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.

Week 22 in fantasy baseball unfolds with a large slate of two-start pitchers (Aug 25–31). The guide splits options into over-50%-rostered, best available streamer picks, and riskier streamer bets, helping managers optimize weekly moves when waiver wires close before Sunday.

Top under-50% streamer picks include Baz, Soriano, and Schlittler, each with two starts and favorable matchups. Manaea, Keller, and Sugano are flagged as riskier bets, while Verlander and Rodriguez land in the avoid/low-confidence category given age and recent results.

In short, Baz, Soriano, and Schlittler deserve serious rosters for Week 22, with Manaea, Keller, and Sugano as speculative plays for deeper leagues or specific category targets. Plan rosters around two-start wins, Ks, and the ratios you’ll need to balance your week.

Week 18 of the 2025 fantasy baseball season brings a host of starting pitcher waiver wire pickups that can bolster your roster. Eric Lauer has emerged as a standout for the Toronto Blue Jays, boasting a formidable 2.61 ERA and six wins. Ryne Nelson of the Arizona Diamondbacks has also shown consistency with a stellar 3.29 ERA over his last five starts. Baltimore's Dean Kremer remains a polarizing figure with eight wins but inconsistent outings, while Jose Soriano from the Angels offers an impressive 68.5% ground ball rate. Will Warren of the Yankees is an intriguing option if he can maintain his strikeout ability despite a high ERA.

For deeper leagues, Nick Martinez from the Reds provides reliable innings, while Zebby Matthews is showing promise after a strong outing against the Nationals. Luis Severino has turned a corner recently, exhibiting potential as a backend rotation piece. Kumar Rocker, who is adapting his pitch mix, could be a gem moving forward. Joe Boyle's recent promotion in Tampa adds to a growing list of options for fantasy managers looking to fill gaps in their pitching rotations.