Week 5 of the MLB season is in the books, and we have more offensive standouts to discuss. In addition, while highlighting a few rostered players in most leagues, the article will also highlight some players that may not be on everyone’s radar unless you are playing in deeper leagues. So dig in and decide if the production is just a hot streak or something to invest in moving forward. First, let’s look at five hitters that had an impressive week and what we should do from a fantasy perspective.
Week 5 Standout Performers
Manuel Margot (OF – TB)
Margot is coming off a monster week where he hit safely in all seven games he played. Margot hit .500 with a .450 BABIP while racking up six extra-base hits, including three home runs. Margot’s .542 ISO and 1.580 OPS were outstanding, while his 17.4% barrel rate and 43.5% hard-hit rate helped support the power. Margot also racked up a 92% contact rate and only a 3.5% SwStr rate with a 3.8% strikeout rate.
Margot was locked in last week, and although those stats are likely not sustainable, there is a lot of hope for Margot going forward. He played every day this past week, so playing every day will boost Margot’s fantasy upside. There were hopes of a 15/15 outlook for Margot going into the season, which is now much more realistic. His current 6.8% barrel rate and 43.2% hard-hit rates are career highs, while his maxEV of 110.4 mph is great to see. Keep an eye on Margot’s playing time going forward and ride the hot streak that his current xStats support.
Kolten Wong (2B – MIL)
Wong was off to a slow start this year, but last week leaves one feeling happy if they invested in the Brewers’ second baseman. He hit safely in all five games for a .412 batting average. He collected three extra-base hits, including a home run, and threw in a stolen base. Most importantly, he led off in four games and scored five runs, which Wong brings to the table as he leads off in the potent Brew Crew offense. Besides just hits, Wong also walked 14.3% of the time to go with his .294 ISO and 1.182 OPS.
Wong is now hitting .240 on the season, and more goodness should come. With his ability to get on base and the Brewers’ power bats like Christian Yellich and Rowdy Tellez heating up, Wong should be a vital fantasy asset yet again. So feel free to lock him into your lineups going forward and look for 10+ home runs and 15+ stolen base upside.
Daulton Varsho (C/OF – AZ)
Varsho was one of “my guys” entering the season, and so far, so good. This past week Varsho hit safely in all five games with two doubles and two home runs. He was barreling the ball 12.5% of the time while also leading off in three games for the DBacks, making his fantasy value even better.
There is still a lot of swing and miss in Varsho’s swing, but the contact qualities are tremendous, and his continued success seems strong going forward. He is hitting .255 with six home runs and three stolen bases, which is outstanding for a catcher eligible player. We could see a catcher hit better than .250 with 15-20 home runs and double-digit stolen bases. This past week was a great sign of things to come for the DBacks catcher/outfielder.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B – MIA)
Chisholm has reclaimed his rightful spot at leadoff for the Marlins, and his offense has continued to flourish. He hit safely in all seven games last week for a .310 average with four extra-base hits and two stolen bases. His 16% barrel rate and 52% hard-hit rate are outstanding, but his plate discipline is what grabs my attention the most. Last week Chisholm only struck out 12.9% of the time with a 9.5% SwStr.
Chisholm is genuinely breaking out this season by hitting .300 with five home runs and six stolen bases. In addition, he is barreling the 14.3% with a 50% hard-hit rate while striking out 23% of the time. That is nearly a 6% drop in strikeouts from last year and down from his previous seasons of 30% or worse strikeout rates. If the contact skills continue, Chisholm is in for a monster season with 25/25 upside.
Pete Alonso (1B – NYM)
Big Meat Pete had a strong week five where he hit safely in five of his seven games. He hit .357 with three home runs, a .393 ISO, and 1.129 OPS. His contact quality was also great, with a 19% barrel rate and 47.6% hard-hit rate.
The strong week supports an overall strong season with seven home runs, but his 22.5% strikeout rate is the best stat for me. We know Alonso can hit for power, but limiting the strikeouts increases Alonso’s BOOM. Alonso is already rostered everywhere, and this past week should make those who spent the early draft pick on the Polar Bear feel awesome.