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: 13-5
My Pick yesterday: Hayden Wesneski vs. LAA
My Pick today: Grant Holmes @ TOR
PL Bot's 2025 Streamer Record: 13-5
PL Bot's Pick yesterday: Hayden Wesneski vs. LAA
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.
Monday 4/14 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Tarik Skubal @ MIL - Aces gonna ace.
Paul Skenes vs. WSN - Aces gonna ace.
Framber Valdez @ STL - You got this Framber.
Dylan Cease vs. CHC - Forget about his last outing.
Joe Ryan vs. NYM - Aces gonna ace. I don't want to think about removing that tag.
Sonny Gray vs. HOU - The sweeper is back.
Dustin May vs. COL - The whiffs will come in time and the velocity is sure to climb back with the weather.
Shane Baz vs. BOS - His four-seamer and curve combo is legit and it's not in Fenway.
Seth Lugo @ NYY - I know, it's the Yankees. Lugo is the type that is able to finagle a lineup like the Yankees moreso than your high stuff/low command arms.
Probably Starts
Clay Holmes @ MIN - Alright Adobe, let's throw a whole lot strikes.
Grant Holmes @ TOR - It's not the best matchup, but at least it's a good one.
Tanner Houck @ TBR - I know he's been pretty blegh, but the Rays are a simple team that can allow a Quality Start. Great Win chance, too.
Landen Roupp @ PHI - I dig what Roupp is doing and I'm not that scared of the Phils.
Questionable Starts
Jameson Taillon @ SDP - If he nibbles well, this could be another decent outing.
Easton Lucas vs. ATL - I wonder if the four-seamer can dominate a second time. Atlanta's offense has been a bit off.
Do Not Starts
Taijuan Walker vs. SFG - Good luck, Taijuan.
Tyler Alexander vs. DET - T-Lex shouldn't go very long, but there's a chance.
Carlos Carrasco vs. KCR - Maybe a cheap Win awaits?
Brad Lord @ PIT - It's an incredible name and matchup and I wish his ability followed suit.
Antonio Senzatela @ LAD - Absolutely not. Which is why it's going to work and make us all go berserk.
Tuesday 4/15 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Max Fried vs. KCR - Aces gonna ace.
Spencer Schwellenbach @ TOR - Almost aces gonna likely get crowned as an AGA.
Jack Flaherty @ MIL - He's looking like the guy we loved in the first half of last year.
Hunter Brown @ STL - Here's to hoping we see 97+ mph velocity.
Shota Imanaga @ SDP - Not a fun matchup, but we start Imanaga regularly.
Luis Castillo @ CIN - He's a "Holly" we're rolling with in his old home park.
Jesús Luzardo vs. SFG - Luzardo has cruised against tough matchups, surely he doesn't waver here...right?
Bailey Ober vs. NYM - Ober has been a little dicey but we're holding on until he gives us a major trend.
Ryan Pepiot vs. BOS - Pepiot has acted a little like a "HIPSTER", though the skills are better than ever.
Probably Starts
Jeffrey Springs @ CHW - It's the White Sox and this should be sunshine and rainbows.
Nick Lodolo vs. SEA - Lodolo is looking like his best self.
Tylor Megill @ MIN - Please continue with the same slider down and four-seamer up. PLEASE.
Merrill Kelly @ MIA - This is a clear stream if you can do it.
Kevin Gausman vs. ATL - He just dominated with his four-seamer and while I don't expect it to continue, Atlanta has been floundering at the plate. Let's hope Gausman can continue.
Justin Verlander @ PHI - The slider and four-seamer are coming in hot and he's fresh off a 20 whiff game. It's Philly, but hot dang I'm so intrigued.
Jake Irvin @ PIT - Shocking, right? Irvin's curve was on point last time out and pitching in PNC park is a lovely thing. I'm going for it.
Yusei Kikuchi @ TEX - I fluctuated between Tier 2 and Tier 3 for Kikuchi and ultimately landed here. If you still have him, you're starting this "HIPSTER".
Questionable Starts
Mitch Keller vs. WSN - Sure, whatever Keller.
Tyler Mahle vs. LAA - I still can't figure out Mahle and need a few more starts to understand what he actually brings to the table. My gut is that he doesn't have an arsenal to speaks to a Top 40 SP ceiling, which makes rostering him generally too risky for 12-teamers.
Walker Buehler @ TBR - I've been out on Buehler, but his last start was a bit better than the others. Still low velocity and much more growth needed, and I understand the optimism that it could be the first step of many.
Michael Wacha @ NYY - I know. The Yankees aren't that elite, y'all.
Erick Fedde vs. HOU - Fedde is a "Toby".
Quinn Priester vs. DET - Priester could get his footing in a good matchup.
Landon Knack vs. COL - It was terrible the first time out, but this is "Rockie Road" and the Dodgers could let him go five.
Charlie Morton vs. CLE - Oh dear. If you must.
Do Not Starts
Sean Burke vs. ATH - It's just not worth it right now.
Randy Vásquez vs. CHC - Watch him go 5+ IP of boring ratio ball. Ugh.
Logan Allen @ BAL - There's nothing to get excited about here.
Connor Gillispie vs. ARI - Absolutely not.
Ryan Feltner @ LAD - Noooope.
Wednesday 4/16 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.
The jargon you use makes it really hard to follow. What’s a Holly or Toby or Hipster?