Six MLB athletes emerge as fantasy X factors in the final sprint: Anthony Volpe anchors the Yankees, Shohei Ohtani retools as a postseason pitcher for the Dodgers, Orion Kerkering powers Philadelphia’s bullpen, Riley Greene drives Detroit’s lineup with power, Dylan Cease seeks a Padres revival, and Andrew Vaughn fuels Milwaukee’s finish. Each player carries a clear path to impact in October, from lineup leverage to bullpen depth and rotation order.

Volpe’s continued development, Ohtani’s two way capability, Kerkering’s late inning upside, Greene’s explosive bursts, Cease’s command shifts, and Vaughn’s swing balance will shape rosters, rotations, and playoff seeding. The final ~30 games could redefine fantasy value for these six and the teams chasing byes and division titles.

These six players are framed as catalysts whose performances may tilt rosters and fantasy standings as the postseason approaches, with Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, Tigers, Padres, and Brewers all weighing heavily on their contributions.

Riley Greene’s two-run swing and a steady Tigers bullpen carried Detroit to a 5-3 win in Kansas City, reversing an early 3-0 deficit. Greene’s 32nd home run and 100th RBI underscored a power spike while Javier Báez, Colt Keith, and Gleyber Torres supplied key run-scoring hits to grab the lead in the middle innings. Kyle Finnegan locked down a tense seventh, and Dingler padded the cushion with his 12th homer, as A.J. Hinch navigated nearly six innings of relief.

The Royals jumped ahead with a 3-0 first before Mike Yastrzemski homered on Paddack’s first pitch and Maikel Garcia followed with a two-out shot, but Detroit answered with back-to-back-to-back hits to tie and Greene’s milestone basher put them in front. Seven pitchers combined for the win, with Detroit’s outfield defense also coming through in a handful of high-leverage moments.

Off the field, a travel-delay and an off day loomed, but Detroit stayed focused, snapping a four-game skid and strengthening its late-season push. Fantasy takeaway: Greene’s RBI pace remains elite; the Tigers’ bullpen depth gives you late-inning upside; KC’s starter trio showed volatility, signaling risk on the road for Royals backers.

Riley Greene powered Detroit's rally in Kansas City, driving in the go-ahead run with a two-run double and topping 100 RBIs for the season, the first Tiger to do so since 2017. Detroit erased an early 3-0 deficit and added insurance from Dillon Dingler's eighth-inning homer to seal a 5-3 win.

Greene's 101st RBI in 132 games positions him for a mammoth fantasy season if the Tigers keep producing; meanwhile, Chris Paddack left after 3.2 innings as Detroit's bullpen locked it down to preserve the lead in a pivotal series opener.