Atlanta's playoff odds are perilously slim despite a late rush, and the front office debate over who should steer the club next is heating up. The chatter centers on Brian Snitker’s looming contract expiration, his age (the oldest NL manager by several years), and whether the Braves should pursue a bold change in leadership. The spark of discussion is Joe Maddon's rumored candidacy, though retirement looms large for him as well. An 2011-like comeback narrative from the Cardinals is cited as a blueprint for inspiration, even as the Braves’ own trajectory faces serious questions about the near future. The piece frames this as a Mulligan-year crossroads: keep continuity, or pivot with a high-variance hire who could recalibrate the clubhouse and lineup dynamics for the next era. This is the kind of off-field drama that fantasy managers watch closely, because managerial philosophy can ripple through bullpen usage, lineup shuffles, and late-season incentives.

Beyond the playoff math, the report emphasizes a potential shift at the top as a barometer for how the roster—headlined by its talented core—might be deployed next season. Maddon's Cubs-era success is recalled as a model of innovation, but the risk of hiring someone nearing retirement tempers the enthusiasm. For fantasy fans, the narrative foreshadows how any managerial transition could influence day-to-day decisions, bullpen trust, and the usage patterns that drive fantasy value down the stretch. The takeaway: watch the Braves' leadership saga as closely as their on-field performances, because the next hire could tilt the entire roster’s upside into a new season.

New York exploded for nine homers, tying a franchise single-game record, in a 13-3 rout of Tampa Bay. Three straight first-inning blasts from Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton set the tone, with Judge tacking on his 40th homer as part of a power-packed night that left the Yankees alone atop the AL wild-card race. Jose Caballero joined the party with two homers, while Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ben Rice contributed one apiece, making this a rare, multi-homer showcase from a club that’s riding hot offensive swing.

The slugfest came after a lengthy weather delay at Steinbrenner Field, yet Carlos Rodón steadied after a rough second, finishing six innings with two runs allowed as the Yankees built a cushion early and never looked back. Shane Baz opened for the Rays, and the mound conditions—on a damp night with Diamond Dry in play—delivered a reminder of how the elements can influence high-leverage power games. This nine-homer effort marked the Yankees’ second nine-homer game of the season, underscoring their deep lineup and fantasy upside as the stretch run approaches.

New York’s torpedo bats lit up Rays pitching in a historic 13-3 rout, tying a franchise record with nine homers in a single game and coming just one shy of MLB’s 10-homer mark set earlier this year. Three of the nine came in the first inning as Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton all went deep off Shane Baz after a rain delay at Steinbrenner Field, with Judge notching his 40th of the season.

午後 Bellinger and Stanton added later blasts, while Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ben Rice and Jose Caballero contributed. Caballero hit his second homer in the ninth to seal the milestone. Across MLB history there have been only a handful of nine-homer games, and the Yankees now own half of those instances. They also sit atop MLB in homers with 204, ahead of the Dodgers’ 187, underscoring a power surge that has reshaped expectations despite sitting five games behind Toronto in the AL East.

Manager Aaron Boone’s involvement in those nine-homer games is a talking point, and the club’s power burst followed a weather-driven start to the day. While the Blue Jays hold the division lead, the Yankees have shown signs of turning a brutal stretch around, winning five of six. The lingering question for fantasy players: which Yankee bats—Judge, Bellinger, Stanton, Caballero, and Chisholm Jr.—are best positioned to sustain this pace the rest of the season?

This game reinforces the Yankees’ upside when the lineup is firing. It also highlights the depth behind the big three, with Caballero delivering a second homer and Chisholm Jr. contributing despite unconventional rosters. For fantasy managers, October potential already feels tangible, even as the division race tightens.

The Yankees unleashed a massive power binge, slugging eight homers through six innings in a single game against the Rays. It marked the fourth time in franchise history they’ve posted 8+ homers in a regular-season game, and it was the second time this season they’ve reached that mark. New York rode a wave of mega-miles-per-hour swings from its big guns and mixed in a surprising bench pop, underscoring a hot stretch as the playoff push looms. Fantasy players should note that Judge, Stanton and Bellinger supplied the backbone of the onslaught, with Rice, Chisholm and Caballero joining the party for a day that felt like old Bronx Bombers magic in an unfamiliar Tampa setting.

The Rays, who had to relocate to Steinbrenner Field after Tropicana Field flooded, couldn’t slow the surge, as the ball seemingly carried more than usual. The result is a reminder that even in a sample-size game, NYY’s offense can surge in a hurry and create monster fantasy days. For managers, this is a cue to monitor NYY’s lineup closely in upcoming series and to consider stacking the hot bats while they ride this power wave, especially Judge, Stanton and Bellinger, who led the charge in a game that mattered late in the season.

Giancarlo Stanton returns to the New York Yankees’ lineup after three games of general soreness, set to start in right field in one of the two games against the Rays while Aaron Judge remains out of the outfield. Judge’s timetable is unclear as he tests his right elbow with long toss, and Boone suggested he may not regain full throwing strength this season. The Yankees sit three games ahead of the AL wild-card cutoff, relying on production at the plate while managing health constraints. Stanton sits at .299 with 12 homers and 34 RBIs, OPS .953, while Judge has ripped .333 with 39 HR and 91 RBIs since Aug. 5 as a DH. Stanton’s risk—an outsized history of injuries—adds a layer of tension to any outfield deployment. The Cardinals were swept by New York, underscoring the club’s momentum, but Judge’s fielding absence hinders flexibility as the club navigates a critical stretch.

For fantasy players, Stanton’s return provides a power boost but comes with positional risk, especially in RF given his elbow history. Judge’s elbow uncertainty makes the outfield a flux point for the Yankees, potentially elevating Stanton’s upside in the short term and reshaping who benefits from New York’s lineup protections. The Rays series becomes a test of health, depth, and strategic use of the lineup as the team tries to hold its wild-card position while balancing rest for veterans.