Wednesday’s MLB slate centers on sharp model plays and a FanDuel bankroll boost. Top bets: Dodgers on the moneyline against the Phillies and the Over in Angels vs. Brewers, driven by a robust simulation model that runs 10,000 scenarios per game. The model’s success this season includes strong home-run prop returns. New bettors can claim a FanDuel offer of 300 bonus bets after a $5+ win, a solid way to seed the model’s picks with real capital.

Ohtani dazzled again as Dodgers fell 9-6 to Philadelphia, tossing five no-hit innings and swatting his 50th homer. LA’s season-long bullpen woes collide with a healthy six-man rotation (Ohtani, Glasnow, Kershaw, Sheehan, Snell, Yamamoto) as October looms. The club weighs using Ohtani in relief or even the outfield, but the DH rule complicates rosters. The MVP chatter intensifies as he maintains elite slash lines and elite two-way impact.

With the postseason rotation in flux and bullpen depth under the microscope, LA must balance maximizing Ohtani’s bat with leveraging his arm. The staff’s decisions will influence late-season wins, playoff outcomes, and how fantasy managers gauge his multi-category value in the final sprint.

Kyle Tucker’s calf issue has the Cubs sweating as September winds down. Tucker left the club for Tampa to work with his PT group after limited progress, fueling doubts about a postseason return. With the injury plateauing and his free‑agent year looming, Chicago faces a real risk of entering October without one of its most valuable players.

His 133 games with the Cubs included a .270/.854 OPS line and 4.7 WAR, underscoring how costly any absence could be. While optimism lingers about a comeback before season’s end, the situation keeps fantasy managers and bettors wary of Tucker’s postseason availability and the Cubs’ playoff odds.

A modern ace in 2025 is defined by dominance in shorter outings, not by full games or win totals. Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal illustrate a new template: high strikeout rates, strong ERA+ and WAR, and 170–180 innings, with wins no longer the primary metric. The piece traces a 50-year arc from 1975 to today, arguing value comes from efficiency, multi-pitch arsenals, and consistent high-leverage performance.

Across eras, aces evolved from 20-win behemoths to strikeout-heavy, control-focused leaders. The article weighs Skenes against 1970s–2010s exemplars, concluding that 2025’s great seasons are validated by WAR, ERA+, and the ability to shut down lineups in short stints rather than piling up innings.