With the 2021 season, I’m changing how I’m doing my starting pitcher streamers and daily matchup rankings.
Instead of being featured in the SP Roundup, I’ll be highlighting my SP streamer picks for today and tomorrow inside this article, while also introducing four tiers and adding notes to each table.
The four tiers are as follows:
Auto-Start – Just do it. Don’t overthink this, start the man.
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 pitcher or a weak lineup for a volatile arm.
Questionable Start – There are situations where I’d take the chance, either with strong enough upside on the ability side, or a poor offense that a pitcher could take advantage of.
Do Not Start – The reward is not worth the risk. Don’t do it.
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 through 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 in the second tier and I’d roll with them everywhere. The most common are those in Yellow in the third tier and should be decent if you’re searching for something on a given day. 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,” which 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 would be those picks, instead.
2021 Streamer Record: 91-74
Today’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
- Welcome to Sunday. Things have changed dramatically since I made this table back on Monday and hopefully these probably pitchers stick for your pickups to not go to waste.
- I was absolutely shocked to find Shane Baz hovering the 20% rostership rate and he becomes an incredibly rare “Auto-start” streamer as he faces the Marlins. I imagine he’ll go five innings of quality here as his stuff is as legit as any prospect pitcher you’ll find.
- The second tier comes with two decent arms in great matchups and two solid arms with questionable matchups. John Means and Marco Gonzales are being fed the bottom of the hitting barrel and should be productive during their time on the bump.
- Meanwhile, the horrible schedules of Joe Musgrove and Kevin Gausman continue and it’s tough for fantasy managers. Their ceilings are worth your time while the floor isn’t cataclysmic, but I understand your hesitation if you’d prefer to play it safe on a Sunday.
- In the third tier, some may be shocked to see Tyler Mahle as he hosts the Nationals. I hate to do it, but he truly has been a different pitcher inside his home park. This is riskier than it seems.
- Jake Odorizzi is borderline here, but those looking for a Win on a Sunday could consider Odorizzi as he has a good chance of going five with the lead as the Astros face off against Paul Blackburn.
- In the bottom tier, I would reluctantly be going with Jake Woodford (aka The Amish Mustang) as my streaming pick if it weren’t for Baz. The Cardinals are red hot and Woodford boasts a sub 4.00 ERA on the year. He can go 5+ here without the worst ratios and steal a Win on a desperate Sunday…or he could go a trio of frames and pull you down further. It’s Sunday, only take the chances you need to take.
- If you’re in the need for strikeouts, Jesús Luzardo is the better play than Woodford but the Rays are a tough crew and it spells plenty of danger.
- In Detroit, Wily Peralta and Kris Bubic square off and could each provide value on Sunday. Peralta did go seven frames against the Rays in his last start, after all.
- Finally, I suggest avoiding Josh Rogers despite his last two starts of success. Don’t forget, he played the Marlins and an afternoon in Cincinnati is completely different.
- One more arm to consider: Hans Crouse. He’s getting the call for the Phillies after going 6 IP, 0 ER, 9 Ks in Double-A and has a history of 15%+ SwStr rates in the minors. Not a bad upside play for a desperate Sunday. Note: The Phils could follow Crouse with Adonis Medina, giving Medina a decent Win chance if he arrives early enough. It’s unclear how this will play out.
Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
- We have just five games on Monday and just one member of the top tier in Cal Quantrill. It could be Logan Allen instead, but if it’s Quantrill, you’re going to start him against the Royals. He’s been too dang good.
- The second tier carries Chris Flexen and Brady Singer. Flexen has been plenty better than expected and even against a dangerous Oakland team, I imagine managers are comfortable starting him to kick off the week. As for Singer, there is innate volatility, but Cleveland’s offense shouldn’t give Singer too much trouble.
- In the third tier, Germán Márquez hasn’t had his slider and curve for a while, but could find them against a mediocre Nationals crew.
- Cole Irvin hasn’t been the best Toby around, failing to capitalize against the Mariners last time out, though he has the ability to make it work. He’ll get a second chance and could get his redemption.
- The final tier starts with the reluctant streamer of the day – Josiah Gray inside Coors. I wouldn’t take this chance, even if he finally got his slider back in his last start. It’s Coors, y’all.
- The Reds are calling up Reiver Sanmartin for his MLB debut against the Pirates. He’s a groundball-heavy slinger with a low 90s heater who has struggled a bit in the minors across the last month. There’s a chance the new setting brings the best out of him against the pedestrian Pirates, though it’s a risky spin of the wheel.
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