X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Contact Rate Risers and Fallers for Week 7: Buy or Sell?

Welcome to Contact Rate Risers and Fallers! Our premium tools allow us to get out ahead of trends in player performance, including contact rate. Every Wednesday, we'll be looking at some players that have seen an increase in contact rate and some that have seen it decline.

Contact rate can foretell a player's batting average and general hitting statistics, and any drastic change could signal a shift in performance. Contact rate shifts often act as a precursor to hot streaks and slumps.

Here is a breakdown of some of the biggest fantasy relevant risers and fallers in contact rate over the last seven days.

Featured Promo: Get ANY MLB Premium Pass for 10% off the regular price with code BALLER. Exclusive access to our Draft Kit, Nick Mariano's #1 accuracy rankings, Ariel Cohen's #1 accuracy ATC projections, customized advice in the Team Sync platform, Live Draft Assistant, 15 in-season lineup tools, customized rankings and much more! Go Premium, Win More!


Contact Rate Risers
 and Fallers - Premium Tool

Identifying top batting average surgers for each week can help you spot the best pickups before your competition. RotoBaller's Premium Contact Rate Risers and Fallers tool has you covered every day. As thoughtful fantasy baseball players, we won't lead you astray.

This type of data is available as part of our Premium MLB Subscription. Don't settle for basic stats and surface-level advice from other sites. RotoBaller brings you advanced statistics and professional analysis that you need to win your fantasy leagues and DFS games, because we're ballers just like you. We are your secret weapon!

 

Risers

Giancarlo Stanton (OF, NYY): 91% contact rate last seven days (+27%)

Giancarlo Stanton was locked in last week, hitting .391 with three home runs and a .478 ISO. His .870 SLG during this span was higher than .828 OPS prior to last week. Perhaps most encouraging is that Stanton had just two strikeouts in 27 plate appearances during that stretch. That’s a massive improvement considering he had a 34.4% strikeout rate prior to last week. Cutting down on strikeouts is one of the reasons Stanton had such a big 2017. His average exit velocity is 94.5 MPH, which is a three year high for Stanton and second highest in the majors behind J.D. Martinez. Stanton is famous for extreme hot-and-cold stretches going back to his time in Miami, and it looks like he could be entering a power binge. There isn’t really much action to take with Stanton since his trade value shouldn’t be affected one way or another. Those that rode out some of his early season struggles are about to reap the rewards of their patience.

Jonathan Schoop (2B, BAL): 94% contact rate last seven days (+16%)

Schoop’s rise in contact rate coincides with his return from an oblique strain. He returned on May 8th, and since his return, is hitting .290 with two home runs and an .861 OPS in 32 plate appearances. He has only struck out twice since returning, compared to 19 times in 65 plate appearances before the injury. Despite making more contact, Schoop has a .259 BABIP over the last seven days and a .233 xBA on the season. He is not striking the ball as hard, with a 23.6% hard contact rate on the season and 27.6% hard contact rate over the last seven days. Schoop has an average exit velocity of 85.5 MPH and has a 24% infield flyball rate. These things are not conducive to a high BABIP or batting average, and since he has a pitiful 2.1% walk rate Schoop can’t reach base unless it’s with the bat. Even though his contact rate is up there are issues with the quality of contact. Hopefully as he gets healthier he improves his exit velocity, but for now his upside is capped.

Scooter Gennett (2B, CIN): 96% contact rate last seven days (+16%)

Scooter Gennett had been having a fine season prior to this hot stretch with a .289 average, .765 OPS, and three home runs in 138 plate appearances, but he took it to another level this past week. Over the last seven days Gennett hit .478 with three home runs and a 1.391 OPS in 23 plate appearances. He had just one strikeout during this stretch, but also had zero walks. While his performance last week is wholly unsustainable over a long period of time, Gennett is proving that 2017 wasn’t a fluke. He has a career high 42.3% hard contact rate and 24.6% line drive rate on the year. These things lead to base hits and extra-base hits, giving him a .294 xBA and .348 xWOBA per Statcast. His performance dating back to last season looks legitimate and makes for a decent buy-high candidate if his owner still has reservations. One caveat with Gennett is that he really relies on his home ballpark for power. He has a .258 ISO at home but a .129 ISO on the road. If he were to get traded his power might decline depending on the new ballpark, but it’s too early to speculate on those types of scenarios.

 

Fallers

Joey Gallo (1B/OF, TEX): 38% contact rate last seven days (-23%)

The worst of Joey Gallo has emerged over the past week. He had zero base hits and 11 strikeouts in 19 plate appearances over the last seven days. This is the nature of someone like Joey Gallo, and we’ve seen extended stretches like this from players with this profile. Look no further than Giancarlo Stanton for an example. Owners often have to absorb these slumps and trust that the season long numbers will be there when it’s all said and done. Gallo does have a .222 BABIP, which is abnormally low even for an extreme power hitter, but one thing to consider is how the shifts he faces affect his BABIP. Gallo has been shifted on 91% of the time this season and has a .292 wOBA against the shift compared to a .555 wOBA with no shift. Gallo was actually evenly spraying the ball across the field before this slump with a one-third split to each field. He pulled the ball 66% of the time over the past week, though again it was only 19 plate appearances, 11 of which were strikeouts. His .199 average might not correct to his .243 xBA, at least not all the way. Still, Gallo had been striking out “only” 31.5% of the time before his slump and was hitting the ball to all fields, but some of those changes reverted to old ways. He is going to deliver power and makes for a buy-low option if his owner doesn’t have the patience to withstand the lows.

Ronald Acuna (OF, ATL): 52% contact rate last seven days (-18%)

Acuna entered the majors with a bang on April 25th, batting .326 with two homers and a .933 OPS through his first 49 plate appearances. His production has come to a screeching halt over the last week however, as he is hitting just .148 with a .578 OPS and 13 strikeouts in 32 plate appearances since. This streakiness probably serves as a good reminder that Acuna is just 20-years-old will need to make adjustments to the big leagues. He skyrocketed through the minors in 2017, improving his strikeout rate, ISO, and batting average at every level. Acuna has the talent to adjust to better pitching, but don’t be surprised if his struggles extend beyond a few weeks. As a 20-year-old rookie Bryce Harper had an .817 OPS, while Mike Trout had a .672 OPS. We probably won’t see the best version of Ronald Acuna in 2018, and that’s okay. He is still a valuable fantasy asset for this season.

 Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD): 60% contact rate last seven days (-14%)

Cody Bellinger is having a weird season. Prior to this past seven days he was hitting .283 and had cut his strikeouts down to 21.3%, but had just a .181 ISO and his flyball rate dipped to 39.4%. The success he had came from an unsustainable .337 BABIP. Over this past week Bellinger’s strikeouts shot way up to 37% and he had a 10:1 K/BB ratio in 25 plate appearances. One encouraging sign from the last seven days was a 50% flyball rate for Bellinger. He was at 47% last season and to regain last year’s power number’s he will need to elevate the ball more. His launch angle is slightly up from last season at 17 degrees compared to 16.5 in 2017 and his exit velocity is exactly the same at 89.6 MPH. The problem seems to be a wider variance. He has a 17.4% infield flyball rate this season, up 9% from last year. His hard contact rate is at 37.7%, down 5.3% from last season. There are probably some kinks in his swing and approach that need to be ironed out, and hopefully this rough stretch precedes a return of last season’s Bellinger. The production he has provided is not sustainable given his batted ball profile. He has a .211 xBA and .306 xWOBA per Statcast. There is buy-low opportunity here, but since he’s only 22 with just one full season under his belt Bellinger isn’t totally risk free. Buying low on him requires you to shoulder legitimate risk but could pay dividends.

 

More 2018 MLB Advice and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nick Senzel6 hours ago

Expected To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jon Gray6 hours ago

To Start On Sunday
Justin Steele6 hours ago

Likely To Go On Injured List
Anfernee Simons8 hours ago

Out Against The Heat
Max Kepler8 hours ago

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Max Kepler
Keldon Johnson8 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Justin Steele8 hours ago

Has Left-Hamstring Tightness
Matisse Thybulle9 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Davis Bertans9 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Friday
Jusuf Nurkic9 hours ago

Questionable Against Oklahoma City
Dario Saric9 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Noah Clowney9 hours ago

Probable For Nets Friday
Jonathan Kuminga9 hours ago

Questionable For Warriors Friday
Jerami Grant9 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Friday
Dennis Smith9 hours ago

Jr. Probable For Friday
Lauri Markkanen9 hours ago

Questionable Against Houston
Toumani Camara9 hours ago

Will Not Play Friday
Justin Steele9 hours ago

Exits Thursday's Start
Richaun Holmes9 hours ago

Out Versus Pistons
Cameron Johnson9 hours ago

Out Against Chicago On Friday
Luka Doncic10 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Friday
David Bednar10 hours ago

Still Dealing With Lat Injury
Deandre Ayton10 hours ago

Is Questionable For Friday
Rudy Gobert10 hours ago

Might Miss Friday's Game
Tyus Jones10 hours ago

Unavailable For Friday
Zeke Nnaji10 hours ago

Ruled Out Against Minnesota
Jaden Ivey10 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Rhys McKee10 hours ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Anthony Edwards10 hours ago

Uncertain For Friday Night
Chidi Njokuani10 hours ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson10 hours ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Bill Algeo10 hours ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley10 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Vicente Luque10 hours ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Eduardo Rodriguez11 hours ago

Could Throw Off Mound In 5-7 Days
Max Kepler11 hours ago

Leaves On Opening Day With Injury
Nick Senzel11 hours ago

Suffers Broken Thumb
Jason Foley11 hours ago

Earns The Save For Tigers
Tarik Skubal12 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes12 hours ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis13 hours ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer14 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw14 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler14 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager15 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz15 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Bryan Reynolds17 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jordan Romano18 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Aaron Ekblad19 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov19 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto20 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin20 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard20 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins20 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist20 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear20 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Mark Hubbard2 days ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson2 days ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia2 days ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen2 days ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers2 days ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers2 days ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers2 days ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers2 days ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels2 days ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby2 days ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds2 days ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA2 days ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry2 days ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox2 days ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan2 days ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg2 days ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn2 days ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby2 days ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord2 days ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT3 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn3 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield3 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR3 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras3 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen3 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb3 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift3 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson3 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell3 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans3 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott3 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley3 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs3 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad3 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson3 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas4 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas4 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan4 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson4 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla4 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo4 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron4 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo5 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal5 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman5 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott5 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa5 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams5 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala5 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More