Toronto visits Pittsburgh in a 12:35 p.m. ET first pitch to kick off a 15-game MLB slate. Chris Bassitt takes the ball for Toronto, Johan Oviedo counters for Pittsburgh. Toronto sits five games clear atop the AL East and relies on Bassitt to deliver a steady start and keep the Pirates’ offense in check. Oviedo is a wild card here after Tommy John surgery and a rough 2025 debut, making Pittsburgh’s chances hinges on bullpen and initiative rather than a long outing from Oviedo. Betters have Toronto as road favorites (-164) with a -1.5 spread, and the 8.5 total reflects the uncertainty surrounding Oviedo’s workload and Pittsburgh’s punchless offense. Fantasy managers should ride Bassitt’s reliability and Toronto’s patient lineup, while hedging exposure to Oviedo’s return-year risk in DFS lineups and props.

Updated 2025 MLB prospect rankings reflect a year of drafts, breakout seasons and a busy trade deadline that reshuffled the ladder. The piece calibrates upside, risk and proximity to the majors, using a clear tier system (60 FV at the top, 50 FV midrange) and rookie eligibility rules to separate true prospects from recent big‑league callups. Expect movement in Double‑A and above as players graduate or surge, while the top end remains thinened by graduations but loaded with high‑ceiling talent ready to push toward the show.

Konnor Griffin (Pirates) anchors the top tier with a Fernando Tatis Jr.–level upside, strengthened defense and patient, line‑drive approach that could power a 30‑homer peak. Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle and Milwaukee’s Jesus Made highlight the breadth of talent creeping toward the majors, while Samuel Basallo shows legitimate 40‑homer potential for Baltimore and Leo De Vries looks like an elite, everyday infield contributor in the near term.

Beyond the very top, the piece flags a wave of emerging stars—Max Clark and Colt Emerson in Detroit and Seattle, Sebastian Walcott in Texas, Travis Bazzana in Cleveland and Aidan Miller in Philadelphia—each with a clear path to regular at‑bats and a ceiling that could reshape their franchise’s long‑term outlook. With the 55 FV tier thinning as graduates pile up, almost every movement matters in dynasty and keeper formats, and the coming season should reveal several more proximities to the big leagues.

Week 21 adds three intriguing stash candidates for fantasy baseball: Bubba Chandler, Sal Stewart, and Brandon Sproat. Chandler remains a high-upside arm in the Pirates system, despite a recent AAA skid that has cooled near-term expectations. Stewart has been scorching at Triple-A Louisville with a blend of power and contact that could push him into Cincinnati’s lineup soon. Sproat, blocked for a major-league path by the call of Nolan McLean, still shows flashy stuff that makes him a keeper in deeper leagues for late-season rotations or long-term upside. The piece weighs whether to stash these players on the bench or chase immediate help on the waiver wire, emphasizing the importance of monitoring AAA trends, line-drive power, and pitcher control as promotions loom.

The analysis leans toward patience in shallow formats while advising opportunistic holds in 12+ team leagues where the upside justifies the wait. It also highlights how teams like the Reds and Pirates could lean on their emerging talent to fuel late-season pushes, and how fantasy managers should leverage lineup tools and injury reports to time adds and cuts efficiently. The question remains: are these players a breakout away, or is the wait longer than Week 21? The answer hinges on piecing together minor-league performance, the majors’ call-up timelines, and the exact bench space managers can dedicate in the coming weeks.

Blue Jays erupted early, drilling Mitch Keller for a 5-0 deficit before Toronto settled in and Max Scherzer delivered six innings of concise, one-run relief to notch win No. 220. Alejandro Kirk delivered an RBI single in the first, Nathan Lukes doubled home two, and George Springer capped the surge with a 423-foot, two-run blast in the second. Pittsburgh finally scratched a run in the bottom of the second on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s bases-loaded groundout, but the cushion was too large to overcome.

From a fantasy lens, Toronto’s lineup flashed depth with Springer, Kirk, and Lukes taking advantage of Keller’s early miscue, while Pittsburgh’s offense struggled to assemble consistent rallies against Scherzer and the Jays’ bullpen. Scherzer’s steady six-inning performance reinforces his reliability in solid matchups, while the Jays’ offense looks primed to carry momentum into upcoming series. Keller’s rough start serves as a cautionary note for managers considering him in the near term, especially against strong lineups at hitter-friendly venues.

Looking ahead, Springer and Kirk emerge as steady power and run producers in Toronto’s order, with Lukes offering multi-positional flexibility in deeper leagues. Keller must rebound quickly, ideally against a more forgiving foe, or risk a leash contraction in his role. The Jays’ plate discipline and timely hits supplied Toronto with a blueprint for continued success as they chase meaningful wins down the stretch.

Scherzer turned in six sturdy innings for win number 220 as Toronto rolled past Pittsburgh 7-3, with Springer launching a 423-foot early two-run shot to spark the attack. The Blue Jays pounced for five runs in the first two frames against Keller, then Kirk capped it with a three-hit night and a two-run homer in the seventh. Guerrero Jr. sat with hamstring tightness, MRI clear, while Kirk’s power and Springer’s early thunder kept Toronto firmly ahead. The Pirates’ baserunning misfires and a bases-loaded threat in the second linger as a reminder that this interleague slate remains a sellers’ market for fantasy value. Bassitt will duel Oviedo in the series finale, with Toronto holding a robust 25-13 interleague mark.