Framber Valdez's bold 93-mph fastball after a Grisham grand slam sparks debate about clubhouse leadership and offseason leverage. One MLB club reportedly cooled talks, which could help Houston hold onto Valdez as free agency narrows. Valdez remains a core of Houston's rotation alongside Hunter Brown, carrying a 12-9 record with a 3.42 ERA and 171 Ks, keeping fantasy managers attentive to his durability and workload.

For fantasy, Valdez's mix and endurance maintain allure, even as the scandalous moment fuels chatter about loyalties and market value. Houston's stance—if they want him back—could shift late-season decisions and impact how investors in the Astros' staff view the pitching depth down the stretch.

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.

Aaron Judge returns from the IL to the Yankees as a designated hitter, setting up lineup fiddling as New York reopens an outfield spot. Jasson Domínguez, promising but still raw, could see his playing time shrink as Judge and co. push back into the field. Domínguez hits right-handed well enough but struggles left-handed (.204/.279/.290, OPS .569), making a platoon skew likely. Trent Grisham is cited as a benchmark with a still-subpar .662 OPS, highlighting the risk of overvaluing upside if ABs dry up. For fantasy, monitor Judge’s field time and Domínguez’s at-bats as the Yankees balance development with wins.

The dynamic matters most for Domínguez’s fantasy trajectory: his upside hinges on getting regular at-bats, especially against lefties. If Domínguez remains in a strict righty-lefty split, his value could be capped until he proves he can own lefties. Grisham’s mention signals that even with opportunity, the platoon nuance will govern daily fantasy and DFS upside for both teams.

Bottom line for fantasy players: expect Judge to reclaim outfield duties gradually while Domínguez lands on a tighter AB floor until he fixes the left-handed bias. Grisham provides a cautious comparator for the Padres’ lineup; neither is a slam dunk, but speculating on platoon shifts could yield seasonal value gaps to exploit.

Week 23 waiver boosters fuel a late-season push across HR, RBI, SB, AVG, and runs. Three options per category are listed, with Yahoo rostership capped at 50% so you can raid the waiver wire without overcommitting.

Key movers include Josh Lowe and Lars Nootbaar delivering runs, Trent Grisham providing power, and Colson Montgomery and Blaze Alexander offering late-season pop. In RBI, Royce Lewis and Drake Baldwin lead the charge; Kyle Manzardo also surfaces as a legitimate power source. For SB, Isaac Collins, Hyeseong Kim, and Austin Martin offer speed upside, while Sal Frelick, Josh Jung, and Luis Matos anchor AVG. Ready your claims and chase the finish line.