Pete Crow-Armstrong finally sparked the Cubs with a homer and a double over four at-bats as Chicago blanked Pittsburgh 4-0 at PNC Park. After a damaging August/September slump, PCA showed patience and power, underscoring Chicago’s driver-heavy offense alongside a battered but still dangerous lineup. Busch homered, Hoerner scored on a wild pitch, and Taillon worked six strong frames to shrink the Cubs’ magic number to three in a late-season push.

Cubs plate early and often at PNC Park, riding Michael Busch’s third-inning solo and back-to-back doubles from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Dansby Swanson in the fourth to forge a 3-0 lead. Crow-Armstrong adds a sixth-inning solo shot to pad it further as Braxton Ashcraft falters after two clean frames. Pirates drop to 65-86, riding a nine-of-ten skid, while Chicago solidifies a late-season push. Fantasy takeaway: Cubs’ top-order pops today; Crow-Armstrong and Swanson carry value, Busch’s power is legit, Ashcraft’s volatility complicates streaming.

Oakland Athletics ride a late-season surge, spoiling Cincinnati in a three-game span as rookie Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson heat up, fueling a potential contending window amid Las Vegas relocation chatter. The A’s sit at 70 wins, with a strong run differential and better road record, while Reds chase a NL wild card. Batting races see Aaron Judge atop the AL and Trea Turner leading the NL. Rockies stumble, and trivia nods to Canseco, McGwire, and Weiss as former ROY winners from Oakland. Milwaukee’s comeback mood and Kody Clemenss homer spree loom large.

Two Monday Night Football games headline the slate: Texans at Buccaneers and Raiders at Chargers, with SportsLine projecting a Tampa win and a close Raiders showdown. In MLB, Cubs, Pirates, Phillies, Dodgers, and Nationals provide nightly betting angles, including a NL wild card push for Chicago and a Cody Bellinger power prop for Washington. The night blends NFL risk with late-season MLB intrigue and clear betting edges.