Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball – 6/11 & 6/12

Here are today’s daily SP Streamer rankings.

Every day of the 2023 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 Twitch.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 Twitch 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.

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,” which 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.

 

Nick’s 2023 Streamer Record: 39-31

My pick yesterday: J.P. France @ CLE

PL Bot’s 2023 Streamer Record: 36-34

PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Jared Shuster vs. WSN

Want PL Bot’s pick today? Sign Up for PL Pro here.

 

With the new formatting for the notes, I’ve made the streaming pick of the day Underlined and Italicized.

 

Today’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

 

Auto-Starts

 

Shane McClanahan vs. TEX – Aces gonna ace, even against Texas.

Kevin Gausman vs. MIN – Aces gonna ace. Almost put hit at #1.

Zac Gallen @ DET – Aces gonna ace, though Gallen hasn’t had his best command for a bit.

Freddy Peralta vs. OAK – Peralta got his heater back and this is Oakland. Sign me up.

Hunter Greene @ STL – He’s on the hot stretch and the Cardinals are ice cold.

Lucas Giolito vs. MIA – He brought 94 mph against the Yankees with his best slider.

UPDATE: Logan Gilbert @ LAA – The Mariners swapped Gilbert and Bryce and you should be starting Gilbert. Pretty easy.

Bryce Elder vs. WSN – You’re not benching Elder during his Vargas Rule and it’s the Nationals.

 

Probable Starts

 

Bryce Miller @ LAA – The buy-low window on Bryce may be closing as the four-seamer is still an elite pitch.

Braxton Garrett @ CHW – I’m surprised he’s still sub-20 % rostered with a full repertoire of cutters, changeups, and sliders with many great matchups ahead.

Mitch Keller vs. NYM – His last start was the one that got me concerned, though I have to believe the skills are still present with the new cutter.

JP Sears @ MIL – He didn’t make it five frames last time, but the whiffs are there and the Brewers aren’t scary (even with their hot week).

 

Questionable Starts

 

Carlos Carrasco @ PIT – I want to believe Carrasco can sit 93 mph every start now, but I need to see more before leaning into the matchup.

Brandon Bielak @ CLE – The changeup was great against the Jays and he could go 5-6 frames of Toby ball.

Kyle Gibson vs. KCR – It’s a great matchup, but it’s also Gibson, the new king of volatility.

Shane Bieber vs. HOU – The Astros aren’t as scary without Alvarez, but Bieber hasn’t had his slider for a bit and holds a 16.3% strikeout rate. Yikes.

Brayan Bello @ NYY – He has flashes of dominance and then loses the command. Without Judge, this may be worthwhile.

Blake Snell @ COL – It’s Coors and Snell hasn’t harnessed the potential of his arsenal yet.

Louie Varland @ TOR – He was demolished by the Rays last time out and yet I still like his skills. There’s a shot he comes through despite the Jays’ lineup.

Griffin Canning vs. SEA – If Canning is able to go fewer than 30% fastballs, he’ll be worthwhile against the Mariners.

Clarke Schmidt vs. BOS – He came through last time and I still question if his arsenal packs enough punch to chase.

Mike Mayers (Opener) @ BAL – Mayers failed to produce last time, but has shown the ability to keep his secondaries down and take advantage of a good park.

Martín Pérez @ TBR – It’s Pérez. You know the risks but he could also cruise for six.

 

Do Not Starts

 

Hayden Wesneski @ SFG – I’m waiting for the breaker to become a legit pitch once again before diving in.

Taijuan Walker vs. LAD – The splitter came through in his last start and I hate banking on that happening again, especially against the Dodgers.

Adam Wainwright vs. CIN – Waino isn’t fantasy relevant, but hey, if you’re in dire need of a QS then maaaaybe.

Sean Manaea (Opener) vs. CHC – Give us a legit outing and we’ll talk. Manaea pitched in relief on Saturday.

Trevor Williams @ ATL – Nah.

Dinelson Lamet vs. SDP – It’s Coors and Lamet isn’t the guy you remember.

Joey Wentz (Opener) vs. ARI – Not a chance.

Dodgers Bullpen? @ PHI – No idea what the plan is here for the Dodgers. Maybe we get a surprise call up?

Giants Pullpen? vs CHC – Not sure what the Giants are going to do here, just avoid it.

 

Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

 

Auto-Starts

 

James Paxton vs. COL – Look at that, Paxton earns the top spot as he gets Rockie Road. I don’t think he was at his command peak last time out, but the four-seamer is working well inside the zone and the Rockies will have trouble.

Logan Webb @ STL – The Cardinals aren’t terrifying and Webb has harnessed his changeup.

Zach Eflin @ OAK – It’s the Athletics and Eflin is cruising.

Bryce Miller vs. MIA – Miller received the gift of starting against the Marlins instead of the Angels and while I have a temptation to put him at the top, let’s see him rebound first.

Jesús Luzardo @ SEA – He’s fresh off his best start of the year and I don’t think the Mariners are enough to deter a start.

 

Probable Starts

 

Charlie Morton @ DET – Despite the matchup, Morton has been hot and cold all year.

Jack Flaherty vs. SFG – He’s in a much better place than I thought he’d be, but the Giants are solid and Flaherty could show his floor instead of his peak.

 

Questionable Starts

 

NONE – It’s just one of those days. I don’t slot pitchers in tiers just to have someone be in each one. You’re welcome.

 

Do Not Starts

 

Luke Weaver @ KCR – It’s the bottom tier, which means you shouldn’t be chasing Weaver as a stream to kick off your week. That said, if he has his cutter and changeup spotted, he could squeeze out production in 5+ frames. Maybe.

Dane Dunning vs. LAA – I don’t think Dunning does enough with his repertoire and the Angels can punish pitchers in a hurry.

Zack Greinke vs. CIN – It’s Greinke, he does what he pleases without a whole lot of upside.

Connor Seabold @ BOS – Connor has had some random magic here and there and hey, it’s outside of Coors! That’s the best I’ve got, don’t do this.

James Kaprielian vs. TBR – Jimmy Hat has a chance if he’s able to toss enough four-seamers & sliders for strikes. He’ll likely struggle and the Rays will jump him.

Tyler Anderson @ TEX – It’s the Rangers and Anderson “boasts” a sub-15 % strikeout rate.

Tommy Henry vs. PHI – Henry could be out in fewer than four frames here…or have one of those “Phillies” nights where he finds a way to carve them up for 5+ frames. Highly unlikely it’s the latter.

Dylan Covey @ ARI – Covey isn’t the answer for Philadelphia and I’m really sad Andrew Painter got hurt in the spring.

TBD Tigers SP vs. ATL – I’m not sure what the Tigers are planning to do for Tuesday. Whatever it is, you avoid it.

 

Featured Image by Kurt Wasemiller (@KUWasemiller on Twitter / @kurt_player02 on Instagram)