Arizona capped a pivotal night at Chase Field with a 4-3 walk-off over the Dodgers, a win that could spark a late-season surge. Pfaadt battled through six frames despite two costly Hernandez mistakes, while Lovullo’s courage in the late-inning matchup decisions—pinch-hitting Lawlar and later Del Castillo—paid off as ADC delivered a go-ahead swing. Vargas set the table, McCann stayed hot, and Perdomo capped the night with a slider to center for the game-winner as the crowd roared. Cincinnati’s loss tightens the division picture and leaves Arizona with momentum entering the next tilt.

The drama extended into the ninth, with Vargas hit by a closer’s pitch, Tawa drawing a walk, and Barrosa’s sac fly before Perdomo’s heroics sealed it. The D-backs showed grit, timely hitting, and strategic depth, signaling they might be peaking at the right time and could carry this energy into a critical week ahead.

Final week of the 2025 MLB regular season brings six-game schedules across every club, forcing managers to balance rest, post-season positioning, and the six-man rotation. The Cut List guides you through bets to drop, players to ride, and situational plays to maximize Week 26 value in fantasy baseball. Expect frequent rotation tweaks, injury updates, and mixed lineups as teams clinch or chase; prioritize starting studs, monitor bullpen usage, and exploit favorable matchups while avoiding high-variance plays.

Key themes: six games equalized edge; two-start pitchers become scarce; injuries (Alvarez, Bichette) force quick pivots; rookies and vets with favorable schedules offer upside; and rostering depth is critical with 28-man rosters still in play. Use the week as a final shuffle for your playoffs, but don’t overreact to one bad road trip—play smart and enjoy the ride.

Week 26 brings a tight race to the finish, with 25 two-start arms on the slate. The top over-50% rostered pool features Giolito, Gil, Gausman, Williams, Flaherty, Ragans, Miller, Kelly, Sale, Peterson, Gore, Horton, Singer, Peralta, Pfaadt, Pivetta, and a few distance-runner options. Best streamer Justin Verlander (Giants) anchors the week with a forgiving pair of starts, while Ian Seymour offers a high floor for the Rays. Riskier bets include Shane Smith, Cristian Javier, Michael McGreevy, and Ryan Weathers.

Verlander leads a cakewalk schedule (STL and COL) that should yield wins and strikeouts, while Seymour gets two tough, but favorable, matchups that could pop if his control holds. The piece also casts a critical eye on upside plays like Gore and Horton, who carry longer-term keeper value beyond Week 26. The waiver wire remains active as coaches chase innings, strikeouts, and qualitative matchups for fantasy playoffs.