Atlanta handled the Cubs in the series opener as Shota Imanaga battled early, while the Cubs’ offense stayed dormant. Daniel Palencia’s 15-day IL stint triggers bullpen reshuffling, elevating Porter Hodge, Brad Keller and Andrew Kittredge to higher-leverage roles. Kai Horton’s emergence adds a potential playoff thread, and PCA, Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki must spark a late‑season surge to keep October in reach.

Fantasy angles center on PCA’s ceiling, Hoerner’s top‑of‑order stability, Suzuki’s return to form, and Horton’s sustained rookie impact. Monitor Palencia’s timeline and the bullpen, and consider rest for some veterans to squeeze a few more wins in the wild-card race. The Cubs’ path remains uncertain but still very much alive.

Mets playoff odds hover around 95% as a late-season surge hinges on three fresh arms delivering upside in a six-man frame, while Francisco Alvarez and Brett Batty provide breakout spark in the lineup. Edwin Diaz remains the focal point of the bullpen, even after a quirky on-mound shoes issue that briefly rattled the late innings. A pivotal series with Philadelphia looms, with Padres and other wild-card rivals in the wings, and the Mets’ path to the postseason remains metric-driven and opportunity-led for fantasy managers.

Up top, Kodai Senga’s status looms large as he cycles between Syracuse and New York, and the organization continues to push the developmental timeline for its pitching prospects. On offense, Batty’s power and Alvarez’s recent adjustments inject creative upside into a lineup that has shown spurts of scoring in small windows. The narrative for fantasy players centers on hot hands, bullpen stability, and the thin margins between clinching and a sprint-start playoff path.

A Labor Day look-ahead dives into 2026 fantasy bets, anchored by a Marlins rotation on the rise. Yuri Perez, Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera form the core, with Robbie Snelling and Thomas White teased as breakout arms. The hosts push Strider’s bounce-back and treat Snell as a high-variance draft gamble, preferring to “buy the dip” on Strider and tread carefully with Snell’s volatility.

The discussion widens to Orioles’ playoff potential behind Adley Rutschman and Kyle Bradish, Braves’ resurgence with Albies atop the second-base landscape, and Pirates’ bold Connor Griffin call-up. Marte vs De La Cruz adds a format-specific edge, while a raft of bold takes across catchers, pitchers, and top prospects keeps fantasy managers planning well beyond 2025.

The Mets sit 69-61 and host the Phillies in a pivotal series, chasing a meaningful run in a crowded NL East and needing to convert late chances at City Field. The rotation is under the microscope, bullpen depth is tested by injuries, and internal options are being weighed as the stretch drive unfolds.

Nolan Mlan’s two starts have fans buzzing about a potential rotation shakeup, while Pete Alonso’s recent slide contrasts with Francisco Lindor’s flashes of form as the lineup begins to click in clutch moments. Frankie Montas’ season-ending injury adds to the pitching puzzle and makes aggressive in-house moves feel more urgent.