Kayfus delivered a 425-foot go-ahead homer in the eighth, lifting Cleveland to a 3-2 win over Kansas City and keeping their playoff hopes alive in a tense chase for the final AL wild card.

The Guardians leaned on the bottom of the order, with Bo Naylor starting the late-inning rally and Kayfus finishing it, as Steven Kwan, Jose Ramírez and Kyle Manzardo supplied key support. With Seattle and Texas still nipping at the margin, this win mattered as much for momentum as standings.

Hitters trimming chase rates, boosting contact, and pulling the ball with more authority have posted stronger results in the second half. Nick Kurtz surges to a 220 wRC+ since mid-June, batting .342 with a .453 on-base and .743 slug since July 1, and 24 homers. Brayan Rocchio and Kyle Stowers follow, with Rocchio at 95 wRC+ since July 1 and Stowers at .306/.391/.634 in 39 games with 12 long balls.

Lenyn Sosa shows the biggest three-way gains, while Mike Trout adds power through increased Pulled Air%, even as overall numbers lag. Bo Naylor and Pete Crow-Armstrong post improved swing data but fall in results, underscoring the through-line: better plate decisions don’t always yield immediate fantasy dividends. The piece frames these process gains as bets for 2025 rosters.

In short, track O-Swing, Contact% and Pulled Air% as you project next season’s fantasy values, since those adjustments have real, trackable upside beyond the current season.

The Guardians rolled to an 8-1 win at Fenway as Joey Cantillo spun six solid innings with seven strikeouts, flashing a crisp changeup and improved control that boosts his ceiling toward a #3 starter. George Valera notched his first big‑league hit and carried himself with poise. Gabriel Arias delivered a two‑run homer, Bryan Rocchio kept producing, and Steven Kwan joined the multi‑hit parade with a 3-for-5 night. CJ Kayfus and Bo Naylor added two doubles apiece, while Jose Ramirez cooled off but remains a longtime fantasy asset. Cantillo’s breakout vibe, Valera’s arrival, and the offense’s depth headline a strong push as Cleveland heads to Tampa for four with implications for prospect timelines and late-season fantasy moves.

José Ramírez fueled Cleveland’s 4-3 win over Miami with a night that reinforced his status as an elite power presence. He opened and closed the long-ball parade, shredding the Marlins with a multi-homer performance that gave the Guardians the lead in the eighth inning and crown him with franchise-leading multi-HR games (27). Kyle Manzardo joined the party early with a solo shot, while Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias added key RBIs to back Logan Allen’s 5-inning, solid start. Steven Kwan highlighted the defense with a precision outfield assist on a rundown that preserved a crucial lead, and Bo Naylor helped finish it behind the plate. Cade Smith closed out the final outs for the win as Cleveland climbed to 62-56.

The win underscores Cleveland’s depth and Ramirez’s sustained power upside, an obvious boon for fantasy managers hunting long-term pop. Beyond Ramirez, the night showcased a rising cohort—Manzardo’s early homer, Rocchio’s RBI, Arias’ run-scoring hit, and Kwan’s steady glove—that adds multiple viable sources of fantasy value as the Guardians navigate a crowded schedule. Miami’s lineup turnover limited opportunities, but the Guardians’ bullpen mix, with Vogt steering the sequence, suggested 5-6 inning stability plus late-game upside when Ramirez is locked in.

June proved to be a disastrous month for the Cleveland Guardians, characterized by one of the lowest offensive outputs in franchise history. With a dismal .206 batting average, they secured only nine wins against fifteen losses. Manager Stephen Vogt emphasized the need for the team to relax and focus on playing rather than seeking perfection. The Guardians are currently on a four-game losing streak and struggling to find a way to score, with only 72 runs in June, marking one of the franchise's lowest monthly totals.

Despite the offensive struggles, the pitching staff showed solid performance, maintaining a 3.79 ERA, ranking them eighth in the league. Star pitcher Shane Bieber, recovering from Tommy John surgery, experienced setbacks with elbow soreness. There are prospects for improvement, as top minor league players, including Chase DeLauter and C.J. Kayfus, show promise as potential reinforcements for the major league team.