Nathan Lukes delivered a go-ahead two‑run homer with George Springer aboard as Toronto beat Tampa Bay 4‑2, trimming its magic number to two to clinch the AL East and stay tied with the Yankees atop the standings.

Shane Bieber worked five innings for the win while the Rays’ early back-to-back solo shots from Caminero and Aranda kept it interesting. Andres Gimenez flashed defense in the infield, and Jose Berrios’ elbow status looms as Toronto presses toward the finish. A busy weekend looms with a potential division clinch on the line.

Aranda’s return from a wrist fracture and the Jays’ improved efficiency with runners in scoring position offer shiny fantasy angles, especially at Rogers Centre where Toronto has been solid. Look ahead to Trey Yesavage’s start and how the rotation adapts if the clinch nears.

Toronto clinches a playoff berth and chases the AL East crown in a tense finale with Tampa Bay, a Rays squad that has owned them this year. The Jays must snap an offensive drought against a tough Rays staff, while Trey Yesavage looks to carry his historic debut into his home outing.

Gausman could sit if the division is clinched, reshaping late-week matchups, and Yandy Diaz’s groin tightness adds risk. The broader playoff picture hinges on results across the league, with Toronto weighing home-field advantages and bullpen depth as it eyes a potential ALDS or wild-card path.

Tristan Gray’s seventh-inning solo blast lifts the Rays to a 5-4 win over the White Sox, as Tampa Bay leans on midseason depth after Adrian Houser’s return to the scene. Chicago struck early with Kyle Teel’s 405-foot homer, but Gray’s clutch shot and a Rays offensive burst—Josh Lowe and Richie Palacios go deep—settle the late-seeing narrative. The game also highlights a July trade that sent Houser from Chicago to Tampa Bay, a move that reverberates through the pitching dominoes for both sides.

For fantasy players, the storyline centers on Rays depth and the White Sox’s incremental contributors. Gray’s breakout moment and the continued value of bench depth in Tampa Bay contrast with Chicago’s midseason shuffles and impact from veterans like Benintendi, whose RBI tied the game before the decisive swing. This game underscores how back-of-rotation or minors-to-major moves can tilt tight matchups in late-season fantasy decisions.

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.

Rays win 4-1 in a gritty, imperfect night: 174 Rays pitches, 12 strikeouts, and just enough offense to back a shaky start from Adrian Houser. Brandon Lowe opened the scoring with a first-inning homer, Yandy Díaz drew a walk to spark the rally, and Everson Pereira added insurance with a homer in the fifth. The bullpen held the Nationals’ bats, while Chandler Simpson dazzled with two key defensive plays. A late Chandler Simpson RBI and Pete Fairbanks’s closing work capped a win that felt earned, not pristine.

Daylen Lile’s baserunning with Daylen Lile being cut down at third showcased Washington’s aggression, but the Rays mitigated it with quality defense and timely hits. The City Connect jersey debate lingered, yet Tampa Bay’s grit carried the day as the Rays navigate a tight stretch ahead.