Here are Friday’s, Saturday’s, Sunday’s, and Monday’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: 94-83
My Pick yesterday: Cade Povich @ MIN – W
My Pick today: Cade Povich @ MIN
PL Bot’s 2024 Streamer Record: 98-79
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Miles Mikolas @ SFG – W
PL Bot’s Pick today: Get our Daily PLV Projections with PL Bot here.
Saturday 9/28 Starting Pitcher Rankings
Auto-Starts
Blake Snell vs. STL – Aces gonna ace. UPDATE: It’s Tristan Beck now in what’s likely to be a bullpen game. Looks like Snell is done for the year. Rest, sweet prince.
Zack Wheeler @ WSN – Aces gonna ace. Wheeler may get some extra rest before the start of the playoffs.
Paul Skenes @ NYY – Are the Pirates actually starting Skenes?
Probably Starts
Luis Gil vs. PIT – Don’t be surprised if Gil gets skipped in this one. If he’s starting, the matchup is too delicious to pass up.
Kutter Crawford vs. TBR – It’s a great matchup you can’t pass up, even in Fenway.
Shane Baz @ BOS – Baz is killing it with his four-seamer and curve. I’m favoring his ability over the park.
Sean Burke @ DET – Burke has shocked me in his two starts and I’m targeting him as a stream against the Tigers after he walloped the Padres with elite 95/96 mph heaters + 50% CSW sliders, ending the night with a 97 mph whiff. There’s a whole lot of potential here and it’s Hangover Day for the Tigers on the other side.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto @ COL – Despite failing against Rockie Road, I’m banking on the command returning for a productive outing, even in Coors.
Questionable Starts
Andre Pallante @ SFG – He had depressed velocity in his last start, but the cut-fastball is working well over the plate. The Giants are a great team to stream against when chasing a Quality Start, too.
Andrew Heaney @ LAA – This looks like a great matchup, but Heaney is too dang volatile. He hasn’t had his changeup for weeks.
Albert Suárez @ MIN – Suárez’s four-seamer is killing it. The secondaries are not. Hopefully they step up enough to get him through at least five for a Win with a handful of strikeouts along the way.
Jose Quintana @ MIL – He’s been hot results-wise, though the skills are questionable with his heavy reliance on sinkers to find gloves as of late. In addition, if he doesn’t have it early, he’ll get a quick hook instead of being trusted to sort it out in the latter frames.
MacKenzie Gore vs. PHI – Gore’s fastball is worrisome at 95 mph and I wouldn’t trust his inconsistent curve to show up again when battling a tough offense like the Phillies.
Joey Estes @ SEA – Estes throws enough strikes with a long leash to give himself a chance at six frames against the Mariners.
Rhett Lowder @ CHC – The Cubs scare me a little and I don’t love Lowder’s reliance on sinkers well over the plate, but he’s performed up to the task thus far and could go 5-6 frames of production.
Yariel Rodríguez vs. MIA – How long will they let him go for? Maybe this is the start they let him loose to take advantage of a pedestrian lineup.
Ty Madden (Opener) vs. CHW – It’s Hangover Day for the Tigers after securing a playoff spot, which makes a Win less likely than usual.
Seth Lugo @ ATL – The Royals locked it up…and he’s still starting?! I imagine it’s just a few innings as he should get the pearl on Wednesday.
Zebby Matthews vs. BAL – Like Festa and SWR, the Twins have been limiting Zebby’s innings, making me hesitant to trust him for more than five frames. He’s also gone just two-pitch and failed to express the full kitchen-sink arsenal I anticipated when initially promoted.
Griffin Canning vs. TEX – Canning has nights where he rack up whiffs, though it doesn’t always translate into strikeouts and positive results.
Eduardo Rodriguez vs. SDP – I get the sense that the Diamondbacks won’t start Erod or they’ll let him go just a few innings as a tune up for the playoffs…against the same team.
Justin Verlander @ CLE – Verlander has fallen apart down the stretch, but it’s possible the Guardians take it easy over the weekend, allowing for a comfortable Win.
Do Not Starts
Ben Lively vs. HOU – Lively has mysteriously found a way to get through five innings without punishment, but it’s the Astros and his approach is so dang precarious.
Kyle Hendricks vs. CIN – He failed to come through against a weakened Nationals lineup (Careful, Icarus) and the floor is too low to try it here.
Colin Rea (Opener) vs. NYM – Rea has been going roughly four frames and even if he went five, the ceiling is awfully low.
Randy Vásquez @ ARI – He has the chance to go at least five, but it’s the Diamondbacks who need to Win this one. I wouldn’t touch this.
Antonio Senzatela vs. LAD – I know he just came through, but come on Senz-A. Come on.
Darren McCaughan @ TOR – He doesn’t go long enough and the quality isn’t what you want.
Sunday 9/29 Starting Pitcher Rankings
Note: The Starting Pitchers who are underlined and not italicized are those who could have a high chance of being skipped on the final day of the year due to innings limits, playoff implications, or other reasons.
In addition, many starters will go fewer pitches than their usual workload to prevent a last minute injury and give some young guys one last chance. It’s a weird day.
Auto-Starts
Aaron Nola @ WSN – Aces gonna ace. He doesn’t pitch until the following weekend, but it makes sense to give him a skipped start to rest for a playoff run.
Shota Imanaga vs. CIN – Aces gonna ace. Why push Imanaga for one more start? SIDENOTE: This could be Caleb Kilian getting more innings and that is an awfully sneaky Sunday play for those trying to find volume on the final day of the year.
Bailey Ober vs. BAL – Aces gonna ace. The Twins are out of the playoffs, though, and I wouldn’t bank on Ober pitching or going long if he does.
Bryce Miller vs. OAK – He’s in Seattle. We love that. I’d expect the Mariners to let him fly, though it could be limited.
Probably Starts
Nathan Eovaldi @ LAA – It’s the Angels. I also wonder if the Rangers will make him start since they expect him to decline his player option and become a Free Agent.
Clarke Schmidt vs. PIT – This looks prime for a Win and/or Quality Start. I’m leaning toward the Yankees letting Schmidt start to get him more up to speed for the Playoffs after missing plenty of time.
David Peterson @ MIL – 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.
Gavin Williams (Opener) vs. HOU – The Guardians have announced they are pitching Williams as the bulk reliever and this could work out against an Astros team locked for the playoffs. Expect a weaker lineup and higher Win chance than usual.
Questionable Starts
Charlie Morton vs. KCR – He’s a Cherry Bomb, but at least he should have a long leash in a meaningful game unlike many others.
Brandon Pfaadt vs. SDP – The Monday doubleheader messes up the Sneks too, as they likely won’t know their fate until the next day. It means Pfaadt will be called upon on Sunday to give them the best shot, without a stunted leash.
Mitch Spence @ SEA – It’s in Seattle and Spence has been quietly productive over at least five frames multiple times.
Jack Kochanowicz vs. TEX – The Jack of One Trade is a great dart throw for a Quality Start.
Jonathan Cannon @ DET – I can’t get the idea out of my head that Cannon takes advantage of this final start and tosses a CGSHO to make this historic CrySox season end on a high note.
Jake Irvin vs. PHI – It’s possible his fastball command improves from his last game to cap off a wild year from irvin.
Ryan Weathers @ TOR – I could raise this one up before Sunday if Weathers impresses me in his first start. This could be your sneaky Sunday play with the Marlins wanting to give Weathers a proper start before the end of the year.
Michael McGreevy @ SFG – McGreevy will be able to go longer than those below and I’ve raised him up accordingly as a dart throw.
Quinn Priester vs. TBR – He’s getting a chance to properly start and I generally favor these low-stakes games for young arms. They have more to fight for while many offenses take their foot off the gas pedal.
Tobias Myers vs. NYM – It’s hard to deny Myers with the way he’s pounded the zone with an array of pitches.
Ryan Pepiot @ BOS – It’s Fenway, but hot dang did he look amazing across 87 pitches in his last outing.
Chris Bassitt vs. MIA – Even though he failed to come through last week, we ride this one out.
Dean Kremer @ MIN – He’s a Cherry Bomb. He’s also the potential Game 3 starter for the Orioles in the ALDS, which would be only three days of rest were Kremer to start this one. I don’t expect him to start.
Spencer Arrighetti @ CLE (Opener) – Even in Cleveland, I’d roll with The Pasta Pirate, though it’s been made clear that he’ll be opened for and not go very long.
Hunter Greene @ CHC – I wouldn’t expect much from Greene here after pitching just 45 pitches last time out. However, he could be worthwhile for 5-6 strikeouts.
Hayden Birdsong vs. STL – Maybe Birdsong actually locates his arsenal? At the very least, he could go longer than the starters above.
Do Not Starts
Ryan Feltner vs. LAD – It’s Coors…even if the Dodgers rest their players.
Bailey Falter @ NYY – Maybe the Yankees rest Soto and Judge?
Martín Pérez @ ARI – The Padres are resting up for the playoffs with Pérez as the long reliever and not expected to pitch a whole lot in the playoffs.
Landon Knack @ COL – I wonder if he actually gets this start and if the Dodgers really want to push him for five or more. It feels like a bullpen game here.
TBD Detroit SP – This won’t be Skubal given he’ll start Game 1 of the Wild Card series.
TBD Kansas City SP – This won’t be Ragans given he’ll start Game 1 of the Wild Card series.
Monday 9/30 Starting Pitcher Rankings
This doubleheader is if the playoffs are not decided in the National League. If Game 1 decides the playoffs, game two WILL NOT BE PLAYED. Assuming Atlanta wants to save Chris Sale for the playoffs, I’m assuming Spencer Schwellenbach gets Game 1, which could prevent Sale from starting.
For the Mets, they purposefully wanted Luis Severino to face Atlanta and have moved him off this weekend’s series to save him for Monday, making me inclined to believe he’d start a potential Game 1. Tylor Megill would then be the man for Game 2 if necessary.
Either way, these games will be counted in most leagues if they are played. Pick up all of these starters if you can as backup plans. Megill is the one most likely on your waiver wire and I’m all for picking him (and Severino if you can!) as backup options to decide on your own. Adrenaline will be at its peak here, likely bringing the best out of both starters.
Photos Courtesy of IconSportswire | Adapted by Aaron Asbury (@aarongifs on Instagram)
What happened to Snell? Same question for my championship hopes.