Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball – 8/25 & 8/26

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, with a minimum of 5 IP. Close calls are decided by Playback chat.

 

Nick’s 2023 Streamer Record: 78-63

My pick yesterday: Brandon Williamson @ ARI

PL Bot’s 2023 Streamer Record: 72-69

PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Jesse Scholtens vs. OAK

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 @ SFG – Aces gonna ace.

Gerrit Cole @ TBR – Aces gonna ace. For real this time.

Brandon Woodruff vs. SDP – He took a step back last time out but the four-seamer is still golden.

Zach Eflin vs. NYY – Eflin has been money.

Yu Darvish @ MIL – Darvish introduced curveballs last time and I absolutely dig it.

Bryce Miller vs. KCR – The Royals are weird. Miller’s slider is weird. Let’s get weird.

Kodai Senga vs. LAA – Let’s be honest, you’re not benching Senga these days. He’s been too dang good.

Lance Lynn @ BOS – That same goes for Lynn and Bassitt. He’s been too dang good.

Chris Bassitt vs. CLE – Read above.

 

Probably Starts

 

Dylan Cease vs. OAK – It feels like a top tier outing, but Cease just hasn’t been that guy this year.

Framber Valdez @ DET – It’s been a horrible run and yet we all know this shouldn’t last. Plus, it’s the Tigers. Felines always get us out of a rut, right?

Kyle Hendricks @ PIT – He’s been such a steady play and it’s the Pirates.

Brady Singer @ SEA – The slider is still legit.

Cristopher Sánchez vs. STL – Sanchez didn’t have his changeup last time out and the slider + sinker stepped up.

Logan Webb vs. ATL – Webb has been phenomenal, but it’s Atlanta. Go with your gut.

Sonny Gray vs. TEX – The same goes for Gray facing Texas. It’s a dangerous proposition.

Braxton Garrett vs. WSN – Garrett’s cutter and slider were far better last time out than his previous month or two. I’m encouraged enough to give this one a shot.

Cole Irvin vs. COL – Irvin has been a serviceable Toby and now hosts Rockie Road in Walltimore.

Dane Dunning @ MIN – Dunning didn’t have the strikeout barrage last time out, but I’m not ready to give up on his sliders and cutters just yet.

Tanner Bibee @ TOR – I have my hesitations, though I’m not sure what to make of Toronto. I also understand you’re not ready to bench Bibee and I’d ride him until he hits a wall, at the very least.

 

Questionable Starts

 

JP Sears @ CHW – There’s a solid strikeout chance here as Sears is finally past his gauntlet of terrible matchups.

Mitch Keller vs. CHC – Keller just had a double-digit strikeout game with stellar cutters and sweepers. I sure hope those return.

Tyler Anderson @ NYM – Tyler’s changeup is still on point and the Mets aren’t a team to fear.

Brandon Pfaadt vs. CIN – Pfaadt has shockingly come through with his four-seamer/sweeper combo and even if I’m still skeptical, it’s worth the gamble in many leagues here.

 

Do Not Starts

 

Miles Mikolas @ PHI – I just don’t trust Mikolas at all these days. If you’re in dire need of a Quality Start, I understand. I guess.

Kutter Crawford vs. LAD – Crawford isn’t pitching poorly, but the Dodgers are too elite.

Joan Adon @ MIA – I really don’t like Adon’s arsenal.

Matt Manning vs. HOU – It’s the Astros + Manning has had his best stuff just once this season and it was over a month ago.

Kyle Freeland @ BAL – At least there’s an opportunity for Freeland to survive here.

Brett Kennedy @ ARI – He barely made it through five last time out. I have no interest here.

 

 

Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

 

Auto-Starts

 

Tyler Glasnow vs. NYY – Aces gonna ace.

Zack Wheeler vs. STL – Aces gonna ace.

Max Scherzer @ MIN – Aces gonna ace.

Julio Urías @ BOS – He’s getting close to the AGA label.

Freddy Peralta vs. SDP – Peralta has been so dang good. Give us one or two more and it’s an AGA label.

Max Fried @ SFG – Fried has been oddly mediocre and I think we can all agree he’s better than this.

Eury Pérez vs. WSN – Eury just cruised through the Dodgers and the Nationals aren’t nearly as tough.

Kyle Bradish vs. COL – Bradish is making a Cy Young push and it’s Rockie Road.

Logan Gilbert vs. KCR – Hey Gilbert, can you have both the slider and four-seamer working this time?

 

Probably Starts

 

Hunter Brown @ DET – Brown has been all kinds of volatile, and yet, he gets the Tigers. Let’s all emit a groan and do it, embracing our anxiety for the ride.

Hunter Greene @ ARI – It was the worst return from the IL. However, it was the Jays, his command was far better than the line would tell you, and the Diamondbacks are a team to stream against. I’m going for it.

Clarke Schmidt @ TBR – Sure, why not spin the wheel with Schmidt for another stream as he gets the Rays. His only stumble was a date with Atlanta, after all.

Javier Assad @ PIT – That’s two solid performances and the Pirates aren’t any better. The sinker inside + cutter away is working wonders.

Dakota Hudson @ PHI – Hudson has begun embracing his slider (40% usage!) and is carrying a massive 23% SwStr on the pitch. There could be something legit here.

Hyun Jin Ryu vs. CLE – He’s looking like a solid Toby and that works for us.

 

Questionable Starts

 

Joe Ryan vs. TEX – It’s a Still ILL + the Rangers. I wish this wasn’t scary.

James Paxton vs. LAD – Paxton has been slowing down across the last month, but the four-seamer was much better last time out despite the poor line. Sadly, it’s the Dodgers and it makes for a difficult decision that ultimately I’m going to play it safe for.

Chase Silseth @ NYM – The slider and splitter aren’t as good as we saw a few weeks ago, but that doesn’t meant they can’t return on a dime.

JP Sears @ CHW – There’s a solid strikeout chance here as Sears is finally past his gauntlet of terrible matchups.

Eduardo Rodriguez vs. HOU – I dig Erod, but I hate starting him against the Astros.

Logan Allen @ TOR – I don’t expect Allen to have the same command he had in his last outing against the Jays, making this a highly suspect stream.

Jake Irvin @ MIA – Irvin has shown promise in his four-seamer, sinker, and curve separation. If that persists against the Marlins, he could come out on top.

 

Do Not Starts

 

Touki Toussaint vs. OAK – Touki is a desperate strikeout play here against the Athletics and that’s about it.

Chris Flexen @ BAL – Flexen had solid command last time out, but it’s a Baltimore squad that packs some thump.

Pedro Avila @ MIL – He’s getting a chance to start for the Padres and I wonder how long they’ll actually let him go, let alone have a good enough start to make this worthwhile.

Zach Davies vs. CIN – It’s a Still ILL for a pitcher who only has a changeup.

Carlos Carrasco vs. LAA – Carrasco hasn’t been beneficial for a while.

Jordan Lyles @ SEA – Lyles just ain’t it.

Sean Manaea (Opener) vs. ATL – He’s likely to follow an opener and it’s Atlanta. Nope.

Osvaldo Bido vs. CHC – He doesn’t go long, has little upside, and the Cubs are a strong offense.

 

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