Justin Smoak's followup to last year's post-hype breakout has thus far been serviceable but light on power, with the 31-year-old Toronto Blue Jays infielder boasting a .168 isolated slugging that's closer to his careers norms than to last year's surprise surge.
But it's not as if the late-blooming slugger has lost his stroke: his 10.7% soft-contact rate on the season is among the lowest in the majors, while his 6.9% swinging-strike rate and 18.8% chase rate mark significant career lows.
Daily players should give Smoak a long look in Week 6, especially against lefties James Paxton, Wade LeBlanc, and Eduardo Rodriguez. Smoak owns an excellent .286/.371/.476 slash line against southpaws over the past three seasons.