Here are today’s and tomorrow’s daily SP Streamer rankings for fantasy baseball.
Every day of the 2024 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.
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.
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: 79-63
My pick yesterday: DJ Herz vs. COL – W
PL Bot’s 2024 Streamer Record: 80-62
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Edward Cabrera vs. ARI – W
Want PL Bot’s pick today? Sign up for PL Pro here.
My streaming pick of the day is Underlined and Italicized.
Wednesday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto Starts
Jack Flaherty vs. SEA – Aces gonna ace.
Logan Webb vs. CHW – He’s in rhythm and it’s the White Sox.
Aaron Nola @ ATL – Aces gonna ace. This is a weaker Atlanta squad without Riley.
Paul Skenes @ TEX – Aces gonna ace. Let’s hope he’s not limited.
Zach Eflin @ NYM – He’s been steady and the Mets aren’t scary.
Garrett Crochet @ SFG – Please don’t be four innings…please don’t be four innings…
Logan Gilbert @ LAD – Aces gonna ace in a true test against the Dodgers.
Max Fried vs. PHI – He should be an ace and he’s had enough starts post-IL stint that the rust normally shakes off by now.
Ryan Pepiot @ OAK – Pepiot was strong in his first start back from the IL and the Athletics aren’t a major challenge.
Probably Starts
Tobias Myers @ STL – He’s been in such a good groove.
Jordan Montgomery @ MIA – Is it actually The Bear? The Diamondbacks are still listing this as TBA, which would be Ryne Nelson’s spot if JorMont is pushed out of the rotation. If it’s Nelson, he’s under Pepiot in the top tier. If it’s Monty, then we start him given the matchup.
Justin Verlander vs. BOS – I know, it’s a Still ILL, but he’s been rehabbing forever and the Sawx are not a strong offense on the road. I’d just go for it.
Michael Lorenzen vs. LAA – He’s an easy streaming pick as a Toby against the middling Angels offense.
Nestor Cortes vs. CLE – I don’t love it, but the Win chance with strikeout upside is there.
Mitchell Parker vs. COL – Parker hasn’t been at the top of his game but it’s Rockie Road.
Jameson Taillon vs. DET – Taillon throws lots of strikes and it’s the Tigers. A solid QS chance here.
Questionable Starts
Andrew Heaney vs. PIT – He hasn’t been great as of late, though this is the Pirates. Take a chance if you’d like, the raw skills are in there with his heater and slider to come through.
Nick Martinez @ TOR – Martinez has taken advantage of his time as a starter and it could continue against the Jays if his changeup is on point.
Sean Manaea vs. BAL – Manaea is weird and gets a tough lineup. Roll the dice on the sinker chilling upstairs with ease all you like. The floor isn’t fun, though.
Kyle Gibson vs. MIL – Gibson is a Toby and I’m tepid on the Brewers’ offense.
Mitch Spence vs. TBR – Spencer gets the gift of the Rays and could produce a solid five frames.
Yariel Rodríguez vs. CIN – I’m not the biggest fan of Rodriguez’s fastball/slider mix, but it is Cincinnati on the road.
Simeon Woods Richardson @ SDP – SWR has performed better than expected against formidable lineups, but the stuff doesn’t suggest it’ll hold.
Matt Waldron vs. MIN – Don’t Trust A Knuckleballer.
Do Not Starts
Kenta Maeda @ CHC – If you’re in a max-starts league, this could be a small boost as Maeda is likely to be opened for. That said, I don’t have a ton of faith in the slider/splitter duo coming through once again.
Roddery Muñoz vs. ARI – Muñoz has moments, but the Arizona offense is performing well, even without Ketel.
UPDATE: Cole Irvin @ NYM – With Eflin on the IL, Irvin slots in for a game to let Cade Povich start later this week, the latter of which I expect to take this spot moving forward. This has a chance to be a Win, though Irvin has been a Toby at best with a very limited ceiling.
UPDATE: Domingo Germán @ TEX – Oh. I guess he’s returning. I wouldn’t.
Johnny Cueto @ KCR – Is it actually Cueto? Maybe there’s some silly veteran magic here.
Joey Cantillo @ NYY – I don’t love the rookie + it’s the Yankees.
Tanner Gordon @ WSN – At least it’s away from Coors, but he needs his best command to make this work.
Cooper Criswell @ HOU – I don’t expect him to go long + it’s the Astros.
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.
Wednesday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto Starts
Paul Skenes vs. CIN – Aces gonna ace.
Gerrit Cole vs. CLE – Aces gonna ace.
Dylan Cease vs. NYM – Aces gonna ace.
Justin Steele vs. DET – It’s the Tigers.
Corbin Burnes vs. HOU – Aces gonna ace…against the Astros and without his old cutter.
Jeffrey Springs @ OAK – Springs looks dominant and gets O.Co.
Freddy Peralta @ STL – Peralta. Please. Buddy. Don’t turn into Professor Chaos.
Probably Starts
Cristopher Sánchez @ ATL – The Atlanta lineup is reeling.
Chris Bassitt vs. LAA – Bassitt should be able to take down the Angels. Should.
Nick Lodolo @ PIT – Despite Lodolo’s latest clunker, I’d go for it against the weak Pirates. He still has the tools.
Spencer Schwellenbach vs. PHI – I want to trust Mr. Crescendo here, even against the Phillies. Just don’t let them hit your four-seamer and you’re golden.
Questionable Starts
Osvaldo Bido vs. TBR – I nearly had him in the second tier given his Vargas Rule + the Rays being so bad, but I just can’t do it. Bido’s arsenal just isn’t that good.
Luis Severino @ SDP – Severino’s fastball + cutter + sweeper is making me more of a fan than in the spring, but it’s the Padres.
Spencer Arrighetti @ BAL – We know the strikeout upside, but the Orioles are a strong offense and The Pasta Pirate is awfully volatile.
Gavin Williams @ NYY – It’s the Yankees and Gavin hasn’t quite figured out his secondaries to pair with his heater. He’s close.
Do Not Starts
Griffin Canning @ TOR – He’s just too dang hittable.
Brant Hurter @ CHC – There’s some value for those in max-start leagues as I expect he’ll be opened for. Super boring southpaw.
Miles Mikolas vs. MIL – I doubt his increased velocity will hold, but at least he has a long leash?
Cal Quantrill @ WSN – The splitter isn’t coming back.
Patrick Corbin vs. COL – Even against Rockie Road, we can’t trust Corbin.
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)
Herz took the loss on August 20.