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.

The Reds exploded for 14 runs, stamping a decisive road win at Pittsburgh as Elly De La Cruz kicked things off with an RBI single and Miguel Andujar followed with a three‑run homer. Cincinnati never let up, with Noelvi Marte and Spencer Steer padding the cushion and Steer delivering a two‑run double before later adding a two‑run homer for insurance. Pittsburgh battled back briefly, tying the game on timely hits and a Kasper-like run, but the Reds pulled away late with a multi‑run eighth. The slugfest underscored Cincinnati’s breakout push and highlighted several players fantasy managers will want to chase down the stretch.

Key contributors for Cincinnati: De La Cruz, Andujar, Marte, and Steer supplied the offense in waves, while Yohan Ramírez yielded early damage before the bullpen steadied. For Pittsburgh, Jack Suwinski and Bryan Reynolds contributed, Isiah Kiner-Falefa lined a two‑run double and Spencer Horwitz added a run‑scoring single, but the late surge by Cincinnati overwhelmed the Pirates. The final 14‑8 tilt leaves Cincinnati at 62‑57 and Pittsburgh at 51‑68, with the Reds asserting themselves as legitimate playoff hopefuls in this intraleague showdown.

Fantasy takeaway: buy into Reds bats now—De La Cruz, Marte, Andujar, and Steer have multi‑hitter upside, while the depth of Cincinnati’s lineup supports weekly streaming. For Pittsburgh, streaming opportunities are slimmer but situational plays like Suwinski and Reynolds can still help in deeper formats, especially when they face righty‑heavy matches. Target the Reds’ ongoing power surge and monitor bullpen usage as Cincinnati looks to push this run production trend forward.

The Cincinnati Reds outslugged the Pittsburgh Pirates 14-8 to take a 2-2 split in the four-game set. Miguel Andújar delivered his first Reds homer, a three-run shot that sparked a four-run second inning, and he helped spark a decisive rally in the sixth. Spencer Steer and Noelvi Marte each collected three hits and four RBIs, with Steer delivering a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth and a two-run homer in the eighth, while Marte added a tiebreaking double in the sixth and belted a three-run homer in the ninth. Elly De La Cruz and Andújar started the sixth with back-to-back singles to breathe life into Cincinnati. Pittsburgh mounted a late charge, cutting the deficit to 9-8 in the eighth, but Graham Ashcraft struck out Jared Triolo with a runner aboard to quell the threat. The Reds piled on with a five-run ninth as Marte launched a three-run homer. The game featured 30 total hits, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa leading Pittsburgh with three hits and two RBIs. Reds pitcher Zach Littell gave up four runs in 1 1/3 innings, while Cincinnati starter Zach Littell and Scott Barlow (6-0) were part of a rocky early stretch for the Reds' bullpen. Cincinnati stretched its streak of not being swept in 40 straight series dating back to last season, and now heads into a three-game home set with Philadelphia behind Andrew Abbott in a marquee pitching matchup against Taijuan Walker.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are charting a course towards 2026, marked clearly by their recent trade decisions. The organization parted with closer David Bednar and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, signaling a transition from immediate competition to a long-term strategy. This shift is felt particularly by pitcher Paul Skenes, the team's standout this season with a remarkable 2.02 ERA and 154 strikeouts, who expressed a commitment to winning despite the challenges ahead.

Skenes emphasized that progress will not solely be measured by wins and losses. Instead, the focus will be on development and building a stronger team for the next season. The team has already identified the need to bolster its offense and sees the trades as a step towards acquiring better hitters in the offseason. However, the decision to retain veterans like Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Tommy Pham has drawn mixed reactions.