Lane Thomas collects three hits, RBI in loss

Pasquantino was a key force for the Royals in this come-from-behind victory. He scored their first run in the fourth, homered for their next in the sixth, then drove in the first one in what became a seven-run eighth to take the lead. Just a few days off his most recent trip to the injured list, he has one extra-base hit in all three games and could desperately use a solid finish to what’s otherwise felt like a lost season.

The good news is that the Royals opted to use Cruz with a four-run lead in the ninth inning. Given that he’s earned four of the team’s last five saves, it feels like he has a strong hold on the closer’s role. Yet, Max Muncy hit a long two-run homer off him in this ninth inning to make his night a bit more stressful than it needed to be.

After letting up two runs in the first inning before recording an out, Lugo appeared to settle in nicely afterwards. Following three straight hits to start the game, he retired 12 of the next 13 hitters he faced and he picked-off the only one who reached. Then, the floodgates opened back up in the fifth when four straight singles turned into three more runs. Such is life for a pitcher like Lugo who doesn’t miss many bats anymore. On the season, he has a 4.71 ERA, 111 strikeouts, and 46 walks through 145 1/3 innings pitched. Next up, he’s scheduled for a two-start week against the Blue Jays and Guardians with both starts on the road.

Bolte is certainly heating up. Two more knocks here means he’s had at least one hit in 13 of 17 games in August with a .338 average over that span. He’s also hit lead-off in four of five games and has the type of everyday role, raw tools, and home ballpark that we look for when trying to find lightning in a bottle this time of year.

Springs pitched his way to a decent final line in his first start off the injured, but was not very sharp. He could not find the zone over the first few innings. By the end of the third, he’d walked three batters and hit another. Then, he began to challenge the Royals’ hitters and was hit much harder. In the end, he forced just six swings-and-misses and barely held his fastball over 90 mph after the second inning. Next up, he’s scheduled for a terrifying two-start week against the Twins and Orioles with both starts coming at home in Sacramento.

Warren struck out five and walked two while needing 90 pitches to record 12 outs. He gave up a solo homer to Pete Alonso but limited the damage despite being inefficient with his pitch count. The right-hander could soon be squeezed out of the Yankees’ rotation once Max Fried makes his way back from the injured list. Additionally, it’s unlikely that Warren factors into the rotation mix come October. It remains to be seen how New York plays this, but he is lined up to face the Astros at home next time out if he stays on schedule.

The save was Bednar’s 29th of the year as he closes in on 30 for only the second time in his career. He’s answered the bell as the Yankees’ full-time closer and owns a 2.40 ERA with five and a half weeks left in the regular season.

Bassitt struck out six and walked one in the outing, which included a homer off the bat of Ben Rice. The right-hander was making just his second start since returning from midseason back surgery. Consider him an innings-eater for Baltimore down the stretch as he carries a 5.08 ERA into his next start versus the Cardinals.

Rice has scuffled at the plate this month, but this marked his second homer in his past three games. It was his 34th this season, giving him a chance to finish with 40+ as a catcher-eligible player in fantasy leagues. He’ll lose that eligibility in 2027 but should be drafted as one of the earliest first basemen off the board. There is perhaps even further upside in a full season hitting alongside Aaron Judge.

Chisholm’s steal was his 33rd of the year, tying him with Bobby Witt Jr. for third in MLB. He’s hitting just .216 with a .682 OPS, so it hasn’t been the free-agent walk year he or the Yankees hoped for. Still, the stolen bases to go along with 17 homers help in fantasy. He’s on pace to set a career high in steals, beating out the 40 he totaled two seasons ago.