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 Thursday
Pitchers to stream on Thursday
Aaron Nola is rostered in slightly more than half of ESPN leagues, but with only nine games on the docket and the veteran rekindling the past over the second half, it's worth checking on his availability. Over his past 10 outings, Nola has a 2.38 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 53 strikeouts in as many innings. His walks and homers have been a tad high, but newfound dominance has mitigated the damage. The Philadelphia Phillies have a road date with the New York Mets. The Mets have been more productive over the second half, but for the past month, they have struggled at home in Citi Field.
Get ready for Walbert Urena to be labeled "lucky" in 2027 draft prep but also be cited as a sleeper. Good fortune stems from sporting an ERA over a run lower than its estimators. However, pitching in obscurity in Anaheim means he's been off the radar, and there are signs of an impending breakthrough season, at least in terms of skills. We have a long offseason to discuss next year; the immediate concern is a solid home matchup with the Los Angeles Angels hosting the Minnesota Twins. Urena's control is an issue, but he's facing one of the least patient teams in the league, and his extreme ground ball rate should keep the Twins' power in check.
If his last start is any indication, Dustin May has designs on cracking the Milwaukee Brewers' playoff rotation. He has the edge on Shane Drohan and Robert Gasser for one of the last two spots, but a strong outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road could seal the deal. The Pirates aren't yet mathematically eliminated from the postseason, but their offense has struggled over the past month, especially facing right-handed pitching.
Seth Lugo is tough to trust as his lack of dominance leaves him vulnerable to a blow-up. On the other hand, when he's in a groove, he can be effective, and on Thursday he gets the nod for the Kansas City Royals when they visit the Houston Astros. The Astros lead the AL West despite sporting the lowest wOBA facing right-handers over the past month.
Hitters to stream on Thursday
For the second straight game, the Boston Red Sox face a left-handed starter, so Willson Contreras, Jahmai Jones and Caleb Durbin are again in the spotlight. Texas Rangers southpaw Cody Bradford will take the hill in Arlington with only 17 strikeouts over 34 1/3 innings this season.
The Chicago White Sox are also slated to square off with a lefty, with the Detroit Tigers sending Andrew Sears to the Rate Field hill. Randal Grichuk and Brenton Doyle enjoy the platoon advantage on a pitcher sporting a 5.40 ERA, albeit in just 16 2/3 innings. However, over that span, Sears has just 13 strikeouts with four walks.
Josue De Paula batted leadoff for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday; then they faced a lefty on Wednesday, so it isn't clear if Tuesday was a one-time experiment or if it is permanent. Unfortunately, De Paula was 0-for-5 with two strikeouts, so he could flip-flop with Tommy Edman in the seven-hole when the Dodgers face righty Brady Singer and the Cincinnati Reds. Still, it's worth checking the lineup and considering the rookie if he's back at the top of the order.
Garrett Mitchell turned around a second-half swoon with a .371/.429/.600 line over his last 22 games. The hot stretch has propelled him to leading off against right-handers, which is where he'll likely be when the Brewers face Pirates' right-hander Khristian Curtis in Steel City.