The 2018MLB season was full of memorable moments and rife with power. It's unexpected to see that there was a noticeable dip in power numbers, despite the 5,585 home runs hit by Major League players. In 2017, that figure was up at 6,105 HR.Homers make the highlight reels but don't tell the whole story of a hitter's prowess though. [...]

When fantasy owners invest an early draft pick in a player, they generally assume that the player in question is a lock to put up excellent fantasy stats. Joey Votto has been a model of consistency throughout his career, slashing .320/.454/.578 with 36 bombs in 2017. Unfortunately, he only produced 12 HR for his owners this year. [...]

The August waiver deadline has come and gone, leaving several brand name players with new home addresses. Gio Gonzalez joins Milwaukee's rotation even though the team already had plenty of bad pitchers. He's a total random number generator who might ruin your team's WHIP by walking six in three innings or your ERA by allowing four homers in five. Either way, you don't want him for Miller Park starts. Ryan Madson will try to bring stability to Los Angeles's bullpen, but he needs to prove that [...]

New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (rest) is out of the lineup for Sunday's finale against the Tigers. Stanton had played in 85 straight games per MLB.com's Joe Trezza, so this is merely a well-deserved day off. Gary Sanchez will hit in the DH spot with Brett Gardner and Andrew McCutchen manning the corner outfield spots. All three of these players are everyday starters but only McCutchen has found success against lefties this season (.269 batting average) so Gar[...]

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. He[...]

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. He[...]

New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton made his return to Marlins Park Tuesday night, receiving a warm ovation from the heavily-Yankee crowd. At the plate he was solid, picking up two hits, including a thunderous double to left field in the fifth inning. His biggest moment came with the bases loaded in the 12th inning, however, when he struck out. Regardless, the Yankees prevailed in 12 innings. Stanton, for his part, is heading towards the end of his best offensive month of the season, [...]

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he's "confident" that outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) will play the field in Miami for an interleague series in a National League park this week. Stanton has been bothered by a minor hamstring injury since the beginning of the month and has been serving as the designated hitter. It hasn't affected his hitting at all, though, as he's gone 23-for-71 (.324) with eight homers and 15 RBI in August. Keep rolling him out there.

New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton drove in his team's only run on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays. The rest of the Yankee offense could do nothing against the Rays' legion of pitchers (they used six total in the game), but Stanton went 2-for-4 on the day, including that RBI double in the eighth inning. Stanton has shouldered the load admirably since Aaron Judge (wrist) and Gary Sanchez (groin) went on the disabled list, but it's obvious he can't do it alone.

New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) is hoping to return to the outfield soon after being relegated to designated hitter duties since Aug. 8 due to tightness in his left hamstring. Manager Aaron Boone will have to decide if Stanton is ready for the outfield with an upcoming series in a National League park without the DH. The slugger has hit .288 with six homers and 12 RBI in 15 games this month, so his hammy injury doesn't really seem to be affecting him at the plate. Keep[...]