Pitching mastery anchors this week’s League Championship Series, with Yamamoto vs Peralta in NLCS Game 2 and Kirby vs Bieber in ALCS Game 3. Castillo relays in for Game 4 while Snell eyes another marquee showing in NLCS. Sasaki looms as the Dodgers’ late‑game disruptor, and the bullpen becomes as pivotal as the starters. Home-field, lineup quirks, and split‑season form shape the fantasy outlook as teams chase a World Series berth.

Depth and leverage pitching dominate the storylines: Yamamoto’s upside tests Milwaukee, Bieber’s experience counters Seattle’s offense, and Castillo’s steadiness could bridge to Game 5 if needed. Dodgers’ bullpen clarity, Snell’s rhythm, and Sasaki’s willingness to pitch big spots will swing late‑inning dominance, making every start a high‑stakes fantasy play.

Seattle seized Game 2 of the ALCS behind a dominant early inning and a bruising six-run outburst that overwhelmed Toronto while Trey Yesavage fought his splitter, velocity slipping and the Jays’ bullpen unraveling as the offense stalled after the second. The 10-3 final widened the series gap, with Rodríguez and Polanco providing the key blows. Toronto must regroup quickly as Yesavage eyes future starts and the group searches for a cleaner, more lethal approach.

Seattle’s 15-inning win put Josh Naylor in the crosshairs of a Toronto matchup that hits close to home. He called the Blue Jays phenomenal and confessed excitement about seeing Cleveland friends Straw, Gimenez, Sandlin and Clement in Toronto, a reminder of the Guardians pipeline that now powers the Jays.

The Guardians-to-Jays bridge — Bieber in Seattle’s Game 3 rotation, and Shapiro/Atkins’ Cleveland ties — has sharpened Toronto’s culture and cohesion, even as Naylor’s Mariners push through the ALCS chase. It’s a personal story fueling playoff talk across two clubs.

Amid the drama, Seattle keeps grinding, while Toronto leans on a familiar, cross-border roster that blends elite talent with a shared Guardians heritage.