this outing with a ridiculous .199 opponents’ batting average, and he’s racked up 200 strikeouts in 164 innings.
Phillies (vs. Marlins — Sandy Alcantara)
Alcantara has had a couple of hiccups of late, allowing six runs over 3 2/3 innings against the Dodgers on Aug. 21 and another six runs over five innings on Friday against the Braves. Still, he tossed a complete game against those same Dodgers in between those two outings, and he enters this showdown against the Phillies with a 2.36 ERA and a .209 opponents’ batting average. That said, there are a couple of Phillies hitters who have had some success against Miami’s ace — and a couple who have been completely overmatched (see below).
NOTABLE BATTER VS. PITCHER MATCHUPS
Bryce Harper (Phillies): 10-for-27 (.370), 5 XBH vs. Alcantara
Kyle Schwarber (Phillies): 7-for-20 (.350), 3 XBH vs. Alcantara
Rhys Hoskins (Phillies): 6-for-35 (.171), 14 K vs. Alcantara
Avisaíl García (Marlins): 5-for-34 (.147), 9 K vs. Kyle Gibson
