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):
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.
Nick's 2025 Streamer Record: 28-8
My Pick yesterday: Colin Rea @ PIT
My Pick today: José Soriano vs. DET
PL Bot's 2025 Streamer Record: 29-8
PL Bot's Pick yesterday: Jeffrey Springs @ TEX
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.
Friday 5/2 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Tarik Skubal @ LAA - Aces gonna ace.
Max Fried vs. TBR - Aces gonna ace.
Hunter Greene vs. WSN - Aces gonna ace.
Robbie Ray vs. COL - "Rockie Road" is the greatest gift of all.
Dylan Cease @ PIT - He's at the very edge of "AGA" and fortunately Pittsburgh should get him back on track.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto @ ATL - Aces gonna ace.
Framber Valdez @ CHW - How lovely is this?!
Joe Ryan @ BOS - It's Fenway and the absurd sweeper was obviously aided by the wind, and yet, I believe in that sweeper being a better #2 pitch than he's ever had.
Bryan Woo @ TEX - Woo's fastballs are still elite.
Sonny Gray vs. NYM - His wide arsenal makes him Sonny more often than Gray.
Jesús Luzardo vs. ARI - Luzardo has been on fire thanks to adopting a sweeper over the gyro slider. Here's to hoping he doesn't fall into his patented disaster stretches.
Probably Starts
Clay Holmes @ STL - Holmes' inefficiency and poor WHIP floor make me annoyed in 12-teamers, though he could become a stable "Holly" if he's able to generate more whiffs with his kick-change and breakers.
Jack Leiter vs. SEA - We saw the better version of Leiter after the first frame and with the "STILL ILL" start out of the way, I'm excited to see him unleashed once again.
Questionable Starts
Ryan Pepiot @ NYY - I love Pepiot's stuff and he returned a "Bailey Special" last time facing the pinstripes when he wasn't even at his best. Still awfully scary, of course.
Michael Wacha @ BAL - Wacha is a solid "Toby" with his classic changeup at the ready.
José Soriano vs. DET - Soriano hasn't gotten into the groove we saw plenty last year and this could go either way.
Brayan Bello vs. MIN - Buehler is nursing a sore shoulder, leading to Bello getting a start a day early. I would be more interested if we saw all of his pitches working in his first outing, but we're not there yet. Could be this one.
Chris Bassitt vs. CLE - Bassitt's curve has disappeared and he'll need it against the LHB-heavy Guardian offense. I'm worried about this one.
Merrill Kelly @ PHI - He's a "Toby" who can find outs even against the Phils. Not a great ceiling and lower floor than usual, of course.
Mitchell Parker @ CIN - It was far from a fun time against the Mets. There's a legit pitcher in there if he can spot his pitches and over time get his velocity going. For now, it's a risky QS play.
Mitch Keller vs. SDP - Keller is maddening and I simply want to avoid it. I recognize this could be six frames of decent production.
Do Not Starts
Grant Holmes vs. LAD - I just want "The Real Estate Broker" to experiment a little and do his best to get the curveball back to earning whiffs. He needs that + the slider missing bats to get back on track. It's all about seeing something good enough here to target him when he hosts the lowly Reds next week.
Gunnar Hoglund @ MIA - It's the Marlins, and there's a some intrigue in Hoglund, but it's an MLB debut. We don't start those. I'm not expecting a super ceiling arm, but always hope he blows me away.
Dean Kremer vs. KCR - Kremer is a "Werewolf". Anyone check the moon lately?
Ben Brown @ MIL - He still doesn't have a third pitch. Y'all know this by now.
Quinn Priester vs. CHC - Priester has a decent leash and "Koufax" could be watching over his sinker once again as we hope the breakers wake up.
Logan Allen @ TOR - Allen has survived for 5+ frames before. That's it? Yeah...
Jonathan Cannon vs. HOU - Please let us blast the 1812 Overture. PLEASE.
Antonio Senzatela @ SFG - Senz-A does what Senz-A does.
Valente Bellozo vs. ATH - You should expect absolutely nothing here.
Saturday 5/3 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Hunter Brown @ CHW - He's looking for the "AGA" tag, but it won't come after the CrySox. That's too easy, he said, putting that jinx out there.
Jack Flaherty @ LAA - The breakers were off last game. Expect them to return here.
Probably Starts
Spencer Schwellenbach vs. LAD - Oh nelly. This is a tough one and it feels wrong to lead the start of the tier with a matchup against the Dodgers. I can see many placing "Mr. Crescendo" under plenty of arms below, but he should be an ace.
Nick Lodolo vs. WSN - Lodolo is cruising. Don't interrupt it.
Aaron Nola vs. ARI - I've always hated Sneks. Nola went cutter heavy to RHB in his last start and I'd love to see that again.
Tylor Megill @ STL - HIS NAME IS TYLORD. We keep riding.
Max Meyer vs. ATH - After striking out 14, Meyer was gifted "@TEA" and was the worst I've seen him. Here's to getting back on the horse.
Clarke Schmidt vs. TBR - It's the Rays and Schmidt is stretched out. This should be fine.
Bailey Ober @ BOS - I really don't like Ober in Fenway, especially when he has yet to display a fantastic ceiling.
Kris Bubic @ BAL - It's the Orioles, though I'm a general believer in Bubic's four-seamer and changeup. Here's to a rebound with his command.
Jordan Hicks vs. COL - He was down to 94 mph in his last start (not 95-100) and I wouldn't be rostering him if not for "Rockie Road". It's the perfect scenario: We have a great floor and we can still hold to see if the velocity returns. If he's still at 94/95, we drop.
Luis Castillo @ TEX - Castillo is making us all scared with his poor heaters. It's not "push the red button" time, so we start him here in most places.
Brandon Pfaadt @ PHI - I love the new Pfaadt with his changeup and curve focus to LHB. This is a proper challenge that I'm going with if I have him rostered.
Kevin Gausman vs. CLE - You know the drill. Let's hope the splitter can do its job against these LHB.
Jameson Taillon @ MIL - Taillon's "Vargas Rule" is chugging along.
Questionable Starts
Gavin Williams @ TOR - He was so good. Then he was so bad. Who knows what this will bring.
Osvaldo Bido @ MIA - It's the Marlins, and it's also Bido's chaotic nature.
Tomoyuki Sugano vs. KCR - Sugano just had a brilliant day with his splitter against the Yankees and overall command. Maybe he's finally settled in.
Erick Fedde vs. NYM - Fedde is trying his hardest to become "Spider-Man". The Mets aren't too intimidating, fortunately.
Roki Sasaki @ ATL - Hey, can you throw a sinker instead of that slider? Not even a cutter (I wish), just a sinker would help a ton. Yes, you're allowed to drop Sasaki if you haven't.
Jose Quintana vs. CHC - The "Vargas Rule" is at play, but it doesn't look sustainable in the slightest and this is the Cubs. You do you, I'm not touching this.
Do Not Starts
Kyle Hendricks vs. DET - Maybe the changeups are golden?
Patrick Corbin vs. SEA - I'll continue to dig Corbin's slider and cutter experimentation as he tries to squeeze the most success possible from his declining arsenal.
Trevor Williams @ CIN - Remember kids, #NeverTrevor.
Sean Newcomb vs. MIN - He's getting another start with Buehler out of the rotation. You're hoping for five frames of decency for a Win.
Davis Martin vs. HOU - He's going to face a ton of RHB, which means the kick-change may not do a whole lot, relying on the slider and terrible four-seamers.
Ryan Feltner @ SFG - At least it's not in Coors?
Randy Vásquez @ PIT - At least it's in PNC park?
Zack Littell @ NYY - At least there's a super low chance if the sliders don't get hit?
Bailey Falter vs. SDP - At least he's---JUST TRADE HIM TO THE RAYS ALREADY.
Sunday 5/4 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.
Dobbins & McCullers some intriguing options!