Three Monday MLB bets lean on a trio of power-pedaled strikeout props and one innings-leaning play. Shota Imanaga projects for over 4.5 strikeouts against Atlanta, buoyed by a robust post-break K-rate (8.3 K/9 over 48 innings) and a history of multiple-K games, despite a recent 2-K showing. Nick Lodolo targets over 4.5 Ks vs San Diego, backed by four 6-K outings in the last five starts and a 10.7 K/9 since the All-Star break. Janson Junk should go under 16.5 outs against Washington due to elbow nerves andLIsts, limiting his innings after a long layoff.

Week 24 of the 2025 fantasy baseball calendar centers on two-start pitchers with playoff implications. Yu Darvish anchors the streamer tier, drawing favorable home matchups against CIN and COL in Petco Park. Framber Valdez gets two starts against TOR and ATL, while Shota Imanaga tackles ATL and TB, offering a premium strikeout floor with solid ratios. Nick Lodolo and Jose Quintana land strong rosters with CIN and MIL in two-start weeks, and Adrian Houser alongside Eury Pérez bring enticing upside for longer weeks. Braxton Ashcraft, perched as a sleeper, carries multi-inning potential against two middling offenses, rounding out a slate that blends risk, reward, and strategic waiver moves.

With rosters under 50% in several cases, the waiver wire remains fertile for Week 24. The mix of high-floor arms and upside rockets provides a blueprint for playoff push lineups: leverage pitcher-friendly venues, weigh opponent lineups, and balance safe starts with upside streams. This week’s batch emphasizes two-start viability that can swing ratio stats and keep your ratios competitive during the final stretch.

Cincinnati scratched Nick Lodolo with an illness and opened with a bullpen-heavy game against Toronto, the Blue Jays pouncing early with 8 runs through two frames before Cincinnati rallied to 8-6. The Reds’ offense, fueled by 15 hits and multi-hit efforts from Friedl, Marte, Hays, Hayes, Trevino, and McLain, kept it interesting, but Toronto clinched a 12-9 win. The series now hinges on a midweek start by Zack Littell against Shane Bieber’s Jays return, with Cincinnati limping into a crucial rubber match.

Six Reds notched multi-hit nights; De La Cruz reached base twice in just his second big-league game, Stewart started at 1B again, and Hays and Friedl logged homers. Mets jumped further ahead in the Wild Card chase as Giants briefly tied Cincinnati in the standings, turning Wednesday’s finale into a make-or-break moment for Cincinnati’s postseason hopes. Fantasy managers should note Lodolo’s absence pushes the bullpen into more critical usage and may lift midstream contributors like Friedl and McLain as steady mixed-league options.

Toronto’s late lead evaporated in a brutal ninth, as Cincinnati stormed back to win 5-4. Hunter Greene dazzled over 6.1 innings for the Reds, allowing just one earned run with seven Ks, while Chris Bassitt held the Reds to two runs in six frames. Bo Bichette slapped a four-for-four day, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. started the scoring, and Daulton Varsho unloaded a game-changing homer to prop the Jays to a two-run edge before the bullpen collapse sealed the loss.

Around the Jays, Alejandro Kirk delivered the RBI single to bring Bo home, Yariel Rodríguez bridged two clean innings of relief, and Toronto’s offense finally woke with timely hits. The blown save spotlights the thin bullpen, leaving fantasy managers eyeing Joseph Berríos’ next start against Lodolo for a swing in momentum and workload expectations.