Texas rode a patient attack to an 8-3 win at Citi Field, exploiting rookie Jonah Tong in his Mets debut as Jacob deGrom returned to the ballpark that launched his career. New York’s seven-game skid dampened playoff odds as deGrom combined nostalgia with efficiency, while Francisco Alvarez homered and Alonso and Soto added sac flies in a rare Mets offensive moment. A looming Saturday doubleheader of Sproat versus Corbin adds another layer for fantasy managers tracking streaming and bounce-back potential.

For fantasy players, note deGrom’s continued return-to-form trajectory with Texas (12-7, 2.82 ERA) and Tong’s rough first inning that stifled his day, underscoring the volatility of rookie starts against a veteran, elite pitcher. The Rangers’ patience at the plate early on Tong’s 0-for-2 in the zone set the tone for a game that tilted on a single big frame, while the Mets try to scramble out of the skid and salvage the weekend against a reshuffled Texas bullpen.