Friday SP Streamer Rankings: Why This Former Fantasy Ace Is Worth the Risk

It's already the end of May; time flies, doesn't it? A month from now, we will be halfway through 2026, and we are already about one-third of the way through the MLB season. There's still a long way to go, but it will start getting late quickly for teams still faltering in a few weeks (and the same can be said about struggling fantasy teams).

Let's look at five starting pitchers in action on Friday who have good matchups and are widely available in fantasy leagues. Most stats are from MLB.com, as are the probable pitchers. The full streamer rankings are listed at the bottom.

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Andrew Alvarez, Washington Nationals vs. San Diego Padres

Alvarez made a five-start MLB debut last season and has made four relief appearances in 2026, totaling 36 innings at the big-league level. He has been average with walks and above average with strikeouts in that time while doing very well limiting hits, runs, and home runs. There is a lot to like here, but he was good, not great, in the minor leagues, so we could see a little regression as he gets more innings under his belt.

The Padres remain one of the least imposing offensive teams in the league, ranking in (or very close to) the bottom five in runs, hits, doubles, and all four slash categories. In fact, they are in the bottom two in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. The only thing keeping them from being the ideal target is that they are in the middle in strikeouts, but we can look to go after San Diego every day.

Alvarez is a mid-level streamer. We have the be mindful of the super-short track record, but Alvarez has been very good in the big leagues. With the matchup heavily in his favor, there's plenty of upside today.

Slade Cecconi, Cleveland Guardians vs. Boston Red Sox

Boston hasn't been awful in every area, but they are in the bottom 10 in walks and near the very bottom in home runs, helping to lead to a bottom-two ranking in runs scored. There are a lot of ways to score runs, and a team doesn't necessarily have to mash, but it's a way that can be more consistent (and it's how most teams have chosen to attack offense in today's MLB). The Red Sox are a friendly target right now.

Cecconi has generally been very good with walks while harboring a below-average strikeout rate, and he has also struggled with hits, runs, and homers; that's not a strong profile for a pitcher in fantasy or real life. His K rate ticked up last season, but it's back down in 2026, and his ERA is near 5.20.

Cecconi is a low-level streamer. The matchup is decent, but Cecconi just hasn't performed well enough consistently to be a real fantasy asset outside of the best matchups.

Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks @ Seattle Mariners

Gallen was previously something close to a must-own fantasy player, but his ownership has fallen to about 50% amidst a rough start to 2026. His walk rate remains good, but his strikeout rate is WAY down, and he is getting knocked around this season (62 hits and 33 runs in just 54 1/3 innings). There's a good chance he performs better moving forward given his success through his career, but there's risk to Gallen right now.

Seattle had a great early-week series, sweeping three games against the A's by a combined score of 22-4 to take the lead in the division. The Mariners still top out as middling in most areas, hitting some home runs but otherwise sitting in the middle or worse. They are also in the top 10 in most batter strikeouts, and this game is taking place in a pitcher's park in Seattle rather than the A's hitter-friendly home field (or the Diamondbacks hitter-friendly park, for that matter).

Gallen is a low-to-mid-level streamer. I'm still holding out hope that he will bounce back, but the further we get into the season, we have to take into account the fact that Gallen is struggling pretty hard.

Stephen Kolek, Kansas City Royals @ Texas Rangers

Speaking of pitcher-friendly parks, the Rangers' home of Globe Life Field is one of the best for pitchers in the league. It has been the difference in 2026 between Texas having above-average numbers (on the road) and bottom-five numbers (at home). This one takes place in Texas, so we get even more benefit than we usually would by targeting the Rangers in this one.

Kolek started the season on the IL, missing the first month-plus before making his debut on May 5. In his first two starts, he allowed nine hits, eight runs, and three home runs in 10 2/3 innings. In his two more recent starts, Kolek has combined for 15 1/3 shutout innings with just eight hits allowed. He is far below average with strikeouts but also very good with walks, so while his ceiling is lower, he also has a decent floor.

Kolek is a mid-level streamer. There's not as much upside here as there is with a guy like Gallen because of the Ks, but Kolek has been on fire lately, including a complete-game shutout his last time out against Seattle.

Trevor Rogers, Baltimore Orioles vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Rogers started the season owned in most fantasy leagues, but that has fallen to around 40% as he has struggled hard to open the season. In 42 2/3 innings, Rogers has given up 52 hits, 35 runs (33 earned), and six home runs. His walk rate is on the high end of average, but Rogers' strikeout rate is well below average and below his career rate. Sitting with an ERA just under 7.00, Rogers hasn't provided much fantasy value this season.

Toronto's hit tool has been fine, but their power has been way down, leaving them in the bottom 10 in runs scored. While they don't strike out, the Blue Jays also haven't drawn many walks, balancing out their offense to middling at best. Injuries have played a small role, but this is about underperformance as much as anything else.

Rogers is a low-level streamer. This is another guy who could easily bounce back given his previous work, but he has been fairly untenable in 2026, and the matchup here is just OK, leaving a lower ceiling.

Friday's Streamer Rankings

1. Andrew Alvarez, WSH
2. Stephen Kolek, KC
3. Zac Gallen, ARI
4. Trevor Rogers, BAL
5. Slade Cecconi, CLE