Latest fantasy baseball pitcher rankings lineup advice tips mlb daily notes 10 games

ESPN FantasyMay 9, 2026, 05:00 PM ET
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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 Sunday

STARTING PITCHERS FOR SUNDAY

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.

FPTS	Pitcher	T	Opp	Rst%	W%	IP	H+BB	ER	K
15.4	Cristopher Sanchez	L	COL	99.3%	56%	6.4	6.8	2.2	6.6
13.6	Logan Gilbert	R	@CWS	95.3%	40%	6.2	6.8	2.5	6.7
11.5	Carlos Rodon	L	@MIL	62.9%	36%	5.8	7.1	2.4	6.0
10.0	Jacob deGrom	R	CHC	98.1%	30%	5.3	6.5	2.6	5.7
9.7	Jose Soriano	R	@TOR	95.4%	31%	5.7	7.8	2.5	5.5
9.6	Sandy Alcantara	R	WSH	80.9%	42%	6.1	8.1	2.8	4.8
9.4	Luis Severino	R	@BAL	9.7%	42%	6.2	8.2	3.2	5.3
9.2	Drew Rasmussen	R	@BOS	83.3%	34%	5.5	6.8	2.8	5.0
9.2	Peter Lambert	R	@CIN	4.2%	34%	5.5	7.6	2.9	5.9
9.1	Davis Martin	R	SEA	74.2%	27%	5.6	7.3	2.6	5.0
9.1	Gavin Williams	R	MIN	93.1%	38%	5.4	7.6	2.8	5.9
9.0	Bryce Elder	R	@LAD	82.6%	31%	5.6	7.5	2.7	5.2
8.8	Walker Buehler	R	STL	2.1%	32%	5.5	7.4	2.5	4.7
8.7	David Peterson	L	@ARI	3.8%	36%	5.7	7.9	2.8	5.0
8.6	Jameson Taillon	R	@TEX	12.7%	31%	5.8	7.4	3.2	5.0
8.3	Bubba Chandler	R	@SF	28.4%	32%	5.2	7.2	2.5	4.6
8.1	Logan Henderson	R	NYY	8.3%	18%	4.6	5.9	2.4	5.1
8.0	Andrew Abbott	L	HOU	39.0%	30%	5.5	7.6	3.1	5.2
7.9	Chris Bassitt	R	ATH	4.9%	32%	5.9	8.4	3.3	5.2
7.8	Kyle Leahy	R	@SD	2.5%	23%	5.1	6.8	2.5	4.5
7.7	Tyler Mahle	R	PIT	2.9%	24%	5.1	7.3	2.4	4.7
7.6	Justin Wrobleski	L	ATL	61.6%	30%	5.4	7.7	2.7	4.4
6.9	Noah Cameron	L	DET	9.8%	32%	5.4	7.5	3.3	4.7
6.9	Eduardo Rodriguez	L	NYM	17.9%	26%	5.5	7.9	3.2	4.9
6.7	Cade Cavalli	R	@MIA	6.0%	21%	4.9	7.6	2.7	5.2
6.5	Tomoyuki Sugano	R	@PHI	5.1%	17%	5.4	7.1	3.0	4.1
6.3	Eric Lauer	L	LAA	1.8%	21%	4.8	6.9	2.8	4.6
5.1	Brayan Bello	R	TB	4.5%	24%	5.4	8.3	3.5	4.5
5.1	Drew Anderson	R	@KC	0.2%	23%	5.1	7.9	3.4	4.6
	TBD		@CLE	0.0%	0%	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Pitchers to stream on Sunday

Jameson Taillon is striking batters out at his highest rate since 2021, but he's pacing toward a career-high walk rate, albeit still below league average. Even more concerning is that the veteran righty has yielded 11 home runs in just 45 frames. That said, home runs usually normalize, and Taillon and the Chicago Cubs face the Texas Rangers in Arlington, where the hosts have recorded the second-lowest home run rate at home in the majors.
Hopefully, you don't need to chase starting pitching today; if Taillon heads the list, the rest are not going to be appealing. Andrew Abbott is the best of the rest, based more on history and matchup than his 2026 performance. He's walking more and fanning fewer than usual, but he makes the cut with the Cincinnati Reds hosting the Houston Astros, whose lineup is missing several key pieces. C Yainer Diaz, SS Jeremy Pena, 3B/SS Carlos Correa, OF Jake Meyers and OF Joey Loperfido are all on the IL.
Something has to give when the Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up a road set with the San Francisco Giants. Consider Pirates' starter Bubba Chandler a "break glass in case of emergency" option, which may be the case on the last day of the scoring period in head-to-head leagues. His 17.1% walk rate is the worst among pitchers compiling at least 30 innings. However, at home, the Giants are the least patient team in the league, fueling the league's lowest wOBA in that scenario.

Pitchers to avoid on Sunday

Based on the rosterships of the starting pitchers, the Los Angeles Dodgers' matchup against the Atlanta Braves should be a low-scoring affair. However, both Dodgers lefty Justin Wrobleski (62% rostered in ESPN leagues) and Braves righty Bryce Elder (83%) have teamed up with Lady Luck to drive their early-season success. Furthermore, each hurler matches up against a top-five offense in terms of runs per game, aided by temperatures in the mid-80s and a breeze blowing out to left-center.

Hitters to stream on Sunday

If the early forecast holds, Camden Yards is going to play small on Sunday, with temperatures around 80 degrees and a gentle breeze blowing out to left field. Both starting pitchers are vulnerable, with the Baltimore Orioles giving the nod to Chris Bassitt and Luis Severino toeing the rubber for the Athletics. Samuel Basallo, Leody Taveras, Dylan Beavers and Coby Mayo are the primary targets for the home team. Meanwhile, Tyler Soderstrom, Brent Rooker, Carlos Cortes, Jacob Wilson and Lawrence Butler stand out for the visitors.