Play Beat the Streak now -- and lock in these picks
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.
But we are here to help with that. We'll provide BTS leaderboard updates and daily insights on favorable matchups in this space, as well as every weekday on the new “Beat the Streak Daily: Inside the Hits” podcast.
Let's take a closer at the action from yesterday and today:
LEADERBOARD DATA
Longest active streak: 29 (RockRaines)
Longest season streak: 39 (clendz82)
Longest streak all-time: 51
Most popular picks (yesterday)
1. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (13.2%)
2. Starling Marte, Mets (12.8%)
3. José Iglesias, Rockies (10.7%)*
4. DJ LeMahieu, Yankees (6.2%)
5. J. D. Martinez, Red Sox (3.3%)
* - Recorded a hit
Most popular picks (this season)
1. Trea Turner, Dodgers (7.1%)
2. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (6.3%)
3. José Iglesias, Rockies (4.4%)
4. Michael Brantley, Astros (4.2%)
5. Manny Machado, Padres (3.7%)
HITTERS TO TARGET TODAY
Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (vs. Nationals)
Freeman has gone 0-for-10 over the past two games, but that's a bit deceiving considering he smoked a ball to straightaway center field on Saturday night against the Phillies that was tracked down just shy of the wall for a routine out. Even with his recent scuffling, Freeman is still hitting .301 and he has a extremely favorable matchup against Nationals starter Joan Adon. The rookie right-hander enters with a 6.38 ERA and he ranks in the bottom-10 percentile in barrel percentage allowed, xSLG, whiff rate and chase rate. In other words, hitters aren't biting on his stuff out of the zone -- and Freeman ranks among the best in terms of both whiff rate and chase rate -- and they're making solid contact when Adon does challenge them. Adon is also allowing a .912 career OPS to left-handed hitters (compared to .743 to righties).
Mookie Betts, Dodgers (vs. Nationals)
Everything mentioned above about the Adon matchup also applies here, except for the note about left-handed hitters. Though Betts hits from the right side, he's been on an absolute tear of late. He has 11 extra-base hits in his past 10 games, while hitting .357 during that span. Betts is as locked in as it gets right now, and we expect that to continue against Adon and a Nationals bullpen that ranks 29th in oponents' batting average.
OFFENSE(S) TO AVOID
Orioles (vs. Yankees -- Gerrit Cole)
Cole has been cruising of late, posting a 1.67 ERA over his last five starts while racking up 39 strikeouts over just 32 1/3 innings. He is giving up a decent amount of hard contact (he ranks in just the 29th percentile in terms of hard-hit rate), but his whiff rate, fastball velocity and fastball spin rate all rank among the elite.
Braves (vs. Phillies -- Zack Wheeler)
Atlanta obviously has some solid options offensively, but you can certainly find better matchups than this one. After struggling out of the gate following a delayed start this spring, Wheeler has put up a 1.04 ERA over his last four starts while striking out 30 batters in just 26 innings and holding opponents to a .189 average. He also has a 1.75 ERA in sveen starts against the Braves since joining the Phillies in 2020.
NOTABLE BATTER VS. PITCHER MATCHUPS
Favorable
Giancarlo Stanton (Yankees): 7-for-15 (.467), 3 XBH vs. Jordan Lyles
Unfavorable
Ozzie Albies (Braves): 6-for-33 (.182), 7 K vs. Zack Wheeler