Three prime home-run props headline the Aug. 20 MLB slate: Jose Ramirez vs Brandon Pfaadt, Nick Kurtz vs Bailey Ober, and Kyle Schwarber vs Luis Castillo. Ramirez sits in a strong offensive window, carrying a .300+ clip recently and a track record of dingers against right-handers. Kurtz, thriving at .306 with 25 homers, draws a favorable right-hander in Ober who has coughed up plenty of deep balls. Schwarber, pacing the NL with 44 homers, faces Castillo but owns a solid .300 average and power against righty pitching. The bets carry varied upside with Ramirez at +425, Kurtz at +245, and Schwarber at +200, offering distinct paths to fantasy points or DFS value in a day with multiple afternoon starts.

The breakdown centers on matchups and recent form. Ramirez’s potential to exploit a right-hander with a late-season surge is tempered by the Diamondbacks’ bullpen, but his seven-day .300+ rate and 21 HR vs RHP tilt the odds. Kurtz’s breakout year, especially versus right-handers, is underscored by Ober’s homer-prone history (24 allowed in 20 starts, 17 since June 1). Schwarber’s career dominance of Castillo and his NL-leading HR pace add a high-upside element, even if Castillo has been stingy at times. Odds are dynamic, but each pick ties directly to recent production and favorable platoon angles, making them compelling targets for fantasy managers and prop bettors alike.

Alan Roden’s season ends with a left-thumb UCL sprain that could require surgery, costing him roughly two months away from the Twins. His first MLB stint was brief, and the injury trades off a potential everyday-outfielder path he was carving in Minnesota. The Twins also update Simeon Woods Richardson’s return from illness via a rehab start, while Connor Prielipp and Marek Houston continue to push in the minors, hinting at a deeper outfield and pitching pipeline for 2026.

Roden’s development trajectory remains intact long-term, but the immediate impact is a depth scare for Minnesota’s outfield as they navigate the post-deadline roster shuffle that brought in 13 players. The article also notes the post-deadline dynamic, with Roden the only newcomer to join the big league club, underscoring how the Twins’ farm-to-big-league pipeline could feed fantasy rosters ahead of spring training.

Meanwhile, Woods Richardson advances toward rejoining the MLB rotation after a parasite-removal procedure sidelined him, throwing in a Class AAA rehab and signaling a measured path back. Prielipp’s Class AAA debut features a heater touching 98 mph, illustrating the Twins’ high-upside pitching depth, while Marek Houston’s promotion to Cedar Rapids highlights Minnesota’s investment in its top prospects.

Joe Ryan labored through four innings, the shortest of his season, as three unearned runs in a chaotic fourth inning opened the door for Oakland to pull away 6-3 at Target Field. Defensive miscues and a key error helped fuel the inning, and Minnesota couldn’t recover despite Ryan’s early command and a late Twins flurry. Broader context: Minnesota’s season-long struggles continued, with the club sitting deep in the AL standings as the offense stalled and the defense faltered behind a promising young starter.

Offense mattered in spurts. Brooks Lee blasted a solo homer in the fourth, giving the Twins life, while Matt Wallner delivered an RBI double and Ryan Jeffers added a homer later. Nick Kurtz carried a five-plate-appearance streak, reaching base in all five trips and contributing an RBI double. The Athletics, boosted by a four-run fourth and a relentless approach, held on for the win as Minnesota’s bullpen kept them in it but could not bridge the gap.

Fantasy take: this pairing spotlighted breakout potential and risk. Lee’s power and on-base presence are intriguing; Kurtz’s multi-plate appearances keep him in the streamer conversation in deeper leagues. For Minnesota, manage expectations on Ryan’s next outing and monitor whether the defense corrals routine plays to support a rebound performance.

Oakland visits Minnesota for a three game set, leaning on Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, and JJ Bleday to spark the lineup while Luke Keaschall and Lawrence Butler add speed and versatility. Minnesota counters with Byron Buxton atop the order and Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner in the heart of the lineup behind Joe Ryan on the mound. The clash pits patient at-bats and power against solid pitching and bullpen depth, with Oakland hoping Langeliers growing pop and Kurtz on base ability create run opportunities against a steady Twins rotation.

Fantasy players should watch Langeliers as a catcher with upside and Kurtz as a multi position bat who can drive runs in this series; Buxton remains a high ceiling option when healthy, with Larnach and Wallner offering solid DFS pop. The series could hinge on Buxton health and Minnesota's ability to maximize plate appearances against Oakland mid rotation arms and bullpen inefficiencies, while Langeliers and Kurtz present deeper breakout targets for daily fantasy and wagers.

Athletics vs Twins is a midweek showdown with Oakland as the road underdog and odds leaning toward Minnesota. The headline is Jacob Lopez, who has stitched together 24 scoreless innings across four starts, a feat that makes him a sneaky betting play against a Twins lineup that has slipped OPS-wise since the All-Star break. The Twins counter with Joe Ryan, who owns a strong 2.72 ERA this season, but Minnesota’s offense has cooled, ranking near the bottom in OPS and wRC+ over the same stretch.

The bet landscape features a top prop: Lopez under 2.5 earned runs allowed, banking on his recent efficiency and a depleted Twins order. Oakland’s offense has rallied since the break, ranking highly in OPS and wRC+. The recommended play is Athletics +122, with Lopez’s hot streak and the A’s post-break offense giving the underdog a credible path to a win in a park-friendly matchup at Target Field.