Will Benson gets sent back to the minors

In July and August, Cease has allowed just 11 earned runs in 10 starts while striking out 89 batters in 73 innings. This effort could only lower his ERA from 2.37 to 2.33. The 30-year-old has lived up to his big contract this season and should finish quite high in the Cy Young balloting. He draws the Guardians next week in another no-thought-required start for fantasy managers.

McClanahan was solid in this one, pitching four innings of shutout ball before seeing two runs come across to score in the fifth. The first run would come via a fielder’s choice by Freddy Fermin to bring in Jackson Merrill, with Xander Bogaerts coming around to score on the next at-bat on a fielder’s choice by Jake Cronenworth. McClanahan would allow a two-run homer to Jackson Merrill in the sixth inning and was pulled shortly after. McClanahan made only three starts this month, but ends August with a respectable 3.24 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP while picking up one win. He’ll look to pick up his 11th win in his next start, which is set for Wednesday at home against the Mets.

Concerningly, he struck out just one batter. Most of his improvement this year has been about raising his whiffs from 20.3 percent in 2025 to 23.7 percent in 2026 while drastically raising his strikeout rate. Hancock allowed nine hard-hit balls in this one and batters were all over both of his fastballs. Things figure to get easier next week against what’s left of the A’s in Safeco Field, but this was not the sort of start you watch and think that Hancock got unlucky in.

Mize was charged with only two earned runs in this one, but the Rays put seven runs on the board while Mize was on the mound. After getting through the first two innings unscathed, Mize saw a sinker to Yandy Díaz land 382 feet over the right-field stands for a solo homer, putting the Padres down 1-0. The Rays would add to their lead in the fourth inning, as Mize struggled to retire anybody and saw five runs come across to score, although he was only charged with one earned run. Mize would allow one more earned run in the fifth inning before being pulled after 77 pitches, and will see his August come to an end with a 7.00 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. He’ll look to get back on track in the final month of the season, with his next start coming on Wednesday in Cincinnati against the Reds.

It went entirely over the bullpen at Nationals Park and on to the concourse as House obliterated a Eury Pérez sinker. The third baseman is hitting .260/.356/.420 over his past 15 games with two homers and a stolen base and is getting more-or-less full-time work over the past couple of weeks. He’s a reasonable deep-league option at this point.

Ford has settled into about a 60/40 timeshare in deference to the veteran Keibert Ruiz as the season winds down. He’s played 23 games since his recall on July 17, starting 19, and is hitting .197/.303/.409 with three homers and a stolen base. Not exactly numbers that have us rushing to the waiver wire, but he certainly hasn’t embarrassed himself early.

The 26-year-old was hitting leadoff against LHP Jackson Kent and is now rocking a .278/.400/.574 line with five homers and a stolen base over his last 15 games. Hernández appears a bit stretched as a full-timer against righties — he’s hitting .228/.305/.420 against them — but he’s worth streaming against lefties if you have the ability to do so. It was his 21st homer of the season, and if nothing else this year he’s shown that he’s a reasonable option for the Marlins until his arbitration years start getting expensive.

Bailey was responsible for two of the Guardians’ six hits on the night. The Guardians were stifled by Michael Wacha for eight innings of scoreless ball on the night, but it was a decent night at the plate for Bailey, who has now hit safely in four of his last six games and is slashing .229/.345/.396 on the month.

The 23-year-old isn’t missing many bats or commanding the ball well enough to avoid walks. He allowed seven hard-hit balls and topped out at 95 mph. All of which is to say: Amazing moment for him to get his first big-league win, but we wouldn’t be rushing to start him against the Braves next week with the idea that he’s turned the corner.

Bibee found himself locked in a pitcher’s duel with Michael Wacha on Friday night. Both pitchers made it through four innings unscathed, but a leadoff double by Bobby Witt Jr. in the fifth inning wound up resulting in the first run of the night after Salvador Perez grounded out to bring Witt home from third two batters later. It was the only run Bibee would allow on the night before he was pulled in the seventh inning for Tim Herrin. Bibee has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his last three starts, but has only one win to show for his efforts. He’ll look to pick up his sixth win of the season in his next start, which is set for Thursday at home against the Blue Jays.