Check out all of our starting pitcher rankings and other lineup selection tools here to help you make smart fantasy baseball lineup decisions. All fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with standard scoring.
Note: All information is accurate as of the time of publication. For updates, as well as any breaking news that might impact today’s MLB slate, be sure to check out the latest fantasy baseball buzz.
Other resources: RP depth chart | Start new league
ESPN’s 2026 Draft Guide | Betting notes for Friday
STARTING PITCHERS FOR FRIDAY
Pitchers are ranked in order of their Forecaster/Daily Notes projected fantasy points (FPTS), using ESPN’s standard scoring system (2 points per win, minus-2 per loss, 3 per inning, 1 per K, minus-1 apiece per hit or walk allowed, minus-2 per earned run allowed).
T: The pitcher’s handedness. OPP: Opposing team. RST%: The pitcher’s roster percentage in ESPN leagues. W%: The individual starting pitcher’s win probability using ESPN projections. IP: Projected innings pitched. H+BB: Projected hits plus walks allowed. ER: Projected earned runs allowed. K: Projected strikeouts.
If a team is planning on using an “opener” to start their game, but will rely on a “bulk pitcher” to follow him on the mound after 1-2 innings, the bulk pitcher is listed and indicated with an asterisk.
Pitchers to stream on Friday
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Randy Vasquez continues to be underappreciated in fantasy circles. He ranks 35th in K-BB% among qualified pitchers, which may not seem like high praise, but it would be the best mark on eight teams and the second best on a dozen more. A road game for a San Diego Padres pitcher usually is in a less pitcher-friendly venue, but not when the club visits T-Mobile Park for an interleague matchup with the Seattle Mariners.
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So far this week, each slate has featured at least three, often more, quality streaming options, so it makes sense that Friday’s candidates pale in comparison. Jack Leiter would probably not have made the cut earlier, but he’s pitching better than his 4.85 ERA suggests, and he has high strikeout potential when the Texas Rangers visit the Houston Astros. Considering the injuries they’ve dealt with, the Astros’ lineup scoring the ninth most runs per game for the season is impressive, but most of the production was early, as they sit second to last in May.
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The Miami Marlins head north to St. Petersburg for a road set with the Tampa Bay Rays. Janson Junk is the slate’s top-ranked streamer in our rankings. His strength is run prevention and pitching deep into games as opposed to racking up punchouts. This normally hurts Junk’s fantasy potential, but the Rays rarely strike out, which could help him work even further into the contest.
Hitters to stream on Friday
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Targeting Coors Field is often low-hanging fruit, but it’s been a week since the Colorado Rockies played a home game, so let’s highlight the Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of their NL West series. Merrill Kelly is coming off a solid effort, but for the season, he’s fanned only 20 in 26 innings while allowing six home runs. This bodes well for the Rockies, whose highest rostered player is Hunter Goodman, and he’s still available in 27% of ESPN leagues. Mickey Moniak is a must-add, with TJ Rumfield, Willi Castro and Brenton Doyle as other solid options. The guests will face lefty Kyle Freeland, putting the spotlight on the Diamondbacks’ right-handed contingent, led by Nolan Arenado, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno.
Hitter to avoid on Friday
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The Milwaukee Brewers have yielded the fewest stolen bases while throwing out the second-highest percentage of runners attempting to steal. They open an interleague set on the road against the Minnesota Twins. Twins 2B Luke Keaschall is tied for 12th in MLB with nine steals, but since he isn’t contributing elsewhere, seeking another bat to fill his spot makes sense this weekend.
