Leiter Shines, Cortes Struggles: Fantasy Pitching Roundup

As of August 18th, 2025, the pool of available two-start pitchers is particularly shallow this week, as most teams have their top hurlers lined up for a pair of outings. Among the options, Rangers' Jack Leiter stands out as the best choice, despite his tendency to walk too many batters. Leiter has allowed two or fewer runs in seven of his past eight starts and has recorded several games with strong strikeout totals. This week, he faces the Royals, who rank 27th in runs scored, and the Guardians, who place 26th, making him a solid source of 10-12 strikeouts.

On the other hand, Padres' Nestor Cortes has been decent in his two starts since returning from a lengthy injured list stint, allowing just three runs. However, he has failed to complete the fifth inning in either game and has logged a mediocre 9:4 K:BB ratio. Cortes could benefit from pitching at his pitcher-friendly home park this week, and the Giants matchup is favorable. But the upcoming Dodgers game is enough to scare fantasy managers away, especially with concerns about Cortes not being in top form.

Beyond the pitching landscape, hitters from the Rockies, Dodgers, and Mets are recommended streamers for fantasy baseball managers. The Rockies play seven games this week, with four at Coors Field, and face several right-handed starters, making outfielder Mickey Moniak a strong option. Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto is also worth considering for their four-game series at Coors Field, while Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez and infielder Jeff McNeil could provide valuable production.