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 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.
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.
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. Close calls are decided by Playback chat.
Nick’s 2023 Streamer Record: 66-48
My pick yesterday: Kutter Crawford @ SFG
PL Bot’s 2023 Streamer Record: 57-57
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: JP Sears @ COL
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
Aaron Nola @ PIT – He’s not an ace yet, but he can go seven frames with his curve and four-seamer, hopefully working in effective glove-side sinkers and low changeups.
James Paxton @ SFG – He’s nearing AGA levels and still on the bump as he faces arguably the worst offense in baseball in a pitcher’s park. It’s wonderful.
Bailey Ober @ KCR – There have been few arms more consistent than Ober this year.
Yu Darvish vs. TEX – His approach went to the wayside last time out and yet, I believe he’ll get back on the horse. HE HAD IT.
Probably Starts
Tyler Wells vs. NYY – Wells’ command has been off the last two starts and it’s a bit of a collar-tugging moment as Judge re-enters the Yankee lineup. That said, I’m not willing to give up on Wells yet as the results come when the execution is there. But isn’t that a Vargas Rule? Correct. I guess I believe the command isn’t as fleeting as others are.
Bryan Woo @ ARI – Woo is still here, which means we start him against a middling Arizona crew.
Johnny Cueto vs. DET – Our streaming pick of the day is Cueto, who spotted four-seamers magnificently upstairs for fourteen whiffs in his return to the rotation. If he’s able to replicate that in any fashion, this will massively pay off. And it’s the Tigers, how bad can the floor be? WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT.
Logan Allen @ CHW – I’m a little weirded out by Allen’s velocity drop since returning to the majors, but it’s the White Sox and generally Allen is worthwhile as a Toby at the minimum.
Reid Detmers @ TOR – Detmers has been slightly off with each of his three pitches separately across his last three starts. It’s worth it to chase against the Jays, but if you don’t want the risk, I absolutely understand benching him – the Jays’ 130 wRC+ is sixth in the majors across the last two weeks
Bryce Elder vs. MIL – He’s not someone I suggest holding onto consistently nowadays, but it’s the Brewers, which makes for a start here.
Clarke Schmidt @ BAL – I debated this one and with this game being played in Walltimore, I’m giving the edge to Schmidt for a start.
Questionable Starts
Taj Bradley @ HOU – Hey look, it’s two young arms with massive potential that can’t be relied upon consistently facing each other’s top tier offenses.
Hunter Brown vs. TBR – I’m taking Bradley above Brown as Bradley will likely carry more strikeouts while both have similar ratio risks.
Do Not Starts
Emmet Sheehan vs. CIN – I was tempted to put him in the third tier, but Sheehan has failed to come through with his slider and changeup. He could put it together for six frames against a middling road Reds team.
Jameson Taillon @ STL – Taillon was an interesting decision as well as he’s been productive in two of his last three, including last week against the very same Cardinals. Sadly, I think the ceiling isn’t worth the risk and I’m not buying that he’s doing anything dramatically different yet. Sure, the sweeper and cutter are performing a bit better, but not in a way that is demanding success.
Brandon Pfaadt vs. SEA – He was cruising last time out in Cincy until back-to-back-to-back HRs ruined everything. Hopefully the slider and change are good again, but without four-seamer dominance, I’m not interested in Pfaadt.
Carlos Carrasco vs. WSN – There’s always a chance Carrasco comes through, but the slider and changeup are not what they used to be. Too much risk here, even against the Nationals.
Alek Manoah vs. LAA – He did earn ten slider whiffs last time, but the pitch held near a 40% strike rate despite it. The whiffs display the potential, while the lack of strikes showcase the volatility. That also ignores the four-seamer, sinker, and changeup, which each have plenty of work left to do.
Mike Clevinger vs. CLE – Hey, he’s back! And it’s a Still ILL against a team that resists strikeouts.
Martín Pérez @ SDP – His command is not in a place where we want to start Pérez, even against the Padres who struggle against LHP.
Julio Teheran @ ATL – It’s Atlanta and yet Teheran has this weird magic. You do you, y’all.
Adam Wainwright vs. CHC – I have a feeling his last start will be the best he’ll have the rest of the way, sadly.
Joey Wentz @ MIA – Wentz is kinda interesting, but this is getting into oh dear land.
Quinn Priester vs. PHI – Quinn hasn’t come through yet and I’m still waiting to find something to latch onto.
Luke Weaver @ LAD – Weaver is showing more velocity but this is the Dodgers.
Patrick Corbin @ NYM – Corbin. Hi.
Jordan Lyles vs. MIN – Lyles is just doing what he can.
Paul Blackburn @ COL – It’s Coors.
Chase Anderson vs. OAK – It’s also Coors.
Anthony DeSclafani vs. BOS – I don’t think he gets a chance to throw five frames.
Chris Flexen vs. OAK – It’s also Coors.
Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto-Starts
Luis Castillo @ ARI – Aces gonna ace.
Jesús Luzardo vs. DET – He’s on the verge of the AGA tag and this Detroit start should accomplish that.
Tyler Glasnow @ HOU – It’s the Astros, but if Glasnow has the slider working, it’s game over man. Game over.
Justin Verlander vs. WSN – Verlander has been looking much better in his final audition for the trade deadline.
Kenta Maeda @ KCR – Maeda’s splitter has been dominant and it’s the Royals.
Blake Snell vs. TEX – Snell’s fastball command has been all kinds of weird.
Tarik Skubal @ MIA – The four-seamer is cooking and as long as the secondaries don’t let him down, he cruises.
Merrill Kelly vs. SEA – Kelly looked in form in his return from the IL and should be started here without question.
Probably Starts
Nathan Eovaldi @ SDP – Apparently he’s only missing one start to recover his velocity…I’m not sure I buy it. However, if the Rangers feel he’s good enough to start, then we start him. Probably.
Charlie Morton vs. MIL – He’s the Cherry Bomb you deal with and it’s the Brewers.
José Berríos vs. LAA – Berríos hasn’t let us down since his third start of the year, even if this is Ohtani.
Kyle Hendricks @ STL – Hendricks has his sinker and changeup command and who knows, maybe Arenado is gone.
Cristopher Sánchez @ PIT – Sanchez’s changeup is filthy and he’s getting outs with his sinker.
Nick Pivetta @ SFG – Pivetta is looking fantastic and while I love this start (inside Oracle Park is incredible), I had to drop him a few spots for the lack of track record.
Steven Matz vs. CHC – Matz is spotting his sinker, he just needs good enough changeups and curves to make it work.
Dean Kremer vs. NYY – Kremer hasn’t been as sharp as of late and this is a Yankee squad with Judge, and yet I think we still roll with it. Very close to the third tier.
Questionable Starts
Luis Severino @ BAL – I wouldn’t start any of these moreso than most Tier 3 options. Severino at least is inside Walltimore and is spotting his pitches well. I wonder if tipping on his secondaries is the problem…
Aaron Civale @ CHW – The velocity came back up two ticks last time to dominate across eight frames and yet, I’m still worried. He made up half of the velocity gap, leaving two to go and I wouldn’t be shocked if it goes the other direction here. Be careful.
Ross Stripling vs. BOS – Strip was finally stretched out last time out and he’s pitching inside Oracle Park, but the Red Sox are a better offense than most.
Graham Ashcraft @ LAD – I know he’s done well lately, but Ashcraft’s cutter is not a well commanded pitch and often the slider isn’t either.
Brandon Bielak vs. TBR – The Rays are a little worse and Bielak could have a great changeup. Probably not, though.
Do Not Starts
Luis Medina @ COL – It’s Coors, which is all kinds of unfortunate considering Medina has earned whiffs galore on his breakers over his last three outings. But hey, Sears pulled it off, why not Medina?
Tyler Anderson @ TOR – Anderson is in a great spot with the changeup and yet I can’t endorse this. The Jays are strong and it’s a small sample for Anderson.
Michael Grove vs. CIN – Grove has a great slider and if the four-seamer doesn’t get trounced, he could go five decent frames.
Michael Kopech vs. CLE – I loved Kopech’s locations last time out, I hated his 95 mph velocity that outlined punishment for all his mistakes. Throw in a team that resists strikeouts and I’m out.
Trevor Williams @ NYM – T-Ells at least has the chance to go as long as he wants.
Rich Hill vs. PHI – Hill hasn’t been worth your time in ages.
Colin Rea @ ATL – It’s Atlanta. Yikes.
Ryan Yarbrough vs. MIN – The Fratty Pirate has some magic here and there, but he’ll likely be limited and detrimental.
Ty Blach vs. OAK – It’s Coors and likely a bullpen game.
Featured Image by Kurt Wasemiller (@KUWasemiller on Twitter / @kurt_player02 on Instagram)
Where are you seeing that Pivetta is a start against SF?
Any worries with Skubal given Miami crushes LHP?