SP Streamers for today's, tomorrow's and the day after tomorrow's games for fantasy baseball.
Every day of the 2025 baseball season, I'll be looking at today's and tomorrow's slate of scheduled starting pitchers and ranking their matchups for your fantasy baseball streams.
There's a lot that goes into this and you can hang out with me on Playback.tv/pitcherlist to talk about the specific ranks as I make them every weekday morning from 10am - 12pm ET. If you have questions about these ranks, please ask during the morning Playback AMA. Those are my office hours as I generally don't answer comments on the site.
There are four tiers to these rankings with 12-teamers in mind:
Auto-Start - Just do it. Don't overthink this, start the man. This includes "if I have them rostered, I'm starting them" pitchers.
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-not-elite pitcher or a weak lineup for a volatile arm. These pitchers have a 50% or greater chance of performing well in my view and I'm starting them in the majority of situations.
Questionable Start - Think of this tier as "I don't want to start these pitchers in a vacuum, but you could do worse." Streamers found in this tier are not pitchers I'm targeting and are only if you are in dire need of one. To play it safe with streaming, just start the Probably Start streamers.
Do Not Start - The reward is not worth the risk. Don't do it. Seriously, these pitchers have a very slim chance of success or sometimes none at all.
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 throughout 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, there are my streaming picks of the day, and please keep in mind that I am forced to pick a streamer every day. Those highlighted in Green are that day's streaming pick in the second tier and I'd roll with them everywhere. Those in Yellow are in the third tier and should be okay if you're searching for something on a given day, but I don't recommend streaming unless you're in need. Finally, those are Red are those I really don't want to start (they are labeled as "Do Not Start", after all) but have no other choice. Don't stream these guys until you are truly desperate. A streaming pick is defined as "rostered in 20% or fewer leagues according to Fantasy Pros. This 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 those picks would be instead.
(Opener) - Outlines that a pitcher is being opened for that day & the pitcher listed will follow the opener.
As I do my rankings, I thought it would be helpful to showcase a table of how we're ranking offenses, granted by our PLV powered Projections (in alphabetical order by tier):
I'm sure it'll change through the year + there are differences to be made about teams vs. LHP or RHP, but it works as a general table that y'all should keep in mind.
To spice up these streaming recommendations, I've included our new daily fantasy baseball projections powered by PLV, and I'll be competing against PL Bot to pick the best streaming option each day.
These projections are different from your typical projections as they incorporate our pitch quantifier, assessing pitcher and hitter skills at a much more granular level than your standard box score.
To get access to PL Bot's picks each day, sign up for PL Pro here.
The streaming record is determined by "Was this a productive game for 12-teamers if I started them?" Roughly a "PQS" with a Win and a strikeout per inning with a sub 1.20 WHIP, with a minimum of 5 IP. Close calls are decided by Playback chat.
Nick's 2025 Streamer Record: 11-5
My Pick yesterday: Reese Olson @ MIN
My Pick today: Richard Fitts @ CHW
PL Bot's 2025 Streamer Record: 11-5
PL Bot's Pick yesterday: David Festa vs. DET
PL Bot's Pick today: Get our Daily & Weekly PLV Projections with PL Bot via PL Pro here.
Note: Names below in Italics are my streaming picks of the day.
Saturday 4/12 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Bryan Woo vs. TEX - It's in Seattle.
Sandy Alcantara vs. WSN - HE'S BACK.
Cristopher Sánchez @ STL - Please show me the same slider from last game.
Corbin Burnes vs. MIL - Hey, it's your old squad! Maybe they can tell you how to get your cutter back to normal.
Drew Rasmussen vs. ATL - He's just too dang unhittable.
Probably Starts
Richard Fitts @ CHW - It's funny how I'm not a big Fitts guy anymore and I just keep ranking him high. The White Sox, y'all!
Jackson Jobe @ MIN - Jobe has dropped on The List, but it's the Twins. He should improve over time.
Bowden Francis @ BAL - He's succeeding with his four-seamer and we ride this out until the bottom falls out.
David Peterson @ ATH - Sacramento doesn't scare me (wild, I know) and Peterson's velocity should be better in warmer weather.
Roki Sasaki vs. CHC - Sasaki needs a bridge pitch to turn into an ace. In the meantime, can you try to get 55%+ strikes on the splitter? K thx.
Questionable Starts
Kumar Rocker @ SEA - Y'all may want him in the second tier and I completely get it. @TEA is a great matchup! Rocker is all kinds of strange with his approach, from switching between sliders and curves, sinkers and four-seamers, and still inefficient against LHB. I don't know what we're going to get.
Jordan Hicks @ NYY - Hicks >>> Warren in general, and after some thought, I elected favoring Hicks over Warren despite the tougher opponent.
Will Warren vs. SFG - I initially had him in the higher tier, but I'm not confident he'll be the "Toby" we want him to be. It hasn't come out yet.
Kyle Hart vs. COL - It's "Rockie Road". Hart got bamboozled last time out, but this is a lot easier.
Trevor Williams @ MIA - #NeverTrevor.
AJ Smith-Shawver @ TBR - Another great matchup for AJSS as he's trying to develop as fast as he can. This could be the one, they say. Who? You know, they.
Andrew Abbott vs. PIT - I'm not thrilled about starting Abbott in his season debut, but it's the Pirates, even at home. Not a bad spec add with a higher floor than usual given the matchup.
Martín Pérez vs. BOS - He's had great command lately and looks to be in a groove. At least it's not in Fenway.
Andrew Heaney @ CIN - Heaney was his best self against the Yankees, maybe it sticks in Cincy?
Tomoyuki Sugano vs. TOR - Sugano gets the pearl instead of Povich and it's possible he can go six against the Jays.
Chase Dollander @ SDP - It's not in Coors! But it's against the Padres. And his secondaries are not polish. And it's empty velocity.
Do Not Starts
Chris Paddack vs. DET - He was better last time out and it's the Tigers...? I wish he had a better #3 pitch and 94/95 mph velocity.
Michael Lorenzen @ CLE - Sure, he can go six frames for a "PQS" if not slightly better.
Tyler Anderson @ HOU - I hate the matchup, but this is another desperate QS player.
Luis L. Ortiz vs. KCR - Ortiz doesn't have enough firepower to justify the questionable command.
J.T. Ginn vs. NYM - It's Ginn after all and I'm less confident in him vs. Spence. He could generate outs with his sinker and breaker to RHB, but it'll be harder against RHB.
Chad Patrick @ ARI - Two first names. And not much of an arsenal or volume ceiling.
Miles Mikolas vs. PHI - Just throw sliders. No more four-seamers. I BEG YOU.
Ryan Gusto vs. LAA - He's making his MLB debut with "The Pasta Pirate" on the IL with a thumb injury. Wait and see, though I'm not optimistic.
Ben Brown @ LAD - No third pitch, a short leash, and the Dodgers. Oh dear.
Sunday 4/13 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Zack Wheeler @ STL - Aces gonna ace.
Garrett Crochet @ CHW - Aces gonna ace.
Chris Sale @ TBR - Aces gonna ace.
Hunter Greene vs. PIT - Aces gonna...oh right. He needs one more by the lay of the law. But we know.
Michael King vs. COL - Aces gonna ace against "Rockie Road".
Cole Ragans @ CLE - Aces gonna ace against the toughest matchup of the top six. Weird, right?
Logan Gilbert vs. TEX - Aces gonna ace in Seattle. IT'S ACE DAY. Totally get if you think King or Greene or Ragans are under this. Who cares, they're all dope.
Tyler Glasnow vs. CHC - Aces gonna hopefully not endure such horrible conditions this time around.
Nathan Eovaldi @ SEA - It's Seattle and without the horrid weather of last time out.
Freddy Peralta @ ARI - He's in too good of a groove.
Carlos Rodón vs. SFG - Rodón against the Giants is a clear choice.
Logan Webb @ NYY - Webb has to endure Yankee Stadium and it should be fine.
MacKenzie Gore @ MIA - It's too good of a situation even if he's volatile.
Shane Baz vs. ATL - Baz is looking great out of the gate and Atlanta has seen better days.
Zac Gallen vs. MIL - Gallen is in purgatory and could be in the second tier, though Milwaukee isn't terrifying and if you have Gallen, you're giving it a try.
Kodai Senga @ ATH - Senga's wide arsenal was reduced and it is Sacramento...We're still going for it until there's a clear blocker.
Probably Starts
Hayden Wesneski vs. LAA - I have hope that Wesneski is more than a sweeper-first arm and his great extension + a questionable Angels lineup equate to a streaming pick of the day.
Casey Mize @ MIN - Mize had success against the Yankees but still hasn't eclipsed 95 mph on the heater (it was snowing last time, though). Here's to hoping he looks better than he did in April 2024.
Questionable Starts
Shane Smith vs. BOS - Smith's changeup is filthy, but I'm still a little worried about the velocity dip as the start continues. He may deserve to be in the second tier, though, simply because he should be rostered as a spec breakout play.
José Berríos @ BAL - YOU NEVER KNOW.
Luis Severino vs. NYM - Sevy gets his former squad in Sacramento and I don't love the risk/reward balance.
Ben Lively vs. KCR - Lively has made it work at 89 mph and could skirt by for six frames.
Cade Povich vs. TOR - Povich doesn't have a leader pitch nor sparkling command to drive the kitchen-sink approach. Hopefully it comes together well enough for a solid six frames.
Carmen Mlodzinski @ CIN - Carmen has some intriguing stuff, but can he throw enough strikes?
Do Not Starts
Simeon Woods Richardson vs. DET - Five innings are what you're hoping for. That's not the life I want.
Matthew Liberatore vs. PHI - Liberatore doesn't have a changeup for RHB and I wish he did. Phillies aren't a great matchup, either.
Kyle Hendricks @ HOU - The changeup(s) are alive with the sound of music, but could get dissonant in Houston.
Kyle Freeland @ SDP - At least he's away from Coors.
Cal Quantrill vs. WSN - Let's not.
Colin Rea @ LAD - Rea is getting the chance to start again with Steele on the IL and maybe we'll consider this in a few starts.
Monday 4/14 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
New for PL Pro members - I am making the streaming table for an extra day out (no write-ups as these pitchers change often). I wanted to add a bonus for those who support us without taking anything away to everyone else and I thought this was a good compromise.
