Brad Keller and Andrew Kittredge form a Cubs late-inning committee after Palencia hits the IL, creating a two-headed path to saves with fireman duties sprinkled in. Dennis Santana remains the Pirates’ closer, and JoJo Romero with Riley O’Brien share Cardinals late-inning leverage, offering mixed saves and holds as playoff rosters tighten. Ranger arms Shawn Armstrong and Phil Maton are splitting saves, with Trevor Megill’s looming return for Milwaukee reshaping the back end. In deeper leagues, Arizona’s bullpen shows leverage ladder activity behind Woodford, Saalfrank, and Thompson.

Brewers fans credit their team’s surge to Uecker magic as Milwaukee sits atop MLB and cars toward October with a franchise-best pace. A tribute to the late Hall of Fame voice anchors a season that has defied expectations, with a seven-game NL Central lead and the best record in baseball.

Milwaukee’s offense has thrived without an All-Star on the roster, riding a tenacious approach that manager Pat Murphy compares to woodpeckers and letting veterans and rookies alike contribute. Caleb Durbin’s rookie spark and Christian Yelich’s power, paired with late-game heroics from Andruw Monasterio and clutch bullpen work from Devin Williams and the staff, have fueled a 14-game win streak and a historic run that could redefine the franchise’s postseason narrative.

The road to October comes with questions: can the regular-season magic translate to the playoffs after years of short series heartbreak? Milwaukee has remade its identity from a streaky team into a relentless, pressure-filled lineup that thrives in close moments, even as memories of 2018 linger. Uecker’s memory—and the crowd’s belief—keep fueling the Brew Crew as they chase the sport’s ultimate prize.

Blue Jays sit atop the AL standings and lead MLB in hits, team batting average and on-base percentage, with a 71-51 record and a 40-20 home mark. Reinforcements are en route: George Springer is nearing a return from a concussion during the Texas Rangers series, Shane Bieber could join later this month, and Alek Manoah plus top pitching prospect Trey Yesavage are in various stages of rehab or call-up readiness. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. provided the big moment, a go-ahead two-run homer off Matthew Boyd in the seventh, as Max Scherzer worked seven-plus innings to hand Toronto a 2-1 win over the Cubs. With Springer back and a deeper pitching pipeline, Toronto continues to push a potent offense—already league leaders in hits (1,116), batting average (.268) and OBP (.337)—toward a late-season surge.

Springer’s return should restore dynamic baserunning and balance to a lineup that has thrived with him DH-ing. The Jays’ offense, anchored by Guerrero’s 18 homers and 57 RBIs in 101 games, remains the engine, while manager John Schneider notes Springer’s leadership and base-running value. The club’s hoped-for depth, including Bieber in the rotation and Manoah’s return later in the year, could fortify Toronto’s push for a postseason run as it prepares for pivotal series with Texas and beyond.

As Toronto looks to maintain its edge in a tight AL, these reinforcements address both frontline acceleration and innings flexibility, keeping the Jays a formidable challenger in October.

Pete Alonso authored a landmark night by becoming the Mets’ all‑time home run king, belting his 253rd career homer to pass Darryl Strawberry at Citi Field off Spencer Strider. The moment carried the weight of Mets lore, with the crowd erupting as Alonso delivered a two‑run blast in the third inning, cementing his place in the franchise’s power hierarchy and fueling fantasy reverence for his continued MVP‑caliber production.

Alonso’s ascent sits alongside a storied lineage. He’s already etched the single‑season Mets record with 53 homers (2019) and is the only Met with multiple 40‑plus homer seasons. His path back to Queens on a one‑year deal with an option for 2026 keeps him squarely in fantasy rosters as a core power source, while his leadership off the field reinforces his value beyond raw statistics.

Strawberry’s shadow looms as a contrast—beloved yet complicated—highlighting the different routes to Mets immortality. Alonso’s reception from fans, his charity work, and his palpable desire to stay in New York amplify his fantasy appeal, making him the central anchor of a lineup that figures to drive runs with increasing regularity as the season progresses.