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.
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. Close calls are decided by Twitch chat.
Nick’s 2023 Streamer Record: 50-41
My pick yesterday: Johan Oviedo vs. MIL
PL Bot’s 2023 Streamer Record: 47-44
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Matthew Liberatore vs. NYY
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
Spencer Strider vs. MIA – Duh.
Gerrit Cole @ STL – Duh again.
Kevin Gausman vs. BOS – Triiiiiiiiple Duh.
Luis Castillo vs. TBR – I know it’s the Rays, but you’re doing it.
Zac Gallen @ LAA – He didn’t have the change and cutter last time. Please fix that.
Framber Valdez @ TEX – Texas is scary and you’re still gonna do it.
Sandy Alcantara @ ATL – If you want to put him in the second tier, I completely get it. I think if you have him, you start him, even against Atlanta.
Probably Starts
Ranger Suárez vs. WSN – He’s been such a good run and now gets the Nationals.
Taj Bradley @ SEA – How can you deny Taj a start against the whiff-heavy Mariners?
Reid Detmers vs. ARI – The strikeouts are flowing with the tweaked slider.
Sonny Gray @ BAL – Gray focused on his breakers last time and we keep riding this rugged train.
Yu Darvish? @ CIN – He’s been under the weather and it’s Cincy. Monitor his status – he could be limited, which would pull him to the bottom of the tier.
Tony Gonsolin @ KCR – I don’t love what he does, but it’s the Royals.
Michael Kopech @ OAK – The fastball was worse against the Rangers, but who cares? It’s Jokeland.
Jordan Montgomery vs. NYY – The Bear has been far better over the last month and the Yankees aren’t scary.
Andrew Abbott vs. SDP – I hate the matchup and question the stuff. However, you could call Abbott’s early run a mini Vargas Rule, which has you starting him even against the Padres.
Garrett Whitlock @ TOR – I imagine a lot of you will disagree with this one. The Jays are good and Whitlock has suffered in his last two outings and yet, I trust the skills. Two starts do not define a pitcher.
Aaron Civale @ CHC – He’s a Toby in a good matchup.
Paul Blackburn vs. CHW – Ditto. Fortunately, this one is barely rostered, making him the clear pickup for Sunday.
Questionable Starts
Colin Rea @ PIT – Maybe Rea does as well. I really don’t like what he brings to the table, though.
Jameson Taillon vs. CLE – It’s a rough crew in the third and fourth tiers for Sunday, and I’ve raised up Taillon as a guy who could potentially go six frames.
David Peterson vs. SFG – I don’t trust the Peterson that did well in his first game back, but hey, why not.
Cole Irvin vs. MIN – Is he stretched out enough after the three-inning hook caused by a massive rain delay?
Rich Hill vs. MIL – I want to believe this, but he’s failed against weak teams across the last month.
Andrew Heaney vs. HOU – Heaney is struggling with his slider and change and it’s the Astros. Chase this if you’re searching for strikeouts.
Brady Singer vs. LAD – This is a Cherry Bomb with all the reasons to be more bomb than cherry.
Alex Wood @ NYM – I hate it, but I recognize you’re more willing to go after guys on a Sunday. So fine, there’s a dark horse chance here.
Do Not Starts
Trevor Williams @ PHI – There’s a slim chance here for Williams as well, but nah. I just can’t do it, the ceiling is too dang low.
UPDATE: Ross Stripling @ NYM – Strip is getting the start instead of Wood and I’m not sure how long they’ll let him go in this one.
Connor Seabold vs. DET – It’s Coors.
Matt Manning @ COL – It’s SUPER DUPER Coors. Which means nothing, but I needed to get your attention to make sure you don’t actually start Manning.
UPDATE: Shawn Dubin @ TEX – Valdez was placed on the IL, granting Dubin the start. This far too risky to go after.
Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto-Starts
Joe Ryan vs. KCR – Even with the weird secondaries, the Royals make for such a good matchup.
Blake Snell vs. LAA – He’s as hot as anyone and yet I can’t give him the top spot with a date with the Angels. He still feels volatile with his stuff, oddly enough.
Clayton Kershaw vs. PIT – I don’t expect Kershaw to make this start as the Dodgers are likely going to play it safe with Kershaw. It may be a bullpen game in his place.
Logan Webb vs. SEA – Webb isn’t blowing our socks off, but we start the man against the Mariners. Hopefully the slider is a major asset.
Tyler Wells @ NYY – You see a Wells start, you start Wells.
Probably Starts
Braxton Garrett vs. STL – I was tempted to push him into the top tier, but I do recognize that there is likely an end to his incredible run at some point.
Bryce Elder @ CLE – He recovered from his blip and gets starts until he forces us otherwise.
Bryan Woo @ SFG – Somehow he’s exactly at the 20% rostered threshold, allowing us to keep streaming Woo and his elite fastball.
Mitch Keller @ LAD – It’s the Dodgers, but Keller is in a great place once again with his command.
Domingo Germán vs. BAL – We normally see regression after a no-hitter/perfect game, though Germán did his in just 99 pitches. He didn’t pitch nearly as well as perfection would suggest.
Cristian Javier @ TEX – I nearly put him in the lower tier but I also don’t believe Javier is cooked. Then again, it is the Rangers and if you want to play it safe to kick off your week, that makes a whole lot of sense.
Questionable Starts
Miles Mikolas @ MIA – Mikolas gets the Marlins and yet I don’t trust him like a standard Toby, so he lives at the top of the third tier.
Gavin Williams vs. ATL – He was excellent in his second outing of the year, but this is Atlanta, who just tormented Eury Pérez. Don’t risk this.
Drew Smyly @ MIL – If he can get his curveball down, then we’ll talk. But it’s Milwaukee! They’ve messed up the Pirates and could mess up Smyly, too.
Jake Irvin vs. CIN – I dig the added velocity, but I don’t like facing a super hot Reds team.
Julio Teheran vs. CHC – He fell flat on his face and it’s likely the end of the Vargas Rule. Maaaaaaybe he finds his way back onto the horse, but his stuff really doesn’t suggest redemption.
Do Not Starts
Martín Pérez vs. HOU – The Astros aren’t as tough as others, but this isn’t the play you want it to be.
Luke Weaver @ WSN – Even with the matchup, Weaver isn’t worth it.
Jaime Barría @ SDP – Barria couldn’t earn a strikeout against the White Sox and now gets the Padres.
Austin Cox @ MIN – I was curious in his last start if Cox would be able to keep up his 8/24 four-seamer whiffs and he went…1/40. Womp womp.
Featured Image by Kurt Wasemiller (@KUWasemiller on Twitter / @kurt_player02 on Instagram)