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.
And of course, there are my streaming picks of the day. 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.
(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):
Remember, these offensive rankings are based on each offense's Process+ so far this year and how we project their lineups moving forward. It means you're going to see a little different offensive rankings than you may see elsewhere and there will always be some surprises. This is based on skills, not purely results!
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 PLV, 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.
Note: If no pitcher under 20% rostered would have qualified for a "Streaming Win," no loss is granted.
Nick's 2025 Streamer Record: 38-13
My Pick yesterday: Cade Horton vs. CHW
My Pick today: Lucas Giolito vs. ATL
My Pick tomorrow: Zebby Matthews @ MIL
My Pick day after tomorrow: Unlock with PL Pro
PL Bot's 2025 Streamer Record: 36-15
PL Bot's Pick yesterday: Cade Horton vs. CHW
PL Bot's Pick today: Unlock with PL Pro
PL Bot's Pick tomorrow: Unlock with PL Pro
PL Bot's Pick day after tomorrow: Unlock with PL Pro
PL Bot's Picks are located at the bottom of this article for PL Pro members.
Saturday 5/17 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Zack Wheeler vs. PIT - Aces gonna ace.
Pablo López @ MIL - There's no way you're benching PabLó.
Seth Lugo vs. STL - The prototypical "Holly" gets a weak lineup. Yes please.
Zac Gallen vs. COL - It's "Rockie Road".
Drew Rasmussen @ MIA - It's the Marlins. Please go six this time.
Matthew Boyd vs. CHW - It's the White Sox.
Probably Starts
Lucas Giolito vs. ATL - I'm genuinely shocked at Giolito's low rostership (sub 15%!). He's fixed, y'all. 93/94 mph heaters with an improved slider (it's more like a cutter) as the two biggest concerns have been alleviated (velo and #3 pitch). Grab him everywhere.
Reese Olson @ TOR - I love Olson's changeup and slider and the Jays are not scaring many.
Nick Pivetta vs. SEA - We may be seeing the decline of Pivetta coming as the weather heats up. More HRs could be flying out in San Diego as he returns to the 4.00+ ERA he's had every year of his career.
Questionable Starts
Sandy Alcantara vs. TBR - If you watched his last start, you know he had a fantastic outing until the final frame, even without the best curve and fastballs. But it was the White Sox! But it's the Rays! I was tempted to put him in the higher tier for this reason, but I get it. You want one AWWW YEAH start before you do this.
Tyler Mahle vs. HOU - Mahle's cutter has helped ease the burden taken upon the splitter and slider to complement the heater. I'm still a little wary and the Astros could nullify the splitter a bit with their RHB-heavy crew.
Clarke Schmidt vs. NYM - The Mets are a strong offense and Schmidt isn't the most efficient pitcher around.
Grant Holmes @ BOS - It's Fenway and "REB" hasn't gotten into his curveball rhythm yet. It's close, just not quite there.
Landen Roupp vs. ATH - Roupp's curve is legit. The sinker is legit...when he can land it armside. I want to see more from the changeup against the "Sacré Verde" A's (Sacré Verdehhhhhs?), which could even out Roupp's volatility over time.
Ronel Blanco @ TEX - It was a peak night for blanco against the Reds. The Rangers are tougher.
Luis Severino @ SFG - Sevy isn't having the best of seasons. He still throws strikes with an improved cutter and the Giants sprinkle flowers along the path of redemption.
Griffin Canning @ NYY - Canning is a "Vargas Rule", how willing are you to follow it?
Do Not Starts
Jake Irvin @ BAL - The velocity is back, but the curveball feel is a bit off. It could appear here and begin another lovely stretch.
Miles Mikolas @ KCR - Mikolas throws strikes. That always gives him a chance with the Cardinals' elite defense behind him.
Noah Cameron vs. STL -
Tobias Myers vs. MIN - Myers was sent to the minors only to return moments later with Quintana's injury. There's a decent chance he has a redemption start against a questionable Minnesota crew.
Chase Petty (Opener) vs. CLE - BUT THE WALKS! I know, I know. There's this concept that a pitcher who has walked six batters is incapable of walking two or fewer in his next start. That is not the case. Petty has gotten the pearl just twice in his career and he's not destined to throw sub 45% strikes on his fastball and slider. If this is the start where the yips are gone, Petty could be the Roundup focus and a popular pickup overnight.
Clayton Kershaw vs. LAA - OH SNAP. "TATIAGA" hath returned! In a "Still ILL" and I have very low expectations for not just this outing, but overall production moving forward. At his peak, he was a command artist who relied heavily on spotting back-foot sliders and dotted sinkers to RHB. We've seen that ability degrade in recent years and I'm worried he can't get away with nearly as much these days at upper-80s velocity.
Sean Burke @ CHC - It's the Cubs + Burke isn't locked in like he was in September.
Tyler Anderson @ LAD - Anderson's changeup is legit, but it's the Dodgers. Tooooo risky. They'll hang him out to dry if it goes poorly.
Emerson Hancock @ SDP - Hancock had 15 whiffs against the Yankees! Here's to Hancock vaulting off that outing (despite the ratios).
Kyle Gibson vs. WSN - You know, if there were a start for Gibson to prove himself as a killer free-agent signing for the Orioles, it would be this one against the Nats. If there were.
Slade Cecconi @ CIN - He's making his Guardians debut in place of Ben Lively. I don't think there's enough juice to chase, nor have I seen anything new and exciting in his minor league outings, though I could be missing something. For now, we wait and see.
Eric Lauer vs. DET - Lauer, that was a fun run we had a few years ago, eh? Good times, good times.
Carmen Mlodzinski @ PHI - WE WANT BUBBA.
Germán Márquez @ ARI - I'm just happy he gets to play baseball.
Sunday 5/18 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Paul Skenes @ PHI - Aces gonna ace.
Max Fried vs. NYM - Aces gonna ace.
Michael King vs. SEA - Aces gonna ace.
Bryan Woo @ SDP - Aces gonna ace. What a fun matchup.
Freddy Peralta vs. MIN - You auto-start "Cherry Bombs" outside of the toughest matchups and maybe then too.
Merrill Kelly vs. COL - It's "Rockie Road" for a strong "Toby".
Shane Baz @ MIA - Yes, Baz hasn't been at the top of his game. No, you don't bench him for a start against the Marlins. The Marlins!
Spencer Schwellenbach @ BOS - It's Fenway and that's annoying. "Mr. Crescendo" hasn't given us a start displaying his full potential for about a month now, too.
Probably Starts
Michael Wacha vs. STL - Wacha has become a reliable "Holly" and the Cardinals aren't enough to steer us away.
Zach Eflin vs. WSN - Eflin is removed from his "Still ILL" and gets the lowly Nationals. This is what you want.
Matthew Liberatore @ KCR - The Royals aren't scary. Liberatore is looking like a solid six-inning "Holly".
Tony Gonsolin vs. LAA - I'm not in love with the arsenal. I'm in love with the situation.
Colin Rea vs. CHW - It's the White Sox. Rea is not a long-term play and we have him now for starts like these.
Jackson Jobe @ TOR - Jobe is taking the steps forward we want to see with his pitch mix. Here's to another step forward against the Jays.
Andrew Abbott vs. CLE - Alright Abbott, can you keep this going? The Guardians aren't the biggest threat.
Questionable Starts
Zebby Matthews @ MIL - IT'S ABOUT DANG TIME. Matthews hasn't been as electric in Triple-A as of late, mostly due to his lack of slider dominance, and despite getting a hefty serving of the bigs last year, I'm treating this like a mini-debut. I'd roster Zebby and possibly play it safe in some leagues.
Jeffrey Springs @ SFG - The slider came alive last time out and if he can take down LHB consistently, starts like these will be sunshine and rainbows, especially in San Francisco.
Justin Verlander vs. ATH - Verlander hasn't had a game of 95 mph + fastball command + slider command in a bit. We've seen it in pieces, just not all at once.
Jack Leiter vs. HOU - We know the potential of Leiter. Only question is if he'll find a good enough rhythm here. The good news? He'll face a massive dose of RHB, allowing him to go slider-heavy.
David Peterson @ NYY - It's the Yankees, though Peterson at his peak would still succeed.
José Berríos vs. DET - You never know with "The Great Undulator".
Luis L. Ortiz @ CIN - Here's an interesting one. The Reds have been ultra-passive on fastballs inside the zone. Ortiz struggles to throw strikes. Can he make the adjustment?
Michael Soroka @ BAL - Soroka's fastball/slider combo needs a little extra to make him a regular starting option in 12-teamers.
Brayan Bello vs. ATL - We're still waiting for Bello to force us to start him. We see how it all works, he needs to put it all together.
Do Not Starts
Mick Abel vs. PIT - It's an MLB debut - we don't start those. Abel was last seen as a slider-first arm and has recently sat comfortably over 95 mph (if not 96 mph) with whiffs on the four-seamer. I wonder if we'll see a more explosive arm than previously after accruing 47 strikeouts in his final seven minor league games - that's nearly an average of seven punchouts a game.
Ryan Gusto @ TEX - The four-seamer hasn't been enough and yet there's a chance.
Yusei Kikuchi @ LAD - Kikuchi is so rough these days and it's the Dodgers.
Chase Dollander @ ARI - Dollander isn't in Coors, but this is the Sneks. I don't trust the secondaries and it's too low of a floor.
Jonathan Cannon @ CHC - The Cubs + I still need to restock before we play the 1812 Overture again.
Cal Quantrill vs. TBR - It's Quantrill, even if he had a miraculous start last time out.
Monday 5/19 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 from everyone else, and I thought this was a good compromise.
