Yankees open a three-game set in Houston to kick off a pivotal September, with a potential postseason rematch looming. Judge's pursuit of history adds fantasy intrigue as he sits within reach of joining the Yankee elite, while Max Fried faces Framber Valdez in the opener. Alvarez is back for Houston, and Garcia has re-entered the rotation, tightening the Astros’ rotation. New York adds J.C. Escarra and Ryan Yarbrough to the September roster as Judge's DH status remains in flux and Stanton returns to a regular DH role for now.

The Yanks sit in a top wild-card slot, but their schedule through Sept. 14 is grittier, featuring Toronto, Detroit and Boston. With closer uncertainty and a few September callups, savvy fantasy managers will watch Judge’s defensive usage, Alvarez’s health impact, and the bullpen moves as they plan streaming options and daily lineup bets.