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

ESPN FantasyJul 9, 2026, 04:16 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 | 2026 Rankings
ESPN's 2026 Player Rater | 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.

FPTS	Pitcher	T	Opp	Rst%	W%	IP	H+BB	ER	K
15.9	Nolan McLean	R	BOS	90.8%	44%	6.4	6.8	1.7	6.6
14.4	Shohei Ohtani	R	ARI	99.8%	53%	6.2	7.1	2.2	6.5
13.7	Chris Sale	L	@STL	99.5%	45%	6.0	6.9	2.1	6.4
12.7	Parker Messick	L	@MIA	91.9%	35%	5.9	6.8	2.1	6.0
12.6	Sonny Gray	R	@NYM	91.8%	28%	5.8	6.6	2.1	6.2
11.7	Sandy Alcantara	R	CLE	82.8%	44%	6.7	8.5	2.8	5.7
11.5	Robbie Ray	L	COL	69.4%	39%	5.7	6.9	2.2	5.4
11.2	Hunter Brown	R	@TEX	93.5%	40%	5.5	6.7	2.3	5.8
11.1	Luis Castillo	R	@TB	50.8%	32%	5.7	7.0	2.2	5.4
10.9	Braxton Ashcraft	R	MIL	90.6%	34%	5.9	7.6	2.6	6.0
10.9	Nick Martinez	R	SEA	59.8%	32%	5.6	6.5	2.1	4.9
10.7	Hunter Greene	R	CHC	59.3%	25%	5.0	5.8	2.2	5.9
10.4	Zebby Matthews	R	LAA	6.8%	37%	5.7	7.2	2.9	6.0
10.3	Brandon Sproat	R	@PIT	8.0%	36%	5.8	7.6	2.6	5.4
9.9	Brandon Young	R	KC	15.2%	38%	6.0	7.8	2.9	5.4
9.8	Sean Burke	R	ATH	33.6%	35%	5.6	7.4	2.8	5.8
9.8	Shota Imanaga	L	@CIN	78.3%	31%	5.2	6.1	2.6	5.5
8.8	Jack Flaherty	R	PHI	35.0%	28%	5.3	7.1	2.7	5.5
8.7	JP Sears	L	TOR	1.0%	27%	5.1	6.5	2.3	4.4
8.6	Shane Bieber	R	@SD	18.3%	28%	5.2	6.8	2.5	4.7
8.5	Aaron Civale	R	@CWS	2.4%	29%	5.6	7.3	2.8	4.9
8.3	Eduardo Rodriguez	L	@LAD	62.3%	21%	5.8	7.7	2.9	4.8
8.0	Aaron Nola	R	@DET	36.9%	33%	5.5	7.6	3.3	5.6
7.9	Ryan Weathers	L	@WSH	30.3%	20%	4.8	6.4	2.5	5.1
7.3	Luinder Avila	R	@BAL	1.1%	19%	4.8	6.7	2.4	4.6
7.1	Zack Littell	R	NYY	2.6%	26%	5.1	6.5	2.9	4.1
6.8	Kyle Leahy	R	ATL	7.1%	19%	5.0	7.2	2.6	4.4
6.3	Tanner Gordon	R	@SF	0.2%	23%	5.3	7.5	3.1	4.3
6.1	Grayson Rodriguez	R	@MIN	2.3%	22%	4.9	7.2	2.9	4.7
2.6	Cal Quantrill	R	HOU	0.2%	3%	3.0	4.5	2.1	2.5

Pitchers to stream on Friday

Sean Burke has been one of the best pitchers in the league since mid-June, sporting a 1.80 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 33 strikeouts to just five walks over that 25-inning span. His fastball and sinker have gained a tick in velocity during this stretch, and he's throwing more strikes. The right-hander will seek to extend this momentum into the break at home against the Athletics. The visitors are one of the most potent offenses at home, but away from Sacramento, they're below league average with an above-average strikeout rate facing right-handers.
Brandon Young gave up four runs in his last outing, marking the first time he yielded more than three runs since allowing four in his first outing of the season. He's not dominant, but he usually keeps the Baltimore Orioles in the game. Expect more of the same when the Kansas City Royals visit Camden Yards. They bring an offense with the seventh-lowest road wOBA versus righties.
Since allowing seven runs in two of three outings in early June, Zebby Matthews rebounded with a 3.28 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over his last four efforts. To be fair, he has enjoyed some good fortune to overcome fanning just 21 batters over those 24 2/3 innings. Next up is a favorable home matchup when the Minnesota Twins entertain the Los Angeles Angels. Matthews sets up for more strikeouts than usual, and his offense leads the American League in runs per game.

Pitchers to avoid on Friday

Eduardo Rodriguez and his 2.25 ERA will be in Philadelphia on Tuesday, representing the Arizona Diamondbacks for the 2026 Midsummer Classic. He was named to the National League All-Star team despite a 4.50 xFIP, 86.6% left-on-base rate, and .244 BABIP. If the league allowed each player a +1, Rodriguez would bring Lady Luck. The lefty takes on the Los Angeles Dodgers in his final start before the break. The extended fantasy week is far from over, but if you anticipate being in a tightly contested ratio battle in category head-to-head leagues, it's best to avoid Rodriguez.

Hitters to stream on Friday

Zack Littell leads the National League in homers allowed. On Friday, he'll be working as the bulk reliever for the Washington Nationals, with left-hander Carson Palmquist handling at least the first inning. This combination bodes well for the visiting New York Yankees, especially with the early forecast calling for hot and humid conditions with a slight breeze to right field. Trent Grisham, Jasson Dominguez, Jose Caballero and Paul Goldschmidt line up for a productive evening, with Dominguez and Caballero in a particularly favorable spot to run against one of the weakest teams defending stolen bases.