Here are Saturday’s and Sunday’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: 92-81
My pick yesterday: NONE – Don’t start Birdsong or Pearson. – L
My Pick today: Jack Kochanowicz @ CHW
PL Bot’s 2024 Streamer Record: 97-76
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: NONE – Don’t start Birdsong or Pearson. – L
PL Bot’s Pick today: Get our Daily PLV Projections with PL Bot here.
Tuesday 9/24 Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto Starts
Tarik Skubal vs. TBR – Aces gonna ace.
Bailey Ober vs. MIA – Aces gonna ace.
Cole Ragans @ WSN – Aces gonna ace.
Framber Valdez vs. SEA – Aces gonna ace.
Nathan Eovaldi @ OAK – It’s Oakland.
Tanner Bibee vs. CIN – We’re riding this one out.
Michael King @ LAD – I know it’s the Dodgers, but King has his crown.
Bowden Francis vs. BOS – I don’t buy it for 2025, but who cares right now.
Spencer Schwellenbach vs. NYM – Despite the slider not earning all the whiffs, “Mr. Crescnedo” is performing at too high of a level to pass up.
Logan Gilbert @ HOU – It’s a tough call. In the end, start your studs.
Probably Starts
Tobias Myers @ PIT – It’s the Pirates and I dig Myers’ arsenal.
Ryan Pepiot @ DET – Pepiot just dominated and silenced any concerns about pitch limitations. It’s possible the Rays will oscilliate between short/long leashes, but you can’t take the chance.
Brandon Pfaadt vs. SFG – Pfaadt just had his best four-seamer of the season with pristine command. The Giants make it a solid floor to stand upon and jump for the ceiling.
Luis Severino @ ATL – Severino has made it work with his heaters + sweeper. Can’t deny that Grimace Dark Magic.
Logan Webb @ ARI – It’s the Sneks and Webb has been a bit shaky. Tough call here.
Questionable Starts
Jack Kochanowicz @ CHW – He just did exactly what we wanted him to do against the CrySox and now he gets the chance to do it again. He’s in the third tier due to this reliance on Koufax, but his sinker has consistently displayed an ability to find gloves.
Clarke Schmidt vs. BAL – It’s the Orioles, though I like Schmidt’s situation + he could cruise through five and change.
Brayan Bello @ TOR – Bello is a Cherry Bomb and I wish I had better things to say.
Mitch Spence vs. TEX – Spence can make this work with his cutter and slider and the Rangers are not the strongest.
Dean Kremer @ NYY – Kremer has a ceiling that appears when the four-seamer is on point. It wasn’t last time and that floor is rough heading in to the Bronx.
Mitchell Parker vs. KCR – He’s a Toby, though it hasn’t been great as of late.
Justin Steele @ PHI – I’m not sure how long he’ll go (are the Cubs really letting him start after recovering from an elbow injury?) and the Phillies make for a tough matchup. UPDATE: It should be an easier lineup after the Phillies secured the division yesterday. Still, the questionable pitch count isn’t in your favor.
Jonathan Cannon vs. LAA – We know Cannon can produce in small bursts, but even against the Angels, he could put you in a hole.
Bailey Falter vs. MIL – Falter has his moments when the fastball is spotted and his slider supports it underneath. The Brewers aren’t the team to test the waters against, sadly.
Do Not Starts
Landon Knack vs. SDP – Knack’s four-seamer has impressed me, but against the Padres? No thanks. I imagine he’ll get a quick hook here.
Jakob Junis @ CLE – Junis has shocked me across his last three starts, but it’s been the same Junis of old: A good slider without much support. Don’t expect the sinker to find outs with the same frequency. Koufax isn’t always watching…
Ryan Weathers @ MIN – He’s back and I’d much rather see him produce once before taking a chance against the Twins.
Michael McGreevy @ COL – In Coors? Nah. What about out of Coors? Nah.
Taijuan Walker (Opener) vs. CHC – Taijuan. PLEASE. This is also “Hangover Day” for the Phillies after securing the division. It could be Kolby Allard in relief as well.
Ryan Feltner vs. STL – COL story, Bro.
Wednesday 9/25 Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto-Starts
Chris Sale vs. NYM – Aces gonna ace.
Yusei Kikuchi vs. SEA – He’s a stud and this matchup is lovely.
Zac Gallen vs. SFG – It’s too good of a matchup.
Freddy Peralta @ PIT – It’s too good of a matchup.
Probably Starts
Kevin Gausman vs. BOS – The report is that Gausman is healthy and he’s been earning whiffs with his splitter lately.
Cody Bradford @ OAK – Bradford displayed last outing how the start against the Diamondbacks was a fluke.
Dylan Cease @ LAD – It’s a tough matchup, but the ceiling is too high.
George Kirby @ HOU – It’s a tough matchup, but the ceiling is too high.
Zach Eflin @ NYY – It’s a tough matchup, but the ceiling is too high. Come on Nick, stop saying the same thing. But it’s the same dang case for each!
Jack Flaherty vs. SDP – Uhhhhh. DON’T SAY IT. Fine. Flaherty’s slider has been a bit off across the last month and the Padres are terrifying.
Cristopher Sánchez vs. CHC – Seems like a standard affair for Sánchez.
Joey Cantillo vs. CIN – I like the matchup and even though I’m skeptical long term about Cantillo’s vulcan changeup, I trust his rhythm at the moment against team that struggles on the road.
Zack Littell @ DET – He’s been cooking as of late and the Tigers are a decent team to stream against.
David Peterson @ ATL – Peterson’s hot streak hit a snag against the Phillies, but it’s worth gambling that his command hit a bump along the tracks, not a full derailment.
Questionable Starts
Richard Fitts @ TOR – I want to like this one more, though Fitts isn’t electric and carries the Shag Rug with him.
Nestor Cortes vs. BAL – Cortes is pitching well, but is it enough for the Orioles offense in what could be a meaningful game?
José Suarez @ CHW – It’s a LHP against the CrySox who just took down the Astros.
Keider Montero vs. TBR – Montero is decent enough to take advantage of the Rays.
DJ Herz vs. KCR – Will the changeup be good enough? The Royals offense certainly has been stagnating.
Edward Cabrera @ MIN – It’s a coin-flip. The ceiling is lovely, but the floor. Oh dear.
Luis L. Ortiz vs. MIL – Ortiz finally earned whiffs with the slider in his last start, but I’m not sure it’s replicated here.
Davis Martin vs. LAA – The Angels make for a cushy day at the park and Martin could have field day with his slider and changeup.
Brady Basso vs. TEX – I like Basso’s big hook, but he doesn’t demand success.
Simeon Woods Richardson vs. MIA – I worry about how the Twins are limiting their young arms at the moment, opening the door for a start under five frames.
Javier Assad @ PHI – Assad’s approach doesn’t speak to sustainability and the Phillies are not a team to casually start against.
Do Not Starts
Michael Lorenzen @ WSN – If we knew Lorenzen was stretched out in full, he would be in the third tier at least. With the large unknown and likely limited pitch count, we avoid this “Still Ill”.
Mason Black @ ARI – It’s the Sneks.
Julian Aguiar @ CLE – Aguiar is not an upside play, especially in Cleveland.
Austin Gomber vs. STL – COL story, Bro.
Erick Fedde @ COL – Gomber will tell you the COLest of stories.
Photos Courtesy of IconSportswire | Adapted by Aaron Asbury (@aarongifs on Instagram)