Play Beat the Streak now -- and roll with this under-the-radar pick
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: 33 (Jason)
Longest season streak: 45 (kiyoshilotus26)
Longest streak all-time: 51
Most popular picks (yesterday)
1. Manny Machado, Padres (20.3%)*
2. Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (19.6%)*
3. Starling Marte, Mets (10.6%)
4. Trea Turner, Dodgers (3.5%)*
5. Aaron Judge, Yankees (3.3%)
* - Recorded a hit
Most popular picks (this season)
1. Trea Turner, Dodgers (9.8%)
2. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (6.5%)
3. J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (4.7%)
4. Manny Machado, Padres (4.6%)
5. Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (3.8%)
HITTERS TO TARGET TODAY
Aaron Judge, Yankees (vs. Blue Jays)
Judge has become a threat to go deep on any given night -- and we certainly like his odds to do exactly that tonight. Though he hasn't homered in his past six games, Judge has had a homerless streak of at least seven games only once this season -- and that was from April 14-21. He's also had quite a bit of success against Toronto starter Kevin Gausman, going 8-for-20 (.400) with five extra-base hits, including three home runs. That's good for a .950 slugging percentage and a 1.470 OPS.
Mike Yastrzemski, Giants (vs. Rockies)
Sure, Yastrzemski isn't having the best season (he's hitting just .212), but you can throw those numbers out the window when it comes to playing at Coors Field. Yastrzemski is a career .364 (28-for-77) hitter with a 1.230 OPS at Coors Field. He has 16 extra-base hits, including eight home runs, in just 21 road games against the Rockies -- good for a 61-homer pace over 162 games.
OFFENSE(S) TO AVOID
Royals (at Rays -- Shane McClanahan)
McClanahan is holding opposing hitters to an AL-best .189 average this season (third-lowest in the Majors overall). He has a 2.28 ERA while racking up 165 strikeouts in 134 1/3 innings.
Nationals (at Padres -- Blake Snell)
Though he had a 5.60 ERA through June, Snell has posted a 2.08 ERA in eight outings since the start of July -- including a ridiculous 0.94 ERA in his past five trips to the mound. He's racked up 39 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings during those five starts, looking like the Snell from his Tampa Bay days.
White Sox (at Guardians -- Triston McKenzie)
McKenzie has pitched well since the start of July, posting a 1.82 ERA and .173 opponents' batting average over his past eight starts.
NOTABLE BATTER VS. PITCHER MATCHUPS
Favorable
Pete Alonso (Mets): 14-for-40 (.350), 4 HR vs. Aaron Nola
Aaron Judge (Yankees): 8-for-20 (.400), 3 HR vs. Kevin Gausman
Bo Bichette (Blue Jays): 8-for-19 (.421), 3 XBH vs. Jameson Taillon
José Ramírez (Guardians): 8-for-23 (.348), 3 HR vs. Lance Lynn
Unfavorable
Francisco Lindor (Mets): 4-for-20 (.200), 6 K vs. Nola
Matt Chapman (Blue Jays): 1-for-12 (.083), 3 K vs. Taillon
Matt Olson (Braves): 3-for-18 (.167), 6 K vs. Lance McCullers Jr.