Week 18 marks the first post-deadline week. That shuffle means new roles for players, and pitchers & hitters are included in that sentiment. We take a look at our 2025 Week 18 fantasy pitcher waivier wire target list, which includes a new likely closer in St. Louis, as well as returning Major League starters.

Best Week 18 pitchers to target

• SP Spencer Arrighetti (Astros)
• SP Logan Henderson (Brewers)
• RP JoJo Romero (Cardinals)
• SP Jose Soriano (Angels)
• SP Justin Verlander (Pirates)

The Brewers are one of the rare MLB teams to have extensive pitching depth. So much so that Milwaukee was able to keep Logan Henderson, who had a strong debut run in the Majors before going back to Triple-A, down in Nashville. Until, however, Jacob Misiorowski went on the IL.

Henderson was recalled on August 3 and while he didn’t get to five innings, he struck out four and gave up just one run over 4.1 IP. The 23-year-old’s fantastic fastball/changeup combo netted him 33 strikeouts in his first 25.1 innings for a Brewers team that sits in first place of the NL Central.

Next up is Spencer Arrighetti, who should make his season debut this week versus the Marlins.

It’s not an easy matchup on paper, as the Marlins have been scoring runs and winning games in bunches of late. Arrighetti, though, is a strong target regardless of the fact. He struck out 171 over 145 frames last season and was one of our preseason breakout targets to watch.

Justin Verlander will face the Pirates this week, making him an interesting spot starter. Verlander has been a little shaky at times since the break, as he’s walked eight over 12.2 IP. However, it’s a soft matchup against a Pirates team that sits dead last in the Majors in runs scored (390).

The last starter on our list this week is Jose Soriano. Soriano, a heavy ground-ball pitcher, has sparkled over the second half to this point. The right-hander struck out 17 over 20 frames and posted a 2.25 ERA for the Halos. He’s gone at least six innings in each of his last three outings.

Soriano will face a Rays team that’s got a lot of power hitters who are prone to topping off on pitches. The Rays have the fourth-highest GB% (45.4%) in the league this season.

Lastly, the post-trade deadline period is traditionally one of chaos when it comes to closers. Some get traded, which means their old teams have to find new players to fill that role.

The Cardinals dealt former All-Star Ryan Helsley to the Mets, paving the way for JoJo Romero to take over. If you missed out on Cade Smith last week, Romero — one of the better options for saves available in most leagues — is worth a grab.

Overview of Week 17

Overall, Week 17 wasn’t a bad week as far as our picks went.

Patrick Corbin struck out six over five innings against the Angels, only allowing two earned runs. Slade Cecconi couldn’t net a win against the Rockies in what was a friendly matchup. However, Cecconi tossed seven quality innings against Colorado.

Cade Horton, meanwhile, threw five scoreless innings on August 1 against the Orioles to pick up his fifth win. Additionally, Horton continued his excellence at home, as the former first-round pick owns a 1.85 ERA and has only allowed 30 hits over 39 innings.

It wasn’t all great, though. Logan Evans didn’t pitch well in Sacramento. And unfortunately for the Rockies, Seth Halvorsen might be out for a while.

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