SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings – 4/1 & 4/2

With the 2021 season, I’m changing how I’m doing my Starting Pitcher Matchup Rankings & Streaming picks.

Instead of being featured in the SP Roundup, I’ll be highlighting my pick for today and tomorrow inside this article, while also introducing four tiers and adding notes to each table.

The four tiers are as follows:

 

Auto-Start – Just do it. Don’t overthink this, start the man.

Probably Start – I’m likely starting these arms, though I recognize there is more risk than we’d like there to be. Either it’s a tough matchup for a good pitcher or a weak lineup for a volatile arm.

Questionable Start – There are situations where I’d take the chance, either with strong enough upside on the ability side, or a poor offense that a pitcher could take advantage of.

Do Not Start – The reward is not worth the risk. Don’t do it.

 

Obviously, there will be circumstances where pitchers should move between teams for your situation specifically and these new tiers should act as a little more help than the straight table from last year.

Please keep in mind that streaming is far from a perfect play. In fact, if they work out over half the time, I’d consider it a success. These matchup rankings & streamer picks are going to be wildly different than the actual results through the year, so please, have sympathy before the scathing comments and tweets. I’m only trying to help!

Make sure to read the notes if you’re wondering why I’m favoring certain pitchers over others – I won’t get to everyone and hopefully I answer what questions you will have.

There is a second table for tomorrow’s starting pitcher matchups as well, helping everyone get a jump on their nightly pickups. Please note that these matchups are subject to change, though, and there will be times when I have the incorrect pitcher going. I thank you for your future understanding.

Finally, I have highlighted in Yellow my streaming pick of the day. These are defined as “rostered in 20% or fewer leagues,” which really emphasizes the point that I’d be happy if over 50% of these worked. I could do the whole sub 30/40% rostered, but there’s no fun in that. You can use the rankings to realize who would be those picks, instead.

 

Today’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

 

• It’s opening Day! It also means it’s Ace Day. Start your studs regardless of the matchups, even Clayton Kershaw in Coors – Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.
• I wrestled with how to rank the Auto-Start arms today as there were so many of them. As a rule of thumb, it doesn’t matter. Really, just start them, who cares if I placed Woodruff behind Castillo.

 

• Yes, Zack Greinke and Marco Gonzales are auto-starts. It’s not the same production tier as the top guys, but you’re still starting them if you roster them.
• Dylan Bundy is in no man’s land in Tier 2 as I’m a bit terrified of the Chicago White Sox lineup. Still, if you’ve drafted Bundy, you’re going to let him fly on Opening Day.

 

• With Matthew Boyd, I’m not quite sure if he has his slider back yet, but he is getting Cleveland and I’m leaning a start there. I really hope he can stay healthy and give us the season we wanted when we were hyped in Spring 2020.
• Brad Keller is the clear streaming choice today as he faces the Rangers. This is why you drafted him and I believe he has the tools to take advantage of a very poor Rangers lineup.

 

• I’d have some hesitation with Chris Bassitt as he faces Houston. He’s not known as a high ceiling play, making it a small margin of error for you to get value with this outing. Be cautious.
• Outside of the clear choices in the bottom tier, German Marquez is a sit as he hosts the powerful Dodgers lineup inside Coors. This is the deal you made when drafting him. You know what you did.

 

Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

 

• With Red Sox & Orioles raining out on Thursday, I stuck John Means and Nathan Eovaldi here guessing they may push opening day to Friday’s off-day. It may not be the case, so monitor the news there.
• The Auto-Starts are pretty clear, you got Blake Snell, Trevor Bauer, and Pablo Lopez for a reason.

 

• I’m a little more cautious with Jesus Luzardo against the strong Houston offense, but in most cases, I’d have few problems with it. I heavily debated putting him in the tier above.
• Yusei Kikuchi suddenly got the #2 spot in the Mariners rotation, meaning he now has a lovely matchup against the Giants. I’m a fan of his increased velocity and improved secondaries, marking the clear streamer pick of the day.

 

• Andrew Heaney is known for his inconsistencies and a matchup against the White Sox is terrifying.
• I question is Cristian Javier has the stamina to survive past five frames effectively, while Oakland bats could give him some trouble. I’d pass.

 

• Lastly, Johnny Cueto gets a decent matchup against Seattle, but it doesn’t really matter. The reward is too small to put yourself in harms way.

 

Graphic by Quincey Dong (@threerundong on Twitter)