Here are today and tomorrow’s daily SP Streamer rankings for fantasy baseball.
Every day of the 2024 baseball season, I’ll be looking at today 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 would be those picks, 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 (in Alphabetical order):
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.
Alright, let’s get to it.
This year, with our new daily fantasy baseball projections powered by PLV, I’ll be competing against PL Bot to pick the best streaming option each day.
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 2024 Streamer Record: 15-8
My pick yesterday: Clarke Schmidt vs. TBR
PL Bot’s 2024 Streamer Record: 15-8
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Kyle Gibson vs. MIL
Want PL Bot’s pick today? Sign up for PL Pro here.
My streaming pick of the day is Underlined and Italicized.
Today’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto-Starts
Zack Wheeler vs. CHW – Aces gonna ace.
Corbin Burnes @ KCR – Aces gonna ace.
Cole Ragans vs. BAL – Aces gonna ace. Pew Pew Pew.
Zac Gallen @ SFG – Aces gonna ace.
Luis Castillo @ COL – Aces gonna ace. Yes, even in Coors. That lineup is not good, y’all.
Shota Imanaga vs. MIA – I’d absolutely love if Imanaga can show more than just heaters in this one.
Bailey Ober vs. DET – He’s settled in after his first rough day at the park.
Ronel Blanco @ WSN – It’s the Nationals + Blanco has proven plenty against strong lineups.
Zach Eflin @ NYY – It’s the Yankees, but Eflin absolutely deserves to be in the Auto-Start tier. If you have him, you’re starting him.
Kutter Crawford @ PIT – Crawford has been a ratio darling and gets the Pirates. Let’s hope he can go a full six this time.
José Berríos @ SDP – Berríos is The Great Undulator…without much volatility thus far. His curve and sinker are in a great rhythm and don’t overthink this.
Probably Starts
Jesús Luzardo @ CHC – He’s the premier Cherry Bomb against a tough offense.
Nestor Cortes vs. TBR – It’s the Rays, though Cortes isn’t flexing the elite upside of his prime.
Nathan Eovaldi @ ATL – Yes, Atlanta, but guys like Eovaldi are able to survive against tough squads more often than most.
Reese Olson @ MIN – Olson’s changeup was amazing in his last outing, while his slider is coming back to what we saw in 2023.
Gavin Stone vs. NYM – Stone has a great team context and the Mets are hot/cold.
Javier Assad vs. MIA – He’s kept ER off the board effectively and while he may be a Toby at the end of the day, this is a struggling Marlins offense.
Questionable Starts
Logan Allen vs. OAK – It’s a great matchup and Allen is showcasing the ability to elevate his four-seamer. Still, I’m not sold that Allen is consistent enough to truly take advantage of this lineup.
Graham Ashcraft vs. LAA – It’s the Angels, it’s also the always-spotty Ashcraft.
Mitch Keller vs. BOS – Keller is a Cherry Bomb and it’s up to you if you want to chance it.
Kyle Harrison vs. ARI – Sadly, Harrison’s four-seamer isn’t getting the whiffs you want to see on his heater in the zone, though I do love how he’s able to
DL Hall @ STL – The Cardinals aren’t scary and Hall, even without the overpowering fastball, does have the tools to be a solid all-around starter.
Charlie Morton vs. TEX – You’re here for the Win chance and hopefully some strikeouts along the way. No, I don’t like it at all.
Do Not Starts
José Buttó @ LAD – He just got sixteen whiffs against the Royals, but this is the Dodgers.
Patrick Sandoval @ CIN – The Irish Panda finally got his slider and changeup low in his last outing. That’s wonderful and likely not going to stick.
Miles Mikolas vs. MIL – Mikolas is just so…blegh.
Roddery Muñoz @ CHC – He’s getting the start as the extra man for this double-header, pushing Edward Cabrera back a day to Sunday. He’s a fastball/slider arm who hasn’t been consistent at all through his minor league career and I heavily suggest not going after this. However, the bottom five arms have already showcased their terrible floors, why not chase the mystery box instead?
Michael Soroka @ PHI – Maybe this is the day Soroka is able to harness his fastball and changeup command?
Alex Wood @ CLE – Wood is so far from dependable, but has rare moments of magic.
Randy Vásquez vs. TOR – Vásquez is taking over for Darvish and I have little faith he can come through against the Jays.
Trevor Williams vs. HOU – #NeverTrevor.
UPDATE: Dakota Hudson vs. SEA – Hudson’s extreme groundball inductions craft a minute window for success in all situations. Which, of course, is not a good gamble to take.
Kyle Freeland vs. SEA – It’s Freeland. And Coors.
Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto-Starts
Aaron Nola vs. CHW – Aces gonna ace.
George Kirby @ COL – Aces gonna ace, even in Coors.
Cristian Javier @ WSN – It’s the Nationals + I love Javier’s new changeup. Yes, he’s struggled with four-seamer strikes thus far, and yet, his last start did just that. Even at diminished velocity.
Sonny Gray vs. MIL – He’s back and beautiful.
Merrill Kelly @ SFG – Kelly is a safety blanket against a poor offense.
Tanner Bibee vs. OAK – I’m not loving his overall command but it’s Oakland. Strikeouts will be there.
Probably Starts
Chris Bassitt @ SDP – You start Bassitt. Don’t overthink it.
Joe Musgrove vs. TOR – Musgrove has something to prove against a solid(?) Toronto crew. I’m still going for this everywhere.
Aaron Civale @ NYY – The Yankees are a fierce team, but Civale has come through against top offenses already.
Edward Cabrera @ CHC – This may be a little too high given his track record, and yet, hot dang was that a glorious first outing of the year.
Casey Mize @ MIN – Mize looked his best against the Rangers and now gets to host an easier crew.
Luis Gil vs. TBR – This is Judgement Day for Gil as he faces a weak Rays lineup. If he’s still struggling to earn strikes in this one, it’s likely time to move on. HOWEVER, the ceiling is massive if it clicks, making this one where I’d lean for this start and hope that it propels a trend we know he’s capable of.
James Paxton vs. NYM – The Mets are waking up a bit and Paxton just walked eight…but this also seems like a solid Win chance, regardless. He’s fringe Tier 2/3.
Questionable Starts
Louie Varland vs. DET – Also on the fringe is Varland, who has done little to earn your trust. The appeal here is a fastball that dominates upstairs…if he can actually locate it there. This has potential for an eyebrow raising outing of “Oh snap, do we pick up Varland everywhere now?!” or a confirmation that Varland simply isn’t going to pan out. Think Gil but to a lesser degree.
Frankie Montas vs. LAA – It’s a poor lineup and Montas is a Toby with a little more variance given his slider/splitter approach.
Seth Lugo vs. BAL – I know many like Lugo, though I see the same Toby from last year. It’s the Orioles, be careful.
Jordan Hicks vs. ARI – Hicks’ sinker does a great job at limiting hard contact, but the Diamondbacks are a solid offense and Hicks doesn’t have a whole lot of backup if the sinker doesn’t do enough.
Martín Pérez vs. BOS – It’s a Vargas Rule and this is Boston outside of Fenway, without Devers.
Do Not Starts
Nick Nastrini @ PHI – Nastrini impressed me in his debut – a start that usually accompanies shaky command. If Nastrini’s locations are a little better in his sophomore outing, he can survive the Phillies with his fastball, slider, and changeup mix.
José Soriano @ CIN – There’s upside in Soriano’s 96-101 mph fastballs, especially the sinker that dives like a true sinker. His curveball can be a legit CSW pitch as well and it makes for something interesting, though heading to Cincy makes the floor too low for the intrigue.
Cole Irvin @ KCR – He has a chance for 5+ in front of a powerful offense.
Colin Rea @ STL – Rea has the chance to go 5/6 constantly, at the very least.
Emerson Hancock @ COL – Maybe his groundball affinity works in Coors?
Mitchell Parker vs. HOU – Parker was able to go five against the Dodgers and the Astros are worse. It’s still just four-seamer/curve, without an elite heater, though. I do dig the big hook, at least for eye candy.
Adrian Houser @ LAD – Houser is capable of chucking heaters over the plate and getting outs, even against the Dodgers. Obviously terrible risk/reward here.
Josh Winckowski @ PIT – Winck doesn’t have an electric arsenal and I’m not sure he’ll go long enough in this outing to justify a start, even against the Pirates.
Ross Stripling @ CLE – Strip is all kinds of blegh, but at least there’s a chance with his kitchen-sink approach.
Kyle Hendricks vs. MIA – Hendricks is struggling and I wonder how long he’s made for the rotation. He could swerve through five innings against a poor lineup, though.
Cal Quantrill vs. SEA – COL story, bro. The UnQuantrillfiable has done crazier things.
Michael Lorenzen @ ATL – It’s Atlanta + Lorenzen isn’t fully stretched out + is he that good when stretched out?
Darius Vines vs. TEX – It’s the Rangers. Vines also has a decent changeup and Atlanta behind him with a chance for five innings.
Peter Lambert vs. SEA – COL Story, bro.
Featured Image by Kurt Wasemiller (@KUWasemiller on Twitter / @kurt_player02 on Instagram) –
i’m not buying the Yankees are a fierce team. Soto is Soto, but Judge is in a small slump, Volpe has improved, Rizzo seems to hit good at home vs RHP. although Civale isn’t immune to clunkers. and yankee stadium is different from tropicana. but not fierce dude.
Weathers had similar results vs the Giants as Cabrera, should we pick him up? but you did the eye test on Cabrera, i believe you. and his past numbers aren’t bad. year 2 was great. year 3 low hits, a lot of walks, .215 BA, good K/9, not many unearned runs, 11 HR’s in 99 innings (which i think is a good indicator), 26 yrs old, (not the magical 28) but Cabrera is poised to breakout. and we trust the Marlins with pitching. i didn’t get him on my teams unfortunately.
watching Gil’s last start, i couldn’t get him off my team fast enough. he literally couldn’t throw a strike. the announcers pointed out he could only do it with his changeup. it was this close to disaster until Kiermaier and Springer (i think) decided to swing at balls. happened last game also but not as pronounced. players had to conference on the mound and pat him on the back to get out of another walk induced bases loaded jam. Gil’s going to have to dial it down a few mph to throw strikes, and he’s not going to. thus, it’s going to keep happening.