Garrett Crochet dazzled over six innings with 12 strikeouts, guiding Boston to a 6-4 win over New York and tightening the AL Wild Card picture. Judge homered but Crochet limited damage, extending his dominance to 16-5 with a 2.63 ERA across 30 starts. The Red Sox bullpen closed it out, and Boston now holds tiebreakers over the Yankees and Astros as the schedule shifts west toward Minnesota.

The big first inning set the tone, with Duran leadoff triple and a six-run burst before Warren settled in. The win preserves Boston’s postseason path while reaffirming Crochet’s status as a front-line ace in a workload-managed post-break plan for Cora.

Toronto's magic number to clinch a playoff berth is four, and nine to win the AL East. At 87-62 with 13 games left, the Jays hold tiebreakers over Detroit, New York and Boston, giving them a prime seed and a straightforward path to the postseason. Six home games against the Red Sox and Rays and seven on the road define a balanced finish that favors Toronto.

Texas (79-71) has 12 to play; if Toronto wins four and Texas loses the rest, both reach 91 wins, but Toronto still wins the tiebreak. New York sits four back with 13 to go, Boston 5.5 back with 12 left. The era’s new rule makes the Jays’ position clearer as they chase the division while staying mindful of their rivals’ schedules.

Two-start upside dominates this week’s fantasy slate as waiver-wire movement finally bears fruit. Kyle Bradish tops the list, delivering front‑line reliability since TJ surgery and eyeing a favorable pair with Chicago and New York. Emmet Sheehan has cemented himself as Dodgers’ best rookie starter, while Michael Wacha brings steady ERA/WHIP in home-friendly games. Connelly Early adds a tantalizing immediate upside despite stern early matchups.

In hitter land, Daulton Varsho’s late‑season power surge fuels a seven-game week, Daylen Lile cleanly anchors Washington’s lineup, and Heriberto Hernandez profits from regular playing time in Colorado’s openers. Austin Hays stays steady for RBIs and runs across a busy week. A parallel thread spotlights one-start streamers to squeeze value from the final stretch and maximize seven‑game weeks.

Bottom line: streaming and roster pruning are the order of the week. Target high‑upside arms and batters with multiple games, while rotating in fresh arms from the waiver wire who can deliver in two starts and avoid negative matchups. One‑start streamers offer additional flexibility, but the core is extracting value from a realistic, high-floor two-start window.

Garrett Crochet sits atop MLB with 228 strikeouts in 185 innings for Boston, three starts remain as he aims for the first major strikeout crown of his career. A potential K title would join the Red Sox in a rare club, echoing the legacies of Clemens and Sale. If he handles the workload and avoids a blowup that could derail the run, his path could also edge toward the innings crown in a late-season push against the Yankees.

AL free-agent bids get real in this week’s FAAB-focused look, with two-start windows and keeper-grade upside driving the top targets. Expect big money on Bradish and Early as immediate impact bets, while Alexander, Urquidy, and Mahle offer upside in shallower formats or as roll-the-dice options when a two-start week aligns. Depth pieces like Rivero, Cole, Eaton, and Loperfido provide later-week dart throws, and a handful of power bets (Meadows, O’Neill, Meadows) could swing the week in the right matchups.

Grid-based pricing and a player-grade scale guide decisions, helping managers allocate a $100 FAAB budget efficiently. The slate features a mix of rotation depth, bullpen stability, and situational bats—useful for chasing wins, ERA/WHIP gains, and stolen-base upside down the stretch. Keep an eye on two-start schedules, IL-returns, and late-season callups that can reshape rosters in competitive leagues.