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: 22-21
My Pick yesterday: Loss – Cade Povich @ MIA (ND): 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 1 K
My Pick today: Connor Prielipp @ CLE
My Pick tomorrow: Janson Junk vs. WSH
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: 25-18
PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Loss – Christian Scott @ COL (ND): 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K
Friday 5/8 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Max Fried @ MIL – Aces gonna ace.
Chris Sale @ LAD – Aces gonna ace.
Nolan McLean @ ARI – Aces gonna ace.
Jesús Luzardo vs. COL – It’s Rockie Road for a guy who has found his rhythm. Oh baby.
Dylan Cease vs. LAA – It’s Cease, you know the drill.
Emerson Hancock @ CHW – Hancock just fanned everyone.
Robbie Ray vs. PIT – Ray is gonna Ray.
Jacob Misiorowski vs. NYY – This should be his coronation day.
Parker Messick vs. MIN – Messick finally had a stumble, but it was Sacré Verde and he still pitched relatively well.
Probably Starts
Chase Dollander @ PHI – He’s not in Coors. We start him outside of Coors.
Connor Prielipp @ CLE – Prielipp has yet to give us that start. This is it y’all. I can feel it.
Kris Bubic vs. DET – Bubic is solid, even when he isn’t at his peak.
Reid Detmers @ TOR – Detmers has been on a tear, rooted in his consistent feel for his slider with his old changeup helping stabilize outings.
Ryne Nelson vs. NYM – We’re past the whole two-starts = Nelson is terrible chatter, right? It’s the Mets, y’all.
Foster Griffin @ MIA – Griffin has been a Vargas Rule, who could turn into a proper SWATCH and now it’s the Marlins.
Griffin Canning vs. STL – I promise you, I didn’t put Foster Canning back-to-back like this on purpose. Canning’s fastball was much better than last year’s iteration and I’d love to grab him and see where it goes.
Connelly Early vs. TBR – I don’t think we’ve seen Early’s final form yet and last week’s improved changeup was thwarted by tipping caught by the Astros. I’m still in here.
Questionable Starts
Sean Burke vs. SEA – Burke has had a great string of starts, with his most recent performance the most convincing of the lot. I’m still skeptical about his start-to-start undulation, though there’s a part of me that wants him at the bottom of Tier 2 given the chance he hits.
Emmet Sheehan vs. ATL – Sheehan’s fastball velocity is declining, and it’s the powerful Atlanta offense.
Kyle Bradish vs. ATH – I’m exhausted. Aren’t you? Bradish at least has an easier matchup and all we want is for those breakers to be dope again. Please be dope again.
Carmen Mlodzinski @ SFG – I lack enthusiasm for his fastballs, but it’s a fun time pitching in Oracle Park and I dig his secondaries.
Nick Lodolo vs. HOU – It’s a Still ILL, but a little different given it was a blister and not a core muscle that should affect his mechanics. And yet, you know, Still ILL.
Keider Montero @ KCR – Montero has been fine. It’s a good matchup, so if you need something, he’s a step up above the bottom tier.
Do Not Starts
Robby Snelling vs. WSH – It’s time for an MLB debut! We’re following the PILOT Rule and also picking him up for the potential. He sports a 17″ vert 94 mph four-seamer with a changeup underneath for RHB + a 82 mph curveball he loves to throw to both LHB and RHB. There’s an 84/85 gyro slider in there too, which I don’t expect to see much of here, save for a few putaway chances for LHB, and, given he’s a Marlins southpaw, there’s only a handful of sinkers saved for LHB inside. If the fastball/change/hook are cooking against RHB, we’re in love with this. I do have one fear, though: His four-seamer approach. The pitch routinely sat low in the zone, not high, and it doesn’t create the SWATCH life we want if he’s refusing to take advantage of his solid vert (and 5″ of cut, FWIW) if he’s staying low.
Michael McGreevy @ SDP – McGreevy isn’t going to strike out many (if any…?), though he consistently earns grounders that grant a chance for a PQS, if not better.
Mike Burrows @ CIN – Burrows, fella, I want to believe. But in Cincy? No way.
Jacob Lopez @ BAL – Give me a start to start considering you again. Please.
Jesse Scholtens (Opener) @ BOS – With Jax getting more pitches per start, Scholtens has been moved to be the bulk for Mason Englert, the other arm the Rays are starting to stretch out. It does create a slightly better Win chance as the follower, but it’s still Fenway n all.
Kumar Rocker vs. CHC – Rocker is not a starter to trust.
Ben Brown @ TEX – The Cubs are electing to go with Brown over Assad (but will we see Assad as the bulk arm?!), and it’s fool’s gold in my view. Brown has always broken the Huascar Rule, without anything new since we last saw him in the rotation, at least to the best of our knowledge.
Saturday 5/9 Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings
Auto-Starts
Cam Schlittler @ MIL – Aces gonna ace.
Chase Burns vs. HOU – Aces gonna ace.
Probably Starts
Braxton Ashcraft @ SFG – Too easy of a start here. Kinda deserves the top tier at this point, though I have more hesitations about his sustainability vs. the proper aces.
Joe Ryan @ CLE – Ryan is apparently okay…? I have to imagine they’ll put him on a pitch count just to be safe.
Aaron Nola vs. COL – It’s Rockie Road and Nola’s fastball command was excellent against the Marlins.
Landen Roupp vs. PIT – Roupp is grooving, even with the latest hiccup against the Rays. Expect a bounce back outing in a great matchup.
Edward Cabrera @ TEX – Cabrera won’t be in stupid cold weather and is favoring sinkers over four-seamers. We love that.
Clay Holmes @ ARI – We saw a renovation for The Adobe with a major sinkerball emphasis and I’m here for it.
Randy Vásquez vs. STL – Vásquez’s velocity has dropped a bit since his 96 mph heat early in the year, but I’m not scared of a start against the Cardinals.
Michael Wacha vs. DET – We’re seeing a lovely Vargas Rule play out in front of us.
Ranger Suarez vs. TBR – Suarez was removed early with a slight hamstring scare, but if he’s starting, we have to believe he’s all good.
Merrill Kelly vs. NYM – This sure feels like the start where Kelly gets swooped up in your league and isn’t dropped again.
Questionable Starts
Luis Castillo @ CHW – It’s away from Seattle and Castillo hasn’t been the reliable arm you want him to be. But I get it, it’s the CrySox.
Kyle Harrison vs. NYY – Harrison is a fun southpaw, and I wish he didn’t have to endure the Yankees.
Spencer Arrighetti @ CIN – If Arrighetti has his curveball on point, this should be great. The floor is lower with a date in Cincy, though.
Nick Martinez @ BOS – He’s been on a ROLL. However, Fenway is known to disrupt pitchers and I don’t believe this Vargas Rule is meant to last a whole lot longer. Sorry, Nick. Was that to yourself or to Martinez? Yes.
Shane Baz vs. ATH – At least it’s not in Sacré Verde. Baz is a 15-team Toby at this point, with extra benefit in 12-team QS leagues.
Janson Junk vs. WSH – I want to buy into this one after Junk displayed high four-seamer command for two straight, and paired it with legit breakers in his last performance. It’s not enough of a track record to jump in fully against a heavy LHB-lineup.
Tanner Bibee vs. MIN – Got a coin?
Trey Yesavage vs. LAA – Yesavage has had decent results, though the feel for his arsenal is far behind what we saw in the fall.
Jack Kochanowicz @ TOR – Jackie K. is much improved from his 2025 self, but I question the overall command and the Jays pack plenty of thump.
Jack Leiter vs. CHC – He’s the ultimate HIPSTER. A good play for strikeouts if you need it, a bad play to preserve ratios.
Do Not Starts
Spencer Strider @ LAD – This start is simply to see what the shape of his four-seamer actually is after one start in Coors. I have little hope he’ll be the guy you want after sitting 94.6 mph in his premier outing.
Aaron Civale @ BAL – Civale is a 15-teamer “HIPSTER. Good luck.
Ty Madden @ KCR – He tossed five beautiful frames in a flash start earlier this week and I didn’t see anything that suggested repeatable success.
Zack Littell @ MIA – Littell ain’t the guy you thought he was.
Dustin May @ SDP – I dig that May is taking steps with his arsenal and finding ways to avoid reliving his traumatic tumbles out of the gate, but until I see whiffs and the ability to put batters away, I’m not considering him against good offenses. The only exception is deep QS leagues.
Roki Sasaki vs. ATL – Sasaki has yet to demand our attention. If Glasnow isn’t going on the IL, this may be his final start to make room for Blake Snell’s return.
Anthony Kay vs. SEA – 0 Kay.
Kyle Freeland @ PHI – At least it’s outside of Coors…?
Sunday 5/10 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)
