Cubs and Braves wrap a two-series set at Wrigley as Chicago seeks a Wild Card cushion after a long road swing. Horton's dominance versus Elder's rough stretch makes this a high-leverage fantasy showdown, with the Cubs' rotation depth tested by injuries ahead of a Nationals series.

Horton has logged a 0.99 ERA over seven starts and nears 100 strikeouts, while Elder carries a 5.85 ERA in recent outings. Cubs IL woes (Taillon, Steele, Amaya, Brasier, Soroka) stress bullpen planning, adding urgency for how Chicago handles the bullpen and rest for the playoff push.

Jakob Marsee is making a rapid mark in Miami, posting 25 RBIs and 9 steals across his first 32 games. August was explosive: .352/.430/.629 with 18 extra-base hits and nine steals in 30 games, fueling 2.0 fWAR since Aug. 1. Despite a small window, his walk-heavy approach and elite strike-zone control hint at sustainable OBP and baserunning value, even as voters weigh sample size against breakout potential.

His arrival came via a Padres package that helped prompt one of the season’s notable trades. Marlee’s athleticism and defense in center field, combined with above-average contact and power, position him as a keystone piece for Miami’s late-season push and a potential long-term fantasy asset, depending on how the workload and development unfold the rest of this year and beyond.

Christian Franklin deserves a real MLB look for the Nationals as outfield production remains spotty. Since arriving in the Michael Soroka trade, the 25-year-old has posted a .296 average and an .840 OPS, showing a well-rounded hit tool and plate discipline that could translate quickly at the big league level. Moving Dylan Crews to center right now would unlock Franklin’s natural corner fit, while Hassell III and Jacob Young have not provided the needed impact. The end-of-season phase should be used to evaluate Leiter-like upside, and Franklin offers a credible test to determine if he belongs in the MLB long term.

With Franklin in the lineup, Crews could slide to his natural center field position, which the article argues is a better long-term alignment for the club. Hassell and Young have carried the lineup but haven’t produced, making a Franklin call-up a low-risk, high-reward move that could reshape the outfield root-up for 2026 and beyond.

Dave Stieb’s Sept. 2, 1990 no-hitter in Cleveland stands as the Blue Jays’ lone no-no, a 3-0 gem despite four walks and 122 pitches. The win capped a career-defining moment after near-misses that teased perfection in 1988 and 1989. Toronto fans celebrated not just a historic achievement, but the lore of a pitcher who could confound even years of near-misses.

The piece also waters into the near-misses that could have rewritten history, including others who flirted with perfection against the Jays. Max Scherzer later touts two no-hitters in 2015, with Yunel Escobar’s error narrowly denying a third perfect chapter. The Jays remain without another no-hitter, fueling the franchise’s ongoing fantasy-like intrigue around Stieb’s legacy and the chase for perfection.