Monday’s schedule stacks a Monday Night Football doubleheader with a nine-game MLB slate. The sportsbook model leans Tampa Bay to win outright at +128 in the MNF matchup, while MLB bets center on Washington’s +144 against Atlanta and an Over 8 in Pittsburgh vs Chicago. Player props highlight Junior Caminero (Over 1.5 total bases) and Aaron Judge (Over 0.5 RBI). These bets shape early-week fantasy angles and daily fantasy leverage.

Washington’s momentum vs. a faltering Braves squad, plus the Pirates-Cubs run expectation, creates value opportunities. The night’s prop slate adds a cherry on top for DFS lineups and paras, with Caminero and Judge providing likely multi-positional upside.

Mitch Keller’s nine‑strikeout gem vs. St. Louis keeps him atop the Pirates’ rotation in the second half, lifting his quality starts to 16—a mark that slots him as a steady 2/3 behind Paul Skenes. Pittsburgh’s depth behind them—Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft, Jared Jones, Johan Oviedo, Mike Burrows—offers upside, but consistency remains uncertain. A strong finish could anchor a 2026 run with Keller and Skenes as the backbone.

The decision to keep Keller at the trade deadline preserves innings and the team’s continuity. Bednar’s value looms in bullpen plans, while Heaney’s veteran depth adds flexibility. Absent a repeat of August’s woes, Keller could help the Pirates contend and provide fantasy managers with a viable late-season producer and a cornerstone for 2026.

Week 22 of 2025 brings a tight, catcher-friendly waiver wire for starting pitchers. Rookie breakdowns and back-end rotation bets headline shallow leagues, while deeper rosters get a richer pool of options. Nolan McLean and Dean Kremer anchor the top-streamers, with Bubba Chandler, Dustin May, Cristian Javier, Cam Schlittler and Cade Cavalli among the more intriguing adds. Additional depth comes from Cade Cavalli, Mike Burrows, Cade Povich, Davis Martin and Luis Morales, plus a handful of under-15% rostered arms that could surprise in the pennant chase. Proactive FAAB and daily lineup discipline are urged as the weekend approaches.

rostering, matchup awareness, and role clarity drive the week’s decisions. The piece emphasizes evaluating early-season form, pitcher usage trends, and whether a bulking relief role can translate into meaningful starts. The message: add pitchers before they wake up in your league, monitor innings, and exploit favorable matchups as teams push toward playoffs.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are poised for the 2025 season with a solid group of starting pitchers but are looking to enhance their rotation by potentially signing Jakob Junis. As they prepare for an open competition for the fifth starter position, top pitching prospects like Bubba Chandler will be in the mix.

With the recent trade involving Luis L. Ortiz and Spencer Horwitz, the Pirates have room to strengthen their pitching depth. Junis, who had a strong 2024 season with a 2.69 ERA, could provide both a starting option and bullpen flexibility.