White Sox explode for 12 runs as Twins bullpen meltdown flips a 3-1 game into a blowout, with Chicago riding a late-power surge to pull away. Lenyn Sosa and Kyle Teel go deep in the seventh, Benintendi adds a three-run shot in the eighth, and Chicago tacks on two in the sixth after a Curtis Mead miscue helps spark the rally. Minnesota’s early offense from Buxton and Larnach is undone by costly errors and a fall-apart bullpen stretch.

From a fantasy lens, the Sox showcased speed and pop from depth pieces like Sosa, Teel, and Baldwin, offering sleeper upside in the short term if the order holds. Twins hitters supplied the early spark but couldn’t sustain against Chicago’s late surge or contain the Sox lineup that kept piling on across the middle and late innings. A reminder that bullpen volatility can swing the entire fantasy value of a game.

Royce Lewis surged to the top in August, driving in 18 runs for Minnesota with a small-sample but clutch burst. He piled up 20 hits in 98 at-bats (.204) but delivered the timely RBIs, including 12 with two outs, proving his high-leverage hitting can carry a lineup during a playoff push. His hot stretch coincided with a month of power (four homers) and doubles, signaling a potential sustained run of RBI production as September looms.

In support, Matt Wallner (13 RBIs, seven homers) and Luke Keaschall (17 RBIs, four homers) joined the surge, while Byron Buxton supplied six homers and 11 RBIs, underscoring a Twins power-and-clutch balance. The narrative also touched a bullpen moment from Ryan Fitzgerald, who posted a flawless 0.00 ERA in a late-innings appearance as Minnesota prepared for possible September call-ups and roster shuffles.

The tale reinforced the fantasy angle: Lewis’s late-month surge raises the floor for him down the stretch, Wallner’s power is a swing-for-the-fences boost, and the clipping of Buxton and Keaschall hints at upside if health aligns. On the Padres night, Fitzgerald’s appearance highlighted how spot stretch performances can influence late-season depth charts and potential streaming opportunities.

Shohei Ohtani pulled off a feat baseball hadn’t seen in the modern era: as the Dodgers’ starting pitcher, he led off the game with a triple. It’s a rare moment when a pitcher occupies leadoff in the batting order and makes history with a leadoff triple, a testament to his rare speed and two-way impact. The night in Anaheim wasn’t just about one swing, though; Ohtani’s leadoff hit kickstarted an athletic showcase that underscored his unique ability to blend pitching prowess with elite base-running. The Dodgers’ offense followed with Mookie Betts delivering a timely single as Ohtani’s misdirection on the bases kept Angels on their heels. The moment sits alongside a broader arc: Ohtani’s eighth triple of the year ties a career high, and his 44 triples across his MLB career highlight a speed profile that defies ordinary expectations for a pitcher.

Even with the designated hitter in both leagues, this night reinforced how Ohtani remains a frontier case, a player who can lead off from the mound and still contribute in the run-scoring column from the leadoff spot. The combination of fast-twitch speed and two-way reliability creates a fantasy and betting landscape where rostering Ohtani consistently remains a high-risk, high-reward proposition—one that can swing expectations in multiple categories in a single game. The Dodgers’ win night put a spotlight on the team’s depth, with Betts supplying the glue after Ohtani’s early fireworks.

Historically, the leadoff triple by a pitcher marks a rare footprint in MLB history, and Langs’ historical note emphasizes the novelty: since 1900, only a handful of starting pitchers have batted leadoff, and none has combined that with a dominant mound appearance in the same game. Ohtani’s performance adds to a narrative about velocity, sprint speed, and run creation—elements fantasy players chase when projecting lines, matchups, and park factors. As the season progresses, this night serves as a reminder that Ohtani’s ceiling—on both sides of the ball—remains higher than most can reliably forecast, making him a perpetual centerpiece for both fantasy lineups and real-world bets.

Toronto’s Ernie Clement powered the Blue Jays to a 5-1 win with a three-run homer in the fourth after a bunt-sign went awry, stretching Toronto’s early lead and capping a night where his power swing steal the spotlight. The blast widened a 4-0 gap and kept the Jays firmly in control as they cruised to victory.

Clement has flipped the script with a hot stretch, homering in three straight games and four of five, lifting his slash to .288/.740 with nine homers. The surge comes as he chases a career-best, and Toronto’s lineup appears willing to ride the hot bat while superstition lingers around bunt plans. Manager John Schneider applauded the results, while Clement playfully acknowledged he missed the sign—proof that in baseball, sometimes the best outcomes come from the unexpected swing.

Beyond the on-field drama, the piece threads in broader MLB chatter—from Guardians star Steven Kwan to the Mookie Betts spotlight and Kyle Schwarber’s market chatter—highlighting how hot streaks, sign-gone-wrong moments, and strategic faith in players shape fantasy value and real-game outcomes alike as the season heads toward the stretch run.