Cortes was tagged early by SF’s power, giving up three homers in the first inning and triggering a tough start for the Padres. It’s a reminder of Cortes’s volatility and the importance of favorable matchups when deploying him in daily formats.

Cortes is listed to start for San Diego in the Padres-Giants game, a notable preseason matchup that could influence the Padres’ run-scoring narrative and bullpen leverage. Fantasy bettors will be watching Cortés for rhythm, control, and how SD builds offense behind him.

Cortes meets Ray in a high-variance showdown with Padres favored to rebound. Cortes’ ability to keep the ball on the ground and avoid big innings is crucial, but the Giants’ offense and Petco Park humidity/ball dynamics could test his effectiveness, especially if left-handed power finds small gaps.

Cortés takes the ball for San Diego, aiming to stabilize a potent Padres offense that’s surged since the All-Star break. His challenge is to neutralize a San Diego lineup that sits top-tier in wRC+ during the period. Cortés must manage walks and keep SD’s hitters honest, especially in the middle of the order, to keep SD on track after a rough stretch against the Dodgers.

Cortés lands in Week 21 with two starts for San Diego vs SF and LAD. The write-up marks him as a rollercoaster streamer: high variance but potentially big returns if his secondary pitches land and his contact suppression holds, particularly against two offenses that have shown streaky runs.