Masataka Yoshida will lead off for Boston for the first time in his MLB career, a bold move aimed at jump-starting an offense hampered by Anthony’s oblique injury. Jarren Duran slides to the three-hole behind Story and Lowe, while Yoshida’s on-base touch is expected to set the table for the run producers ahead. The rest of the order stays fluid as Cora experiments with speed and contact to spark scoring opportunities.

Lucas Giolito vs. Brandon Pfaadt shapes a strategic matchup in Phoenix as the Red Sox chase a win to keep pace in a tight AL playoff picture. Boston sits 4.5 games back in the East and holds a wild-card edge, while Arizona looks to sap momentum. The lineup shuffle signals a late-season push, with run production prioritized over tradition.

Dodgers dodged a potential weekend sweep by Arizona with a walk-off win Sunday, riding Yamamoto’s seven-inning gem and a Will Smith pinch-hit blast to 5-4 victory. Los Angeles climbed two games ahead of Arizona in the NL West after the Padres fell to Minnesota. The Dodgers wasted no time, scoring in the first, fourth and fifth to chase Brandon Pfaadt, but Arizona rallied in the eighth when Corbin Carroll’s two-out, three-run homer tied the game. Smith delivered the decisive blow on the very first pitch he saw in the ninth, preventing a hollow weekend and underscoring a season in which consistency remains elusive for a star-studded roster.

Dodgers offense misfired at crucial moments, wasting two-out opportunities while Arizona seized the moment in a 6-1 loss. Glasnow was sharp through seven, but LA couldn’t string hits together and handed Arizona a couple of runs on a misplayed relay and timely strikes. Betts plated the Dodgers’ lone run late, while Carroll, Gurriel Jr., and Moreno did the heavy lifting for the Diamondbacks. The setback tightens the NL West lead to one game as the series wraps up with Yamamoto on the bump for LA against Pfaadt.

Two key sequences defined the night: Glasnow’s quality start that went unrewarded, and a late Diamondbacks surge that blew the game open in the late innings. Ohtani contributed a scorable fly, but the Dodgers couldn’t capitalize on early chances and paid the price for nonproductive outs. Arizona’s bullpen sealed the win, and the Diamondbacks extended their grip on a pivotal divisional matchup.

Milwaukee hosts Arizona in a pivotal tilt as Brandon Pfaadt and Jacob Misiorowski square off. Brewers own a strong home vibe and sit comfortably near the top with solid bullpen depth, while Arizona aims to snap a slide and pile up series wins. Odds lean Milwaukee (-158) with a -1.5 spread and an 8.0 total. The model highlights Brewers on the moneyline and Arizona getting a touch of value at +1.5, with a cautious stance on the game total.

Week 22 in fantasy baseball centers on assessing drop candidates and cautious holds. Zack Wheeler’s blood clot and thoracic outlet surgery push redraft value toward zero, while Josh Hader’s shoulder issues threaten a late-season return. Nick Castellanos shows a revival pattern but may fall prey to roster depth in shallow leagues. Yordan Alvarez wields big upside when healthy, yet injury chatter tempers expectations. Yusei Kikuchi’s solid underlying metrics keep him viable; Mike Trout remains matchup-insensitive when healthy, though durability looms. Seth Lugo, Brandon Pfaadt, and Matt McLain offer speculative depth and streaming potential as the season winds down.

Overall, the Cut List blends patience with strategic risk. Hold relative veterans who still carry upside; drop or replace aging or injured assets in redraft formats while preserving dynasty assets with longer recovery horizons. Readers are welcome to submit players for next week’s scrutiny, keeping the focus on high-leverage priorities for Week 23 and beyond.