Detroit exploded for nine runs in the seventh and rolled to a 12-2 win over New York, tightening its grip atop the AL Central. The middle game features a Rodón–Flaherty pitching duel as the Yankees chase a wild-card spot and the Tigers look to keep momentum against a familiar division foe. Rodón aims to lead the AL in wins but hasn’t solved Detroit this year, while Flaherty has shown volatility but can swing a game with a strong start.

Bookmakers list NYY as a moderate favorite while a SportsLine model pegs a Yankees win around 64% with various props on Guardians wins and Clay Holmes’ outs. For fantasy players, Meadows’ multi-hit night and Mize’s quality six-inning outing supply value, while Rodón’s history vs Detroit keeps expectations cautious in cash games.

Detroit erupted in a single, nine-run seventh that erased a tight six-inning duel and crushed the Yankees 12-2. Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. combined to face at least four batters and record no outs, marking a rare, franchise-typical bullpen meltdown at an inopportune time. Will Warren steadied six innings for NYY before the collapse, but Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter supplied the late-inning punch for Detroit. The loss leaves New York three games behind Toronto in the AL East; Detroit remains in the top-seed mix in the American League.

Yankees survive a chaotic night in Houston, winning 8-4 to take the series from the Astros and put them in position for a push at Toronto. Bednar escaped a bases-loaded threat in the ninth to seal it, while Cruz’s seventh-inning strikeout of Altuve preserved a one-run edge. Grisham’s eighth-inning three-run shot, his 100th, cemented the comeback after a flurry of strange calls and defensive miscues.

The win keeps New York (78-62) focused on the Blue Jays, with Rodón delivering six solid innings of one-run ball and Boone juggling a bullpen still contending with the Circle of Trust and a few late-innings hiccups. The night was as much circus as baseball, but the Yankees emerged with a series win and momentum heading home.

Volpe’s season remains a problem child for fantasy rosters—plate struggles, defensive miscues, and slower baserunning have kept him well off the fantasy radar. The Yankees publicly back him, even as they add José Caballero as a plausible shortstop option, signaling a real basketball-on-the-wall moment for Volpe’s long-term job security.

Meanwhile, Fernando Cruz returning with a reinvigorated splitter could stabilize a bullpen in desperate need, and Austin Slater’s hamstring rehab offers a left-handed pinch-hitting/pinning option off the bench. Aaron Judge’s 150-foot throwing progress and Boone’s silence about a quick return keep the Yankees in a mixed-pitch mode—hopeful for a late surge against divisional rivals like Boston and Toronto.

Public confidence, bullpen depth, and bench versatility are the thread here: the Yankees must balance Volpe’s growth with meaningful corrective pieces as they chase a meaningful finish and divergent fantasy signals from Cruz, Slater, and Caballero figure into the late-season mix.

Paul Blackburn landed with the New York Yankees, stepping into a bullpen role after being designated for assignment by the Mets. He traveled through Idaho to meet New York in Tampa, aiming to contribute length and veteran savvy for the stretch run. The move came with New York also designating Allan Winans for Triple-A, signaling a shuffle to shore up bullpen depth and keep options open as injuries and inconsistencies linger.

Meanwhile, the club rolled out rehab notes on Fernando Cruz and Ryan Yarbrough, both funneling toward returns that could bolster late-inning and multi-inning leverage. Boston looms as the series opponent, and Atlanta’s prior testing of Blackburn’s tracks record was cited as context for his new chapter. The moves underscore a Yankees bullpen in flux, prioritizing length, versatility, and health ahead of September call-ups.