Bobby Witt Jr. joined an exclusive club and powered Kansas City to a 5-2 win over Texas, their fifth straight victory and a step closer to the AL wild-card race. Witt crushed a 449-foot homer in the eighth off Cole Winn, becoming the youngest Royals to reach 100 homers in his career at 25 years, 66 days. The moment underscores his role as the lineup anchor and a symbol of Kansas City’s late-season surge.

The milestone vaults Witt into elite company in MLB history: he’s among a small group of players with 100 homers and 100 steals through their first four seasons, a list that includes Julio Rodríguez. Witt’s season pace remains strong, batting .291 with 18 homers and 69 RBIs while already swiping 32 bases, showing a rare power-speed combination and a Gold Glove-caliber glove that fuels the Royals’ run at a playoff bid.

Kansas City’s skipper Matt Quatraro has leaned on Witt heavily, and teammates like Pasquantino have joined in with big nights to support the star. The Royals head into the Rangers series with momentum and a realistic shot at improving their wild-card odds, with Witt at the center of their plans and the rest of the lineup backing him as they chase a postseason berth.

Final-week fantasy hoarding on the waiver wire centers on rookies and closers as MLB enters Week 21. With 45 days left in the regular season, rookie eligibility for 2026 ROY remains a live asset, spurring a trio of notable recalls and several deeper adds. Basallo, McLean and Abreu headline the top pickups, while Lopez provides a two-start streamer option and Beavers and Vodnik offer meaningful upside in deeper leagues.

Basallo anchors Baltimore’s prospect surge, offering catcher/first-base flexibility and a power-heavy profile that could carve immediate value in shallow formats. McLean’s Mets debut drew rave notes for breaking-ball command and a strong grounder-rate that could sustain multi-start value if the workload cooperates. Abreu stands as Houston’s next-in-line nearer—an attractive upside play if Hader’s health costs him time, with elite ratios and strikeout potential. Lopez’s left-handed mix has you leaning him as a pitcher only, given innings caps, while Beavers and Vodnik supply late-season upside in deeper builds: Beavers via a balanced tools profile and Vodnik via save opportunities in a volatile closer landscape.

Week 21 waiver-wire push lands five bargain-hunters who can buoy fantasy rosters down the stretch: Daulton Varsho, Joey Ortiz, Paul DeJong, Colby Thomas, Brett Baty. Each offers a path to power, run production, or batting-average gains with minimal waiver cost, ideal for FAAB-driven streams or deep-league depth-building.

Varsho returns from shoulder and hamstring issues to post big-season power bursts, owning 13 HR in 38 games and a .364 wOBA, with a hot August showing (14 games, .295, 5 HR, 14 RBI). Milwaukee’s Ortiz has been scorching in August (.367 in 16 games) with solid contact and pace for runs in a productive lineup. DeJong has heated up since July, delivering multi-position flexibility and a string of homers while mixing in at first base.

Thomas brings a rare blend of power and speed for an Athletics outfield spark, riding a hot streak with multi-homer games and a growing upside as his role tightens. Baty has found form in August with power and improved average in a Mets lineup in the wild-card hunt, adding appeal as a short-term infield boost. These options are ideal for managers seeking upside at low cost as the season winds down.

In short, the group represents a mix of proven track records and breakout potential who can help close gaps in your lineup without heavy capital outlay, making them prime targets for Week 21 and beyond.

Mets fight to stay alive in the NL playoff hunt as the final six weeks loom, and the rookie Nolan McLean has given orange-and-blue fans something to cling to. McLean dazzled in his major-league debut, fanning eight over 5 2/3 innings and instantly injecting life into a rotation that has struggled to piggyback a lineup that’s gone off-balance. New York’s veteran arms—Griffin Canning, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, Kodai Senga, and David Peterson—have supplied flashes but not consistency, leaving the club to lean on youth and a late-inning bullpen to salvage the season. With a wild-card grip precarious, the Mets are also eyeing further help from the pipeline, including Tong, as they chase October while Soto’s $765 million deal looms as a payroll reminder.

Fantasy angles: McLean, if he sticks, could become a sneaky innings option with strikeout upside, but managers should temper expectations until he proves stamina against a full order of big-league hitters. Peterson showed a path to stability in a key win and could be a streamer in favorable matchups; Senga’s durability remains a concern, so rostering complementary arms who eat innings will be pivotal in the Mets’ late-season sprint.