Starting Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball – 8/3 & 8/4

Here are today’s daily SP Streamer rankings.

Every day of the 2023 baseball season, I’ll be looking at today 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.

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,” 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.

(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):

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.

Alright, let’s get to it.

 

This year, with our new daily fantasy baseball projections powered by PLV, I’ll be competing against PL Bot to pick the best streaming option each day.

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. Close calls are decided by Playback chat.

 

Nick’s 2023 Streamer Record: 69-50

My pick yesterday: Kutter Crawford @ SEA

PL Bot’s 2023 Streamer Record: 60-59

PL Bot’s Pick yesterday: Kutter Crawford @ SEA

Want PL Bot’s pick today? Sign Up for PL Pro here.

 

With the new formatting for the notes, I’ve made the streaming pick of the day Underlined and Italicized.

 

Today’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

 

Auto-Starts

 

Kevin Gausman vs. BAL – Aces gonna ace.

Shohei Ohtani vs. SEA – Aces gonna ace, especially with that fastball acting as well as it does.

Max Scherzer vs. CHW – Aces gonna ace as Scherzer debuts for the Rangers. He’s been more volatile than I realized across the full year, but still feels very much like a fantasy ace and we expect no less.

Julio Urías vs. OAK – Urías against the Athletics is as good as you could hope for.

 

Probably Starts

 

Sonny Gray @ STL – Yeah, this is fine. Sonny will likely be a little volatile, but the Cardinals do not scare us in the slightest.

Mitch Keller @ MIL – He pitched much better once he got his feet under him last time out and I think that carries over into this start against the Brewers.

Cristian Javier @ NYY – It feels weird placing Javier here, but with the Yankees striking out left and right, I see Javier overwhelming in the Bronx.

 

Questionable Starts

 

JP Sears @ LAD – Sears just conquered the unconquerable in Coors and is armed with a legit slider to pair with his already exceptional four-seamer. That said, it’s another challenge facing the Dodgers, but it’s hard not to want to take the chance.

Brady Singer vs. NYM – Despite two fantastic starts in a row (and possibly the best slider precision I’ve ever seen), Singer is still a Cherry Bomb. Up to you if you want to chase it.

Michael Lorenzen @ MIA – This is okay. The Marlins improved at the deadline and Lorenzen has been only good against poor offenses. I also don’t know how the adrenaline that comes with pitching for a new team will affect him.

Jack Flaherty @ TOR – Flaherty is pitching for a new crew and it could amp him up to be at his best, even when facing the Jays. I’m a little higher on him than I expected based on that notion, but then again, the rest of this tier isn’t too exciting.

Bryan Woo @ LAA – The Angels became a better offense and Woo’s four-seamer has not been the pitch we want it to be.

Johnny Cueto vs. PHI – He could be solid if the four-seamer gets spotted upstairs again. That said, the Phils are a solid crew who could mess up Cueto.

Jameson Taillon vs. CIN – Taillon has been able to squeeze the most out of his stuff as of late and while I don’t recommend starting him, I can see it coming out another time in Wrigley against a hot-and-cold Reds crew.

Clarke Schmidt vs. HOU – I don’t love the ceiling of Schmidt and the Astros are at full strength. Be careful here.

Adrian Houser vs. PIT – He chucks heaters and the Pirates aren’t great. Really don’t like it, but I get how it could work.

 

Do Not Starts

 

Brandon Pfaadt @ SFG – I was tempted to put him in the third tier, but Pfaadt’s four-seamer shouldn’t get seven whiffs again and the secondaries are inconsistent.

Carlos Carrasco @ KCR – Despite facing the Royals, you don’t want to go after Carrasco.

Luke Weaver @ CHC – Weaver may be shifting to the Canibal McSanchez with higher velocity and I want to see more success first.

Matthew Liberatore vs. MIN – Liberatore is back and hasn’t gotten his velocity back up to 94/95 mph while the slider is still missing.

Touki Toussaint @ TEX – The lean on the curve is interesting, but it’s the Rangers and this could be a disaster.

Sean Manaea (Opener) vs. ARI – He tossed seven pitches for a save on Tuesday night and is likely limited to just a few frames in relief here.

 

 

Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

 

Auto-Starts

 

Luis Castillo @ LAA – Aces gonna ace.

Aaron Nola vs. KCR – He didn’t come through last time but this is the Royals. The Royals!

James Paxton vs. TOR – If Paxton comes through here, he gets the AGA tag.

 

Probably Starts

 

Bailey Ober vs. ARI – Sure, he stumbled last time out, but the Bailey Special is sure to return.

Bobby Miller @ SDP – Miller is finding his groove and the Padres are…something.

Reid Detmers vs. SEA – Detmers has had a rough month, though it’s come against elite offenses. A matchup against Seattle is everything he needs with their affinity for whiffs.

Jordan Montgomery vs. MIA – The Bear is making his debut for the Rangers, though the Marlins offense isn’t the pushover they used to be.

Yu Darvish vs. LAD – He had it fixed, then lost it, then went a different route in his last outing. The Dodgers are not a fun team to face and I’m a little scared here.

Hunter Brown @ NYY – Brown is slowing developing a BSB approach and with the low morale of the Yankees, he looks primed to take advantage.

Dean Kremer vs. NYM – We’ve seen better starts from Kremer and there’s little wind left in the Mets’ sails.

Jesús Luzardo @ TEX – Texas is terrifying. And yet, I still want to trust Luzardo here – that last outing was not the man he is and he’s been so good for a while. Totally understand if you’d rather not take the chance.

Merrill Kelly @ MIN – Kelly didn’t have his command in his second start back from the IL and I expect a different performance here.

 

Questionable Starts

 

Max Fried @ CHC – It’s a Still ILL, though it comes with the Atlanta offense behind him, making for a higher Win chance than you normally see in a return from the IL. He tossed 80 pitches last time out, though I imagine Atlanta will be cautious and not push Fried plenty. Meanwhile, the Cubs offense is red hot and it’s a riskier play than I’d like. If you want to go with Fried, I don’t blame you in the slightest. I need to follow Still ILL rules.

Colin Rea vs. PIT – I kinda dig this start against the weak Pirates offense as Rea spotted his slider beautifully last time out and if that continues, he’ll coast to another day of production.

Logan Allen vs. CHW – The velocity is down and I’m not loving his overall feel. That said, it’s the White Sox and Allen could cruise through six.

Graham Ashcraft vs. WSN – I don’t like Ashcraft, but I also recognize he has a decent shot of the Nationals’ poor lineup floundering as Graham chucks cutters and sliders for strikes into the zone.

 

Do Not Starts

 

Zack Littell @ DET – He came through last time out and is trying his best at a BSB. The Tigers do have a touch of life in their offense right now, but Littell may come through with a Win here if you’re in dire need of one.

Reese Olson vs. TBR – There’s some upside here, but Olson is a Young Gun as he has failed to routinely earn whiffs on the change. The slider is great, though.

Mike Clevinger @ CLE – Sure, it could work, but what’s the ceiling? He doesn’t miss a whole lot of bats and the WHIP is usually enormous.

Kyle Hendricks vs. ATL – It’s Atlanta. Stay away.

David Peterson @ BAL – Peterson doesn’t have his old slider and Orioles magic is real.

Alek Manoah @ BOS – Hey, I’ll never say never with Manoah, but that doesn’t mean it’s now.

Adam Wainwright vs. COL – It’s Rockie Road and at least the Cardinals will give Wainwright every chance to come through.

Quinn Priester @ MIL – He has yet to have that start to make us legit consider Priester, but at least it’s the Brewers? Maybe this is it.

Jordan Lyles @ PHI – This ain’t it.

Patrick Corbin @ CIN – In Cincy?! Ho boy.

Luis Severino vs. HOU – It’s interesting how I still feel in my gut that Severino will have that one outing this year that will change everything and yet…absolutely not here.

Chris Flexen @ STL – I don’t expect this to be a proper outing for Flexen.

 

Featured Image by Kurt Wasemiller (@KUWasemiller on Twitter / @kurt_player02 on Instagram)