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.
2023 Results:
Nick’s Record: 101-77
PL Bot’s Record: 90-89
Nick’s 2024 Streamer Record: 7-0
My pick yesterday: Logan Allen @ SEA
PL Bot’s 2024 Streamer Record: 6-1
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Logan Allen @ SEA
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
Pablo López vs. CLE – Aces gonna ace.
Tarik Skubal @ NYM – Aces gonna ace.
Probably Starts
Seth Lugo vs. CHW – The White Sox are terrible as an offense and Lugo is a lovely Toby with potential for a strikeout per inning.
Tanner Bibee @ MIN – It wasn’t a fun first outing for Bibee. The Twins should help his recovery, even if I don’t like his four-seamer shape in the slightest.
Casey Mize @ NYM – We’re FINALLY getting a look at Mize (he’s the final SP #5 to actually pitch) and I’m here for it. Lugo and Bibee are more established in good matchups and get the nod.
Matt Manning @ NYM – Oddly enough, I have Manning rostered in a league where I couldn’t drop a player until this upcoming Monday, and I’m starting him. He’s going to have adrenaline here in a clear “I DESERVE TO BE HERE” outing against a middling lineup.
Questionable Starts
Jose Quintana vs. DET – It’s the Tigers and Quintana’s curve + change are in a good place.
Ryan Weathers @ STL – I like the look of Weathers’ heater from his season debut and the focus on changeups could be a proper step forward. It’s still early, though, and the Cardinals pack punch in their bats. We’ve seen Weathers degrade over the season, too.
Martín Pérez @ WSN – The Win chance is great as Pérez’s command is above the streamable threshold. If only he was, you know, a little better.
Lance Lynn vs. MIA – He survived the Dodgers and the Marlins aren’t looking so mighty. Not a bad shot for strikeouts, though the floor is still looking like lava.
José Buttó vs. DET – The Tigers are one of the rougher offenses out there and Butto’s spring showcased an improved arsenal. He’s stretched out and could provide value here.
Do Not Starts
Josiah Gray vs. PIT – The Pirates are looking better than we expected + Gray is a HR machine. There is some strikeout upside if you’re in dire need.
Michael Soroka @ KCR – It was a horrible season debut and while I expected Soroka to find a groove with more outings, it’s hard to endorse a complete reversal.
Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto-Starts
Spencer Strider vs. ARI – Aces gonna ace.
Tarik Skubal @ NYM – Aces gonna ace.
Bobby Miller @ CHC – Aces gonna ace.
Freddy Peralta vs. SEA – Aces gonna ace.
Grayson Rodriguez @ PIT – Aces gonna ace.
Aaron Nola @ WSN – Aces gonna ace.
Kutter Crawford @ LAA – It’s a great matchup and Kutter looks primed to soar.
Logan Gilbert @ MIL – Gilbert impressed me in his first outing, though pitching in Miller Park is a tough rougher than the matchups above.
Dylan Cease @ SFG – We love the situation, hate the innate volatility of Cease.
Probably Starts
Jared Jones vs. BAL – I was incredibly tempted to stick him in the top tier after last week’s outing. I know it’s Baltimore, yada yada yada – are you actually benching Jones?! IT’S SO FUN.
Brady Singer vs. CHW – Eno and I chatted about Singer on our weekly episode of The Craft and Eno made me a little more convinced that Singer’s new four-seamer could be a legit gamechanger that helps him nullify LHB moving forward. It’s a chance and you’re in the best spot to test the waters with a start against the White Sox.
Hunter Greene vs. NYM – You’re gonna start him for the strikeouts even in Cincy. I don’t like it – I get the sense Alonso will demolish a heater from Greene – and yet, we’re going to do this against the Mets.
Marcus Stroman vs. TOR – Stroman just took down the Astros and we’re inclined to roll him out there against the Jays in the Yankee home opener.
JP Sears @ DET – He didn’t come through against the Guardians and we can point to their tenacious contact ability for Sears’ lack of production. Detroit is the opposite side of the coin and Sears’ four-seamer is sure to dominate as long as it finds enough of the zone. I’m going for it, though the Win chance is even lower than usual given Skubal on the other side.
Questionable Starts
Jordan Hicks vs. SDP – I was tempted to place him in the second tier, though Hicks’ inability to wield his sweeper last time outlines more volatility than I’d like against a solid crew of bats.
Hunter Brown @ TEX – Brown’s approach is improving and the Astros can give him run support. It’s the Rangers, though, and he’ll be punished moreso than usual for his mistakes in the zone.
Erick Fedde @ KCR – Fedde looked like a solid command guy in his first outing and I originally had him in the higher tier. Then I receded as the Royals have been better than expected this season. Not every start can be against the Tigers, after all.
Yusei Kikuchi @ NYY – He’s not in a groove quite yet and while I expect him to get there, this Yankee start comes with plenty of haze.
Griffin Canning vs. BOS – His four-seamer was worse last time out, which obviously led to 50% usage. Duh. That should change as he’s fortunate to get the Red Sox away from Fenway.
Do Not Starts
Zack Littell @ COL – It’s Coors. And yet, it’s also Littell, who has some intrigue after showcasing a shocking approach of high-and-armside sliders that works surprisingly well.
Cody Bradford vs. HOU – Bradford is a LHP Ober in some ways and the Rangers offense could help him sneak a Win here. No, I don’t like it much at all.
Jose Quintana @ CIN – Going from the Tigers to Cincy is a rough time for Quintana managers. Sorry about the rain, y’all.
Patrick Corbin vs. PHI – I’m still waiting for Corbin to fully understand his cutter. One day.
Kyle Hendricks vs. LAD – The Dodgers + Hendricks = a bad time.
Austin Gomber vs. TBR – COL story, bro.
Tommy Henry @ ATL – Two first names + Atlanta.
Featured Image by Kurt Wasemiller (@KUWasemiller on Twitter / @kurt_player02 on Instagram) –