Houston’s uphill climb continues after an 8-3 loss at Atlanta, Valdez scuffling through 76 pitches as the team slips in the AL West. A six-game homestand against Texas and Seattle looms, with division implications front and center and a rotation that could pivot to mixed righty/lefty matchups. Cam Smith’s homer provided brief life, but offense remained sparse beyond Yordan Alvarez and a few run-scoring hits.

The Astros will lean on depth as Zach Cole debuts again versus a left-handed starter, and Houston eyes a patient approach against right-handers to manufacture runs. With Brown ready to pitch and the bullpen rested, seven-week pressure to fix Valdez’s stride and curveball usage persists, making this stretch critical for October hopes.

Joey Wentz enters September with a pronounced regression, posting a 14.21 ERA across two starts while strikeouts remain, but homers spike and control wobbles. In fantasy leagues he’s more roster fodder than must-start, except in enticing matchups where the offense won’t feast on home runs. Framber Valdez stands out in sharp contrast: sinker-heavy, groundball-rich, and quietly elite in control, giving him a reliable fantasy floor even when strikeout upside isn’t sky-high.

The weekend set at Truist Park pits Wentz-led Atlanta against Valdez and Houston, a test of whether the Braves’ rotation can stabilize and whether Valdez can keep doing the little things that lead to wins. For fantasy managers, the tale is clear: stash Valdez as a steady asset, and treat Wentz as a risk-reward streamer only when the matchup aligns and the venue is friendly.

Houston aims to close out the series in Atlanta behind Framber Valdez as they chase a third straight win on a nine game road trip, sitting tied with Seattle atop the AL West and two games clear of Texas. Atlanta counters with Joey Wentz, seeking to slow Houston’s momentum. Saturday night featured Hunter Brown delivering and the offense waking up, though Jose Altuve left late with a foot issue that could shape the lineup Sunday.

Kyle Tucker finally snapped at Wrigley, belting a go-ahead three-run homer off Joey Wentz to lift Chicago to a 4-3 win over Atlanta. Shota Imanaga turned in six solid frames as the Cubs withstood a Braves rally, and Daniel Palencia closed it out. Tucker departed in the sixth with left calf tightness, adding another wrinkle to his injury-plagued season. The Cubs’ win showcased lineup depth, plus a defensive shuffle with Willi Castro spilling into right in the seventh.

With Tucker's health uncertain, address the Cubs' outfield depth and potential platoon options, especially Castro and Eli White, who contributed to the late-out effort. The injury history—finger issues and a hairline fracture—keeps Tucker on the fantasy radar for remaining weeks, but risk management becomes essential as Chicago navigates upcoming road trips and possible lineup tweaks.