Atlanta stretched its win streak to 10 by riding Michael Harris II’s two homers and Ronald Acuña Jr.’s sixth-inning go-ahead shot, backed by Hurston Waldrep six innings of one-run ball. Raisel Iglesias nailed down the save as the Braves toppled Washington 3-2, completing a four-game set sweep. Ha-Seong Kim kept his timely-hitting streak alive, while Nasim Núñez added baserunning pressure to manufacture a key run. Washington’s offense fought back with CJ Abrams’ RBI single and James Wood’s eighth-inning homer, but fell short. Waldrep’s rookie dominance remains a bright fantasy note as Atlanta’s surge continues.

Despite the win streak, Atlanta has been eliminated from playoff contention. The Dodgers-like late-season push underscores the Braves’ depth and positional competition, with Harris II delivering mammoth power, Acuña delivering clutch moments, and Waldrep strengthening his case as a high-end rookie starter. Washington, though, showed flashes of life with Abrams and Wood powering a late rally, but the gap in the standings remains wide.

Are You For Real? Week 24 dives into under-5% rostered starters who flashed upside or noise in the final stretch. Freeland carved up San Diego in eight innings with 10 strikeouts, leaning on a dominant knuckle curve and a refined four-seam fastball while phasing out the sinker. The performance comes with Coors caveats, making it a one-off question mark rather than a commitment. Brad Lord followed a rough patch with a strong outing against Chicago, showing plus fastball movement and a usable slider but lingering questions about command and secondary depth. Cleveland's Parker Messick dazzled in six frames versus Tampa Bay, riding a signature changeup and a blossoming sinker to a string of quality starts. All three carry streamer appeal in the right matchups, especially in deeper formats, but fantasy rosters should remain cautious about long-term upside without more proof.

Freeland's mix shift and the curve's success raise the floor for a few more Coors-adjacent starts, yet road games and velocity concerns temper enthusiasm. Lord's slider and changeup offer glimpses, but the lack of a true knockout secondary paves the way for regression. Messick, while intriguing, is still a relative risk/reward play whose best path to sustained value hinges on continued changeup effectiveness and improved command of his other offerings. In Week 24, the message is clear: chase upside in the right contexts, but don’t baked-in trust into these three just yet.

Jesus Luzardo heats up Nationals Park as he aims to keep his hot stretch going, carrying an 11-5 record and 4.20 ERA. He’s already surpassed his career-high win total from 2023 and has won four straight decisions, with no losses since July 4. Brad Lord counters for Washington, rolling into the start with a 3-6 mark and a 3.28 ERA, valued for his recent turn back into a starter role and a 2.70 ERA over the last month. Philadelphia sits atop the NL East with strong momentum; Washington trails badly, adding bite to a marquee matchup that carries -193 on PHI and +160 on WAS. Beyond this pair, the day’s slate features Diamondbacks at Rockies, Marlins at Guardians, and a lineup of high-leverage bets, including Kyle Stowers’ +425 homer prop. The Rays of the rest of the night include Padres at Dodgers with a King-Kershaw duel, underscoring a MLB-wide focus on value in a crowded market.

The four‑game NL East showdown between the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals heats up this weekend in D.C. with Philly aiming to lock down a top two seed and the BYE that comes with it. The odds lean toward Philadelphia, but fantasy players should watch leverage spots as each game unfolds, especially in a series where pitching matchups could tilt the total and scoring opportunities.