Texas rode a nine-run outburst to complete the sweep of Oakland, riding a five-game winning streak into September and closing to within striking distance of a Wild Card. Jacob deGrom was efficient through five scoreless frames before the Rangers eased him off the mound, while Joc Pederson launched a two-run shot and Josh Jung joined the power party with a homer and a double. The lineup cluttered the bases with nine hits and seven walks, and the bullpen weathered a late scare to seal it.

Caleb Boushley faltered late, allowing a spike in runs as the A’s clawed back, but Texas still managed to hold on. Up next, Texas heads to Arizona to open September against the Diamondbacks, with Patrick Corbin facing Ryne Nelson in a high-leverage series opener. For fantasy managers, Pederson and Jung remain hot hands, while deGrom’s innings pace will influence stacking and bullpen usage as the playoff push intensifies.

Texas started fast, riding Joc Pederson’s 2-run blast and Josh Jung’s solo shot to seize an early lead as Jacob deGrom spun five shutout innings for the Rangers. Oakland’s offense finally woke in the eighth, stringing together five runs, highlighted by Jacob Wilson’s two-run bloop double, Tyler Soderström’s RBI double, and Carlos Cortes’s later tally, but the rally fell short in a 9-6 loss and a series sweep.

The A’s slugfest effort wasn’t enough to slow Texas’s top pitching and bullpen, and the club now heads to St. Louis with rookie Luis Morales making the opener while the Cardinals counter with Sonny Gray. Texas, meanwhile, looks to carry momentum into the next slate after a strong team effort and deGrom’s vintage performance anchored the win.

Nolan McLean sparked the Mets in late August, arriving from Syracuse and immediately flinging impact starts. Eight shutout innings vs Philadelphia, a 3-0 record, and a 0.89 ERA since his arrival have the club dreaming of an October surge. New York’s playoff chase in the NL East is back in play, with McLean’s emergence reshaping rotations and mood. The test is sustaining the run through September and beyond, turning a rollercoaster summer into a possible late-season chapter.

Across town, the Yankees’ power display and the broader chase for division titles provide contrast, but it’s McLean’s meteoric rise that changes Mets narratives. If health holds, the kid could redefine the rotation blueprint and offer a blueprint for high-upside pitcher add-drops in fantasy leagues as October looms.

Jacob deGrom’s latest Rangers start underscored a brutal stretch: more than a month without a win, a home run on the first pitch after a shoulder-fatigue pause, and a 4-0 loss to the Angels. He’s 0-4 in five starts since July 22, throwing 90 pitches across five innings while battling inconsistency and command issues. Bochy plans to ride the moment, hoping rest isn’t needed, as Texas fights for a wild-card push with five weeks remaining.

On the Angels’ side, Zach Neto delivered a jolt by launching a franchise-record ninth leadoff homer this season, and LA rode early momentum to keep deGrom from settling in. Neto’s emergence quickened the pace for fantasy managers eyeing stolen-base and run-scoring upside, while deGrom’s workload and health remain the bigger storyline as Texas looks to maximize his remaining starts.

Jacob deGrom’s return from elbow surgery looks healthier than in prior years, but command remains a work in progress. He worked five innings, yielding two runs on three hits and two walks, and exited after 90 pitches with the Rangers down a couple of runs. The night was ruled a fair-to-good showing by Bruce Bochy, yet deGrom himself called it inconsistent and not where he wants to be with location and control.

Angels starter José Soriano pumped 100 mph on the heater and Zach Neto opened the scoring with a first-pitch hit that helped set the tone early, fueling an 8-run Angels attack. Travis d’Arnaud supplied a late-inning single off a slider deGrom struggled with, while Texas struggled to solve an Angels staff that answered with timely at-bats and power. For fantasy owners, the takeaway is gradual health for deGrom paired with lingering command concerns, while Neto and Soriano flashed upside for a wings-and-pights approach in daily lineups.

The Rangers, now under .500 at 66-67, face a familiar reality: their ace might be back, but the offense must improve to support him. deGrom’s season ERA sits among the league’s top marks (2.79) but his recent five-inning cap and the inability to string hits with runners in scoring position illustrate the volatility in Texas’ offensive nights. Bochy’s club will need more from the lineup to turn these tight losses into wins as they maintain an every-five-games rhythm with deGrom in the rotation.