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: 83-69
My pick yesterday: Zebby Matthews vs. TOR – L
PL Bot’s 2024 Streamer Record: 84-68
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Jon Gray vs. OAK – L
Want PL Bot’s pick today? Sign up for PL Pro here.
My streaming pick of the day is Underlined and Italicized.
Sunday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto Starts
Dylan Cease @ TBR – Aces gonna ace.
Bailey Ober vs. TOR – Aces gonna ace.
Aaron Nola vs. ATL – Aces gonna ace.
Logan Webb vs. MIA – Aces gonna ace.
Spencer Schwellenbach @ PHI – Aces go—Oh. Right. He’s not there yet. But we know…
Bryce Miller @ LAA – It’s the Angels, even if he’s not at home. If you’re not in the know, Bryce is so much better at home.
Sean Manaea @ CHW – Manaea has been dominant with his elevated heaters, which are masking his secondaries well. And now it’s the White Sox—which means it’s going to be a terrible start—Will you not interrupt in the future? K thx.
Ronel Blanco vs. KCR – Blanco hasn’t been his best self, but you’re still rolling with it. Too big-brain to avoid this.
Gavin Williams vs. PIT – This could be Alex Cobb if he’s ready to go (He’d be at the bottom of Questionable). I love Gavin’s four-seamer and as long as one of his breakers are earning strikes, he’ll cruise through this one.
Ryan Pepiot vs. SDP – It’s a tougher matchup than ideal for Pepiot, but the skills are too good to pass up.
Probably Starts
Nestor Cortes vs. STL – It’s a solid Win chance, even if Cortes was a little shaky last time with Koufax bringing some balls back into the yard.
Tobias Myers @ CIN – Myers is turning into more two-pitch with heaters and sliders and I bet we’ll see more of a varied approach here to keep his Vargas Rule flowing.
Questionable Starts
Zach Eflin @ COL – It’s a Still ILL in Coors. And yet it’s Eflin and the Orioles offense…
Jameson Taillon @ WSN – He’s a decent QS arm who throws a fair number of strikes. It can work.
Caden Dana vs. SEA – It’s hard to tell what we’ll get with just Double-A data to work with for the 20-year-old, but here’s what I can tell. He’s 93-95 with a generally up-right four-seamer that speaks to mid-extension but decent iVB (I hope! No data y’all…) with a strong slider that he can land inside and outside the zone without the absurd chaos of most young arms. There’s a curve in there for Free Real Estate and the biggest question is the dominance of his fastball. It’s the Mariners for a pitcher who has better-than-average mechanics that speak to a good zone rate, which makes me more inclined than other MLB debuts to give it a shot. Good luck.
Mitchell Parker vs. CHC – The Cubs are a dangerous lineup lately, though Parker could go six if he has most of his supporting cast available.
Garrett Crochet vs. NYM – Who knows. He tossed just four pitches last time out due to rain, maybe that lets him go more than four…? Probably not. Sigh.
Mitch Keller @ CLE – He’s a Cherry Bomb.
Mitch Spence @ TEX – Spence made me a bit hyped two starts ago, but didn’t carry over the same precision last time out. Still, his cutter and slider combo are great at creating weak contact and the sinker has a place to make the whole approach flow through five frames, if not more.
Ty Madden vs. BOS – I don’t love the heater, I don’t love the slider, I don’t love the whole schtick. But hey, the Red Sox away from Fenway and he could be better after some initial jitters fade.
Cooper Criswell @ DET – Maybe he goes five frames, maybe it’s Rich Hill getting some more time. He’s gone a full start with solid marks before and gets the Tigers, but I’m inclined to leave him closer to his friends in the Do Not Start tier.
Do Not Starts
Justin Wrobleski @ ARI – He’s getting the call for a tough Diamondbacks start and I imagine the squad will micromanage this game plenty given what’s at stake in the NL West.
Brandon Pfaadt vs. LAD – It’s the Dodgers but maybe he’s got it in him for this adrenline-heavy start.
Yariel Rodríguez @ MIN – Is he going to go five full with production? Probably not?
UPDATE: Jordan Wicks @ WSN – It’s a Still ILL. I wonder how he looks.
Miles Mikolas @ NYY – He has a long leash, but it’s the Bronx.
Alec Marsh @ HOU – Marsh has done it before and likely won’t again.
Dane Dunning vs. OAK – How long does Texas let him go?
UPDATE: José Ureña vs. OAK – Remember kids, If you roster José, Ureña boatload of trouble.
Cal Quantrill vs. BAL – It’s Coors and the Orioles and the splitter is blegh. But at least the leash is good?
Update: Ty Blach vs. BAL – Blach.
Xzavion Curry @ SFG – Same with Xzavion, let alone the lack of expected production.
TBD CIN SP – With Junis expected to be the bulk man on Saturday, it’s unclear who gets the pearl for the Reds on Sunday. Rotowire suggests David Buchanan, who is a desperate dart throw if you need someone to go long enough.
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.
Sunday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto Starts
Corbin Burnes vs. CHW – He added five inches of drop on his cutter last start and went 10/41 whiffs on the pitch as a result. And it’s the White Sox.
Logan Gilbert @ OAK – Aces gonna ace.
Jack Flaherty @ ARI – Aces gonna ace.
Gerrit Cole @ TEX – Cole, this is it. Do the thing.
Joe Musgrove vs. DET – Musgrove’s breakers weren’t solid in his last outing and I’d expect them to recover against the Tigers.
Freddy Peralta vs. STL – He’s staved off Professor Chaos well as of late.
Probably Starts
Jared Jones @ CHC – I know it was a terrible start last week, I’m keeping the faith as the stuff is still so dang good.
Gavin Williams @ KCR – The four-seamer is elite and as long as the secondaries earn enough strikes, he’s solid.
Luis Severino vs. BOS – It’s a great matchup and Severino’s fastball + sweeper is working well.
Osvaldo Bido vs. SEA – He’s a Vargas Rule with a lovely matchup.
Brayan Bello @ NYM – Bello rebounded in a huge way in his last outing and I’m banking he’s getting into rhythm with all three of his ptiches.
Justin Verlander @ CIN – It’s a tough call in Cin City, but Verlander is a Holly and the Win chance is too good.
Simeon Woods Richardson @ TBR – Not the best arm out there and a little inconsistent, but it’s the Rays as a RHP.
Questionable Starts
Michael Wacha vs. CLE – Wacha hosting Cleveland is digestible, but his we don’t know if the changeup will be there.
Jameson Taillon vs. PIT – He’s a solid Quality Start play, but the rest is a bit too mid to raise into the second tier.
Andrew Heaney vs. NYY – It’s the Yankees. If you need strikeout upside, it could work.
Eduardo Rodriguez vs. LAD – I hate this, but at least he’s a Quality Start threat.
Do Not Starts
Zack Littell vs. MIN – Littell doesn’t do enough for me to chase him.
Brant Hurter @ SDP – Maybe the ways of the Toby make for 5+ innings of decency.
Connor Phillips vs. HOU – Oh snap! Welcome back Connor. Please don’t throw 12 balls in a row to start this one.
Steven Matz @ MIL – Another return, here as a Still ILL.
Chris Flexen @ BAL – You really don’t want to go to the beaches of Baltimore, Flexen. Nick, they have beautiful beaches! Welp, Flexen doesn’t know that.
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)
Good job on Zebby. Way to be buddy. You rock. Way to promote a dud! Way to be Nicky! Yay!!!
Cardinals website shows Pallante-Gray-Fedde against the Brewers.
Why be an asshole? Do you not have any friends to talk to? Sometimes it’s better to hit delete instead of send and expose yourself to the public. Be better.