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: 26-25
My Pick yesterday: Loss – Janson Junk @ TBR (L): 5.2 IP, 7 ER, 10 H, 3 BB, 4 K
My Pick today: Trevor McDonald @ ATH
My Pick tomorrow: Colin Rea @ CHW
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: 27-24
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Win – Jesse Scholtens vs. MIA (W): 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 4 K
Saturday 5/16 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Cristopher Sánchez @ PIT – Aces gonna ace.
Jacob deGrom @ HOU – Aces gonna ace.
Logan Gilbert vs. SDP – Please let me make you an AGA again.
Carlos Rodón @ NYM – Rodón has his Still ILL out of the way.
Probably Starts
Logan Henderson @ MIN – Henderson’s sweeper adds another much-needed wrinkle to his arsenal, though we haven’t seen him face a fair number of RHBs to truly understand its ceiling. The four-seamer, change, and cutter are already solid on their own, too.
Davis Martin vs. CHC – He’s on too much of a heater to deny.
Connor Prielipp vs. MIL – He was bumped for Zebby and Ryan and guess what? Clear skies and 80-degree weather. I’m so excited.
José Soriano vs. LAD – Soriano rebounded and let’s hope that wasn’t a Dennis as he faces the Dodgers.
Bryce Elder vs. BOS – Who is honestly benching Elder now?
Nick Martinez vs. MIA – Same with Martinez.
Joey Cantillo vs. CIN – Gavin and Cantillo swapped places and despite my questioning of the Reds Carpet being a lovely social event, the jury is still out.
Sandy Alcantara @ TBR – It’s the Rays, which makes the questionable command of Sandy more digestible.
Questionable Starts
Jameson Taillon @ CHW – Taillon has been solid in good matchups. I wonder if the White Sox are super streamable these days, though.
Justin Wrobleski @ LAA – The regression appeared last time out, but he nearly went the distance. One more?
Payton Tolle @ ATL – Tolle has the strikeout upside, but Hotlanta could bring out the low floor easily.
Trevor McDonald @ ATH – I wish it weren’t in Sacré Verde. I dig McDonald once this start is behind him.
Bubba Chandler vs. PHI – Is this the start he finally figures it out? Probably not.
Do Not Starts
Luis Severino vs. SFG – It’s Sacré Verde, sadly.
Cade Cavalli vs. BAL – Cavalli has the rare strikeout upside, but the fastballs aren’t good enough.
Noah Cameron @ STL – I so want to believe Cameron can find the command he had last year all over again. At least it’s a great matchup.
Kyle Leahy vs. KCR – Leahy has yet to give us a start to latch onto. It feels close though, I know.
Walker Buehler @ SEA – Giolito starts Sunday, Buehler today, and at least it’s in Seattle.
Chris Bassitt @ WSH – It’ll be a whole lot of LHB and he hates those.
Casey Mize vs. TOR – This is a clear Still ILL for Mize.
Chris Paddack @ CLE – It’s his debut start for the Reds and with his diminished velocity the last time we saw him, you should keep your expectations very low.
Eduardo Rodriguez @ COL – Too bad it’s Coors.
Tomoyuki Sugano vs. ARI – Too bad it’s Coors half of the time.
David Peterson (Opener) vs. NYY – Peterson is a DNS, especially against the Yankees.
Kai-Wei Teng vs. TEX – He has the green light for the first time in a while for 80+ pitches, but that would require him to be pitching at a certain level to keep him in the game that long.
Spencer Miles (Opener) @ DET – I legit have no idea what the Jays are up to.
Sunday 5/17 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Paul Skenes vs. PHI – Aces gonna ace.
Drew Rasmussen vs. MIA – I wonder, will we want to give Ras the AGA tag at some point?
Zack Wheeler @ PIT – Wheeler vs. Skenes is so dope. New school vs. old school.
George Kirby vs. SDP – You’re going to get a fair number of RHB. Please throw the sweeper well and get that dang sinker inside.
Kevin Gausman @ DET – Gausman does what Gausman does.
Nathan Eovaldi @ HOU – If the Rangers feel good enough to start Eovaldi, then we feel good enough to start Eovaldi.
Gavin Williams vs. CIN – I wonder, is the Reds Carpet still a thing…? You just said that about Cantillo. WE’LL I’M WONDERING.
Probably Starts
Ryan Weathers @ NYM – The Mets are not an offense that makes us reconsider starting Weathers.
Freddy Peralta vs. NYY – Peralta is a Holly and should be fine, even against the Yankees.
Eury Pérez @ TBR – We keep going back and forth and this feels like a decisive start to see if we can trust him or not.
Peter Lambert vs. TEX – Lambert is a Toby on the borderline of a low-end Holly, making him worthy of a start when facing a mid team.
Questionable Starts
Colin Rea @ CHW – The White Sox are kinda decent now?
Michael Soroka @ COL – It’s Coors, even if Soroka’s pitch separation is fantastic.
Stephen Kolek @ STL – Sneaky stream here after the heavy majority of managers will look at his first start of the season and consider him unstartable. This has a decent chance for six innings.
Bailey Ober vs. MIL – He’s been on a heater despite his lack of heater, all due to legit command. I can’t get behind that when its oh-so precarious, but I understand if you feel the need to Vargas Rule.
Do Not Starts
Brandon Young @ WSH – There’s a four-seamer with good vert and he locates it up, but it’s a high arm angle (not as deceptive) and there’s not much else in the arsenal.
Brayan Bello @ ATL – He’s had an opener and it’s worked out for him far better than as a starter, though it’s Hotlanta and there isn’t much different with Bello to suggest consistency.
Jack Flaherty vs. TOR – Remember that ten strikeout game? That was something.
Chad Patrick @ MIN – There is some upside here, though it’s likely to be a boring outing with a lower chance at 5+ frames than those above.
Andre Pallante vs. KCR – He can be decent where he gets a handful of RHB and avoids damage to LHB.
Lucas Giolito @ SEA – Ayyyyy, he’s finally debuting! Definitely not worth the stash at this point. Just wait and see.
Grant Holmes vs. BOS – We haven’t seen a fantastic REB start for a long time. No shock there.
Brady Singer @ CLE – Singer against a slew of LHB?! No thanks.
Jeffrey Springs vs. SFG – It hasn’t been Sunshine and Rainbows for a long time.
Roki Sasaki @ LAA – When are we going to see a legit start? How about a productive one?
Adrian Houser @ ATH – It’s Sacré Verde and this is a desperate play for a QS.
Erick Fedde vs. CHC – You know not to trust ’em.
Michael Lorenzen vs. ARI – Strong Bad is back in Coors. I wonder if his fastball is up a tick again.
Miles Mikolas vs. BAL – I don’t care if Mikolas scrounged together a few decent innings here and there. You can’t.
Grayson Rodriguez vs. LAD – It’s a Still ILL for a pitcher who wasn’t looking good when healthy in the spring against the Dodgers. Oh jeez.
Monday 5/18 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)
