Rankings of the SP Streamers for today’s, tomorrow’s, and the day after tomorrow’s games for fantasy baseball.
Every day of the 2026 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 twitch.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 Twitch 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!
There is a second table (and now third for PL Pro members) 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.
And of course, there are my streaming picks of the day. Please keep in mind that for my streaming record, I am forced to pick a streamer every day even if they are in the bottom tier. 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 Do Not Start pitchers unless 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, and it applies to a smaller audience.
As I do my rankings, I thought it would be helpful to showcase a table of how we’re ranking offenses, granted by our PLV-powered Projections (in alphabetical order by tier):
Remember, these offensive rankings are based on each offense’s Process+ so far this year and how we project their lineups moving forward. It means you’re going to see a little different offensive rankings than you may see elsewhere, and there will always be some surprises. This is based on skills, not purely results! If you have questions about these offense rankings, reach out to Kyle Bland (@blandalytics).
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 PLV, 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 Twitch chat.
Note: If no pitcher under 20% rostered would have qualified for a “Streaming Win,” no loss is granted.
(Opener) – Outlines that a pitcher is being opened for that day & the pitcher listed will follow the opener.
Nick’s 2026 Streamer Record: 8-7
My Pick yesterday: Win – Max Meyer vs. CIN
My Pick today: Landen Roupp @ BAL
My Pick tomorrow: Janson Junk @ DET
PL Pro Members have access to my 14-Day Sit/Start SP Grid, which ranks all expected starters into four tiers over the next 14 days. Here is an example from last season.
PL Bot’s 2026 Streamer Record: 10-5
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Win – Max Meyer vs. CIN
Friday 4/10 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Tyler Glasnow vs. TEX – Aces gonna ace.
Chase Burns vs. LAA – As he continues to push toward 90 pitches, Burns will earn the AGA tag. Remember, his preseason rank was low due to injury risk and playing time, not skills.
Jesús Luzardo vs. ARI – Jesús celebrated Easter with a blessed day in Colorado. Hard to bench him now.
Shota Imanaga vs. PIT – He’s cooking and it’s the Pirates.
Kris Bubic vs. CHW – It’s last year’s Bubic against one of the worst offenses.
Connelly Early @ STL – You may think it’s too soon, but this is in St. Louis + his last game was in the brutal cold.
Probably Starts
Tatsuya Imai @ SEA – The reverse slider showed up and it was lovely. Now he heads to @TEA and we celebrate.
Shane Baz vs. SFG – So far so good for Baz. Hard to bench him now.
Emerson Hancock vs. HOU – I’m buying Hancock after seeing him replicate the four-seamer command with a proven change in his lower arm angle that we didn’t have data for after the first outing. I’m curious how he deals with the RHB-heavy Astros – likely with plenty of cutters away.
Clay Holmes vs. ATH – The Adobe has done well with his sinker thus far and we’re glad it’s not in Sacré Verde. Especially since I have a ticket for Citi Field that night with the Pitcher List crew. That would have been awkward.
Questionable Starts
Landen Roupp @ BAL – I’m enthused about Roupp, though I need to see him feature his peak command for more than one start (especially with the sinker).
Bryce Elder vs. CLE – Elder has been cooking, though he feasts his sinker/slider to RHB…and the Guardians will make sure he starves by serving a slew of LHB.
Chad Patrick vs. WSN – I’m tempted to put him in the second tier, but Patrick doesn’t go deep into games often, and he’ll face plenty of LHB, which won’t help his fastball/cutter approach.
Davis Martin @ KCR – He just tossed six boring frames and sure, he could do it again.
Slade Cecconi @ ATL – I’m not sure what to make of Slade and at this point, he’s a 15-teamer HIPSTER in my view.
Walker Buehler vs. COL – I hate removing Buehler from the bottom tier, but his gameplan this year is “throw a ton of breakers away to RHB” and guess what? Rockie Road is what it is because of how susceptible they are to, wait for it, tons of breakers away to their RHB.
Michael Soroka @ PHI – This may feel low, but then again, Soroka’s curveball is the biggest question mark. If he has it hookin’, we cookin’. Otherwise, the floor is very floor against the Phillies.
Do Not Starts
Jack Kochanowicz @ CIN – I really wish Jackie K. didn’t have two tough matchups in a row after showing us a super interesting mix last time out.
Dustin May vs. BOS – I believe in him long term – April showers, May flowers, after all – though he’s been terrible thus far. But it is Boston away from Fenway and in a good pitcher’s park…
Steven Matz vs. NYY – We’re not sure when Rasmussen is returning (Saturday? Sunday? Tuesday?) and Matz is going on regular rest to host the Yankees. I may be too low given how Springs dominated on Thursday night, but Matz doesn’t have his high vert heater or elite changeup. Maybe he’ll learn to throw 0-0 breakers for strikes over the plate to LHB for free real-estate though…
Luis Gil @ TBR – It’s his first start of the year and theoretically, @TBR would be an ideal matchup that amplifies his four-seamer’s vert against a poor offense. Then why is he down here? Because of his volatility in the spring and a possibly low pitch count. Feel free to take a spin if you’d like, the haze has me avoiding.
Keider Montero vs. MIA – Will he go five frames? He’s not the fun guy we saw in the spring. At least it’s Miami.
Carmen Mlodzinski @ CHC – He doesn’t do enough and may not go long. There is some upside here if the velocity returns.
Simeon Woods Richardson @ TOR – I’m not seeing what we want from SWR. It’s possible the game in a dome improves his velocity after dealing with the frigid Minnesota environment.
Tomoyuki Sugano @ SDP – He just had himself a lovely game in Coors. And hey! It’s weird April Petco Park. So there’s a chance…
Chris Paddack @ DET – He has done nothing to get us excited. But sure, it’s possible.
Jake Irvin @ MIL – Irvin’s stuff+ has improved, but is it enough? Yes, he had more extension, but I need more.
Patrick Corbin vs. MIN – OH DANG. Ignore the blue screen in front of you, do NOT restart your PC. At least not yet.
Kumar Rocker @ LAD – Rocker’s approach is a big unknown and it’s the Dodgers. No thanks.
J.T. Ginn @ NYM – He’s returning and I hope to see something to latch onto.
Saturday 4/11 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Max Fried @ TBR – Aces gonna ace.
Logan Webb @ BAL – Webb is Webb.
Joe Ryan @ TOR – Ryan is Ryan. You don’t need me.
Probably Starts
Edward Cabrera vs. PIT – Hey, are we going to stop throwing so many four-seamers over sinkers?
Kodai Senga vs. ATH – Senga is throwing harder (a little less hard last time, but still good!) and the Athletics are not in Sacré Verde.
Kyle Harrison vs. WSN – Harrison didn’t have the changeup feel in his last start, but will get more LHB against the Nats and as long as the four-seamer stays upstairs consistently, this should be fine.
Parker Messick @ ATL – We’ve seen Messick already survive against a pair of good offenses, why stop now against Atlanta? His BSB of heaters and changes was classic Messick in his last start.
Janson Junk @ DET – The stuff is still great and the final tweak is four-seamer location. He rarely landed it upstairs in his last start, leading to a game without a single fastball whiff. I’d be shocked if that continued.
Drew Rasmussen vs. NYY – He was pushed back on paternity leave (maybe another day needed?) and I wish it weren’t the Yankees.
Ranger Suarez @ STL – It’s a make-or-break start for managers holding Suarez, and I’m expecting this to give us some hope he’s finding his form.
Luis Castillo vs. HOU – I’m not a big Castillo fan, but he’s @TEA and the Astros’ RHB lineup should help.
Michael Wacha vs. CHW – It’s the White Sox for this Toby. Sign me up.
Brandon Williamson vs. LAA – Williamson was more himself last time out and it’s the Angels, who should can a slew of changeups and cutters. I dig that for this ‘Toby”.
Questionable Starts
Emmet Sheehan vs. TEX – Alright Sheehan, are you going to hit 96 mph for the first time this season after sitting just under that last year?
Lance McCullers Jr. @ SEA – He’s the poster child of HIPSTER and if there’s a place to let it ride, it’s @TEA.
Eric Lauer vs. MIN – Lauer was sick in his last start and I failed y’all by not taking that into account during his roundup blurb. It’s the Twins and even if I’m trying to set our expectations far lower than 17 whiffs, he still has a decent chance of production.
Jack Leiter @ LAD – 35 whiffs in his first two starts, but he’s not in Texas and it’s the Dodgers + the command is still highly suspect.
Braxton Ashcraft @ CHC – It’s the Cubs and Ashcraft’s arsenal and command are still giving me pause. It’s not quite there.
Kyle Leahy vs. BOS – Is this the start where we finally get interested in Leahy? At least it’s in St. Louis.
Foster Griffin @ MIL – Griffin looked like a SWATCH with two changeups (standard and splitter) and could be a Cameron-lite moving forward.
Casey Mize vs. MIA – It’s the Marlins and hopefully it’ll be 50 degrees out for Mize.
Do Not Starts
Germán Márquez vs. COL – I’m so tempted to put him in the bottom of Questionable as Rockie Road is traditionally susceptible to RHP throwing breakers down-and-away.
Jacob Lopez @ NYM – We’re waiting for Lopez to have one of his classic high strikeout/low walk games we saw last summer.
Chris Bassitt vs. SFG – He just isn’t a stable Toby for 12-teamers.
Brandon Pfaadt @ PHI – Pfaadt is taking the right approach to LHB, but it just isn’t good enough. Yet. Maybe in time, maybe he won’t get it when Kelly returns…
Taijuan Walker vs. ARI – Oh, you’re still here.
Erick Fedde @ KCR – Don’t trust em. You know the drill.
Martín Pérez vs. CLE – Is Altanta even letting him go five?
George Klassen @ CIN – If he has any sort of command on his flat high-octane heaters and 90 mph gyro slider, this could work. Unwise to expect that.
Ryan Feltner @ SDP – It’s away from Coors and maybe I’m too low on Feltner. But you can’t risk it, right?
Sunday 4/12 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
PL Pro members get an extra day of full SP Streaming rankings for the day after tomorrow.
PL Pro Members have access to my 14-Day Sit/Start SP Grid, which ranks all expected starters into four tiers over the next 14 days. Here is an example from last season.
Photos Courtesy of IconSportswire | Adapted by Aaron Asbury (@aarongifs on Instagram)
