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 those picks would be 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 by tier):
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.
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, 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 2024 Streamer Record: 52-40
My pick yesterday: Landon Knack @ SFG – W
PL Bot’s 2024 Streamer Record: 52-40
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Drew Thorpe vs. COL – W
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
Garrett Crochet vs. COL – Aces gonna ace.
Joe Ryan @ SEA – Aces gonna ace.
Ranger Suárez vs. MIA – Aces gonna ace.
UPDATE: Luis Castillo vs. MIN – Aces gonna ace.
Freddy Peralta vs. CHC – He’s a premium Cherry Bomb and you’re starting him.
Seth Lugo vs. CLE – Lugo is too good right now.
Probably Starts
Taj Bradley vs. WSN – He’s been more beneficial than harmful and you’re rolling with this against the Nationals.
Hunter Greene @ STL – We have to assume he’s not sick this time, right?
Gerrit Cole @ TOR – That last outing was rough. I understand caution here, especially without a start of 70+ pitches yet and reduced velocity after the first.
Tyler Anderson vs. DET – It’s a solid Toby and against the Tigers.
Matt Waldron @ BOS – His non-knuckleball stuff is good enough of a floor to take the risk for the reward of the knuckler dominating.
Brandon Pfaadt vs. OAK – It’s the Athletics and even if I don’t love Pfaadt’s arsenal, this is an obvious play.
Kevin Gausman vs. NYY – It’s the Yankees and his splitter isn’t earning the whiffs it used to.
James Paxton @ SFG – The Win chance is great and he’s still doing the same four-seamer/curve BSB.
Spencer Schwellenbach vs. PIT – It wasn’t the line we wanted last time out, but the skills are solid and it’s a great Win chance.
Questionable Starts
Casey Mize @ LAA – His heater is up in velocity, but we’ve seen it improve and come back down during the year. The Angels make this an intriguing stream, especially if it makes your roster Mize before a possible breakout start.
Cole Irvin vs. TEX – The Rangers aren’t as threatening as their former self and Irvin could secure a Win.
Luis Severino vs. HOU – He fanned ten, but it’s the Astros and I still can’t quite buy into what Sevy does. I’M SORRY.
Logan Allen @ KCR – The Royals are struggling, though Allen isn’t in a groove.
Andrew Heaney @ BAL – He had the BSB working, but the Orioles are great against LHP.
Do Not Starts
Yonny Chirinos @ PHI – He’s had two good outings, but this is the Phillies…without Shwarber or Harper…?
Kyle Hendricks @ MIL – Hendricks brought back the curveball in his last two starts against the Giants, but the Brewers are a far tougher matchup.
Bailey Falter @ ATL – There have been rare moments where Falter can get by with his four-seamer and changeup. It’s Atlanta, though.
Kyle Freeland @ CHW – You can start Freeland if you want, away from Coors and against the CrySox. It’s a free land.
Lance Lynn vs. CIN – Generally, adding two Ls gives you a third.
Luis Medina @ ARI – He’s a Cherry Bomb without a high enough ceiling.
Patrick Corbin @ TBR – Corbin. Please. You can do the BSB.
Jhonathan Díaz vs. MIN – Welcome to bottom crew of “oh no.”
Shawn Dubin @ NYM – Naaaaah.
Spencer Howard vs. LAD – Against the Dodgers?!
UPDATE: Spencer Bivens vs. LAD – He’s not the guy you want to start against the Dodgers.
Josh Winckowski vs. SDP – How long are you gonna go?
Enjoy these rankings? Support my work and Pitcher List by getting PL+ or PL Pro! You’ll get an Ad-Free website, access to our incredible non-toxic baseball Discord community, my weekly PL Pro exclusive SP FAAB Forecast podcast, a full suite of fantasy baseball tools, and much more. Get 10% off yearly with code SPSTREAMERS here.
Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto Starts
MacKenzie Gore vs. NYM – He’s been a bit of a Cherry Bomb, but if you have Gore, even with the whole OMG Grimace juju, you do this.
Probably Starts
Hunter Brown @ TOR – He’s on a fantastic run with increased velocity.
Questionable Starts
David Peterson @ WSN – Our streaming pick of the day. I’m encouraged by the changeup last time out though I wonder if that’s enough to become a reliable streamer with his sinker and slider.
Do Not Starts
Bryse Wilson @ COL – Bryse has had some value for those in start-reduced leagues, but I wouldn’t go for it. He’s not the guy you want to lean on consistently.
Austin Gomber vs. MIL – COL story, bro.
Yariel Rodríguez vs. HOU – How long is he going to go? Do you even want to watch?
Enjoy these rankings? Support my work and Pitcher List by getting PL+ or PL Pro! You’ll get an Ad-Free website, access to our incredible non-toxic baseball Discord community, my weekly PL Pro exclusive SP FAAB Forecast podcast, a full suite of fantasy baseball tools, and much more. Get 10% off yearly with code SPSTREAMERS here.
Photos Courtesy of IconSportswire | Adapted by Aaron Asbury (@aarongifs on Instagram)
Schwellenbach cost me $5k.
Why was he recommended?
You mean 5 dollars.