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: 95-83
My Pick yesterday: Sean Burke @ DET – W
My Pick today: Mitch Spence @ SEA
PL Bot’s 2024 Streamer Record: 99-79
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Sean Burke @ DET – W
PL Bot’s Pick today: Get our Daily PLV Projections with PL Bot here.
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.
Logan Gilbert vs. OAK – Aces gonna ace. Bryce has a blister and I wonder how long they’ll actually let Gilbert pitch.
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.
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
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.
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 – Pfaadt is 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.
Caleb Kilian vs. CIN – Here’s an awfully sneaky Sunday play for those trying to find volume on the final day of the year. Kilian’s four-seamer comes with elite extension and I believe there’s a legit starter in here. He may be limited a bit, though.
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 accordingly as a dart throw.
Alec Marsh @ ATL – At least he’s stretched out and has had some success? Atlanta still has to lock their playoff spot, so this
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.
Ryan Pepiot @ BOS – It’s Fenway, but hot dang did he look amazing across 87 pitches in his last outing.
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.
Ryan Yarbrough vs. MIA – Bassitt isn’t starting after all, or at the very least, the Fratty Pirate is opening for him. I don’t think he goes the full five and if he does, is it good enough?
Kenta Maeda vs. CHW – I simply don’t think Maeda is all that great + he’s not stretched out.
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?
Ryan Gusto @ CLE – He’s getting the call for this one for the Astros. Gusto is an over-the-top four-seamer/changeup arm from the right side, leaning into his vert and slowball to get outs. Doesn’t seem to have the best breakers, sadly. I don’t think it’s enough.
Colin Rea (Opener) vs. NYM – Rea has been going roughly four frames and even if he went five, the ceiling is awfully low.
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.
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)