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: 40 (HalosLTBU)
Longest season streak: 45 (kiyoshilotus26)
Longest streak all-time: 51
Most popular picks (yesterday)
1. Trea Turner, Dodgers (21.7%)*
2. Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (8.4%)*
3. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (7.0%)*
4. Aaron Judge, Yankees (6.9%)*
5. J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (5.1%)
* - Recorded a hit
Most popular picks (this season)
1. Trea Turner, Dodgers (9.3%)
2. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (6.4%)
3. J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (5.2%)
4. Manny Machado, Padres (4.8%)
5. Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (3.2%)
HITTERS TO TARGET TODAY
José Ramírez, Guardians (vs. Red Sox)
Ramírez has been a popular pick for us this year -- and for good reason. Though he's cooled off a bit in July, allowing his season average to dip below .300, he's still reached safely in 35 of his past 39 games. There are two factors working in Ramírez's favor in this one, though: He was given the day off in yesterday's finale against the White Sox and he has a solid matchup against Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta. Following a ridiculous stretch in which Pivetta posted a 1.95 ERA over 11 starts from May 7-June 29, he's come crashing back down in July. The Red Sox righty has a 13.50 ERA in three starts this month while allowing 23 hits (including four homers) in just 13 1/3 innings -- and he doesn't figure to have a ton of help behind him after the Red Sox bullpen got roughed up this past weekend against the Blue Jays.
Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (vs. Nationals)
Freeman enters this one on a 12-game hitting streak, during which he's hitting a ridiculous .522 -- including .579 with a 1.754 OPS over his past 10 games. He has 12 extra-base hits (seven doubles and five home runs) during his 12-game streak, and now he faces a Nationals team that he's feasted against for years during his time with the Braves in the NL East. Freeman has a .314/.396/.518 career slash line against the Nats. It's a good bet that his success will continue against starter Paolo Espino and a Washington bullpen that has the fifth-highest ERA in the Majors this season.
OFFENSE(S) TO AVOID
Phillies (vs. Braves -- Max Fried)
Fried is 10-1 with a 2.33 ERA over his past 17 starts, all while holding opponents to a .224 average and racking up 100 strikeouts in 108 1/3 innings.
Nationals (vs. Dodgers -- Tony Gonsolin)
Though Gonsolin turned in his worst outing of the season in his last start before the All-Star break, he still enters his second-half debut with a 2.02 ERA. He's allowed three hits or fewer in 11 of his 17 starts, and he's holding opponents to a ridiculous .168 average overall this season.
NOTABLE BATTER VS. PITCHER MATCHUPS
Favorable
J.T. Realmuto (Phillies): 10-for-28 (.357), 6 XBH (3 HR) vs. Max Fried
Hunter Renfroe (Brewers): 7-for-18 (.389), 3 XBH vs. Kyle Freeland
Unfavorable
Rhys Hoskins (Phillies): 4-for-23 (.174), 5 K vs. Fried
Shohei Ohtani (Angels): 3-for-13 (.231), 2 K vs. Zack Greinke