The Athletics battled at Fenway but soured a late lead as Red Sox rally for a 5-4 walk-off in 10 innings. Mason Barnett sparkled early, while Oakland capitalized on a bases-loaded sequence to take a 4-2 edge. Boston answered in the sixth, then pulled ahead in the tenth behind timely hits and a late rally, capped by a Sogard grounder that beat the spread and delivered the walk-off.

Relievers swung the pendulum after a rough middle frame, but the Sox saved their best for last, pushing across a winning run with two outs in extras. Fantasy managers should note who stayed hot in this back-and-forth, particularly the A’s lineup that produced multiple RBI via Hernaiz, Soderstrom, and Wilson before the breakdown in the late innings.

Wednesday’s four homer bets center on high-upside power to capitalize on favorable matchups, park quirks, and current form. O’Neill faces a lefty-friendly situation in Chicago, Olson rides a hot streak into a lefty-friendly matchup, Kurtz loves right-handed pitching at Fenway, and Witt Jr. hits in a wind-sensitive KC night against a HR-prone Seattle starter. The picks balance platoon splits, ballpark factors, and recent form to identify premium long-ball value.

Ongoing injury notes and bullpen usage are acknowledged, but the core edge comes from pitcher tendencies and ballpark tendencies. Shoppers should chase the best price across sportsbooks to maximize ROI on these 0.5 HR props, with a clear emphasis on lefty-lefty or righty-righty matchups and the middle innings where power tends to show up.

Stay sharp as weather, lineups, and starter changes can swing these props; the best bets come from disciplined pricing, not just raw power.

As the 2025 season fades, MLB faces a busy offseason with about a dozen managers under serious pressure. Baldelli of Minnesota, Cairo of Washington, Marmol of St. Louis and Snitker of Atlanta are among the names discussed for potential changes, while Boone remains cautiously secure in New York. The piece flags front-office churn, interim labels turning permanent, and the reality that a missed playoff push can upend even established leaders.

For fantasy managers, the clarity is in the ripple effects: managerial shifts can redraw lineups, alter bullpen usage, and reframe player development paths. The hot-seat dynamic adds a layer of uncertainty to offseason planning, making the 2026 season a calendar to watch closely for changes that could unlock value in certain rosters and pin down roles for emerging talents.

In short, this offseason hinges on leadership as much as rosters. Expect a flurry of decisions that could tilt player ceilings and alter risk profiles across the fantasy landscape, especially for teams already flirting with postseason disappointment.