Texas’ October dreams have faded into a crossroads moment. The offense is dragging the team, posting a slash line of .230/.304/.357 and converting just 32.2% with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break, with a strikeout rate near 24% that keeps killing rallies. A deflating 4–3 loss to Kansas City illustrated the problem: 0-for-9 with RISP and seven baserunners stranded.

Meanwhile, the pitching staff has carried the load. Jacob deGrom anchors the rotation at a 2.76 ERA, Jack Leiter has been stingy in his last eight outings, and Merrill Kelly came aboard to provide innings. The bullpen sits among MLB’s best by ERA, though late-inning letups have cost a few close wins. With one of baseball’s toughest remaining schedules, the margin for error has all but vanished.

Three steps are nonnegotiable for a revival: wake the offense immediately, lock down late-inning relief, and win head-to-head with Wild Card rivals. If the bats don’t rebound, expect talk of trades for slumping stars like Josh Jung or Adolis García, plus possible coaching changes. Donnie Ecker’s May dismissal signals a potential reshuffle that could alter the club’s trajectory this winter.

For fantasy managers, the upside remains tethered to Texas’ pitchers—deGrom and Leiter remain frontline options, with Kelly offering solid depth if he’s kept in the mix. Hitting upside is riskier but not dead, and Jung/García could rebound into usable fantasy assets as the schedule tightens and Texas grinds toward a decision point.

Texas Rangers visit the Kansas City Royals in a four-game series that's pivotal for both clubs’ playoff chances. The opener features Jack Leiter against Michael Wacha, with wagers leaning Rangers +1.5 and Royals -1.5 and a 9-run total. A standout prop is Leiter under 3.5 strikeouts, given Kansas City’s strong contact discipline since the All-Star break and Leiter’s recent inability to reach four Ks in back-to-back starts.

The Royals boast a clear offensive edge since the break, ranking sixth in wRC+ while Texas sits in the lower tier. Kansas City’s bullpen and Wacha’s recent form (no more than two runs in six straight starts) amplify the Royals’ chances to seize momentum in this series, making Royals -126 an appealing play. The under on the total feels plausible thanks to solid pitching matchups and a potentially tight collection of early innings.

Rangers at Royals on Monday night pivots on a brisk pitching duel: Jack Leiter (7-6, 3.94 ERA) for Texas against Michael Wacha (7-9, 3.35 ERA) in Kansas City. Texas arrives off a 10-4 win vs Toronto after two straight sweeps, while KC has surged with a 3-game streak and a 5-1 run in their last six. The betting line shows KC favored on the moneyline at -130 with Texas at +109, and a 9.0 over/under looms as both offenses look to maximize the park’s hitter-friendly rhythm. NBC Sports’ model projects a close, mid-range sprint with a slight lean toward KC’s bullpen depth and game flow leaning over 9 in recent trends.

Fantasy and betting angles center on Leiter’s upside versus Wacha’s steady track record and KC’s surge. The Royals have carved out wins by stringing timely hits and leveraging the bullpen, while Texas will lean on Leiter’s strike-acceleration and Wacha’s ground-ball efficiency to keep runs scarce. The matchup also anchors in recent form: KC 5-1 over six games; Rangers 1-4 over five, with KC taking four of five previously against Texas this season. A smart playbook blends Leiter’s strikeout potential with Wacha’s control and the park’s scoring tempo.

Week 21 MLB two-start streaming targets showdown across 34 pitchers scheduled for two starts Aug 18–24, with a clear distinction between under-50% rostered sleepers and popular, rostered bets. Spencer Arrighetti leads theBest Available streamer group for his Houston slate, while Matthew Liberatore offers a steadier floor for WHIP and ERA thanks to favorable Miami and Tampa Bay matchups. The risk tier features Jack Leiter, Jameson Taillon, Dustin May, and Nestor Cortés, each with contrasting risk/reward dynamics against KC, LAA, SF/LAD, and SD/LAD. Post-deadline aftershocks tighten the streaming pool, making pace and pitch mix critiques essential for savvy fantasy managers.

Key names to monitor include Arrighetti, Liberatore, Leiter, Taillon, May, Cortés, and Taillon’s health return, alongside the Padres’ Cortés’ two-start set. The column emphasizes arsenal depth, matchup-driven rostering, and weekly waiver-wire discipline as the landscape shifts after the trade deadline. In weekly waiver-wire terms, these are the kinds of plays that can stabilize ratios while still contributing strikeouts and win potential.

Two-start week preview for Aug 18 tightens the fantasy edge as rosters juggle rotations. Philadelphia shifts to a six-man rotation for Aaron Nola, limiting Suarez to one turn. Cubs face an eight-game week due to a Monday doubleheader, with Cade Horton highly parked for two starts; Jameson Taillon could join at least one game in Monday’s swing. Rays play five games, reducing two-start chances; Jays’ Bieber plan is still in flux. Amid the shuffle, target elite volume: Joe Ryan, Logan Gilbert, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Spencer Strider and Cade Horton stand out as must-starts, with Eury Pérez, Gavin Williams, Jack Leiter and Spencer Arrighetti offering strong secondary paths. Streaming options like Victor Mederos and Jake López (Athletics) provide portable upside. The overarching strategy: maximize two-start weeks by leaning into teams with robust schedules, while exploiting waiver-wire edges to secure high-floor arms.

Top options are grounded in recent form: Ryan’s Minnesota slate (Athletics then White Sox) looks as favorable as any two-start week, while Yamamoto’s Dodgers two-step (Rockies then Padres) carries obvious upside even in Coors. Horton’s late-season surge makes him a plug-and-play in all formats, and Pérez’s Miami schedule arms a high-strikeout week with reasonable win potential. Strider remains a high-risk/high-reward asset in two-start windows, and Leiter’s recent consistency supports aggressive use in routine leagues. Williams and Leiter broaden the two-start map, while others like Rodón, Pivetta and Kelly round out a deep pool of streaming and contingency options that fantasy managers should monitor through the weekend.