MLB Early Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for October 9, 2025
Last updated: Oct 8, 2025, 6:27PM | Published: Oct 8, 2025, 7:26AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Early Thursday DFS contest starts at 6:08am AEDT on October 9, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on October 9 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Early Thursday slate includes these games:
- Chicago Cubs vs Milwaukee Brewers
- Detroit Tigers vs Seattle Mariners
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
With the best MLB fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more MLB fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bryce Miller (SEA, P) | $13,140 | 14.6 | 1.1 |
| Value | Michael Busch (CHC, 1B) | $5,000 | 7.1 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Kyle Tucker (CHC, OF) | $10,590 | 6.6 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Joseph Ortiz (MIL, SS) | $5,660 | 5.9 | 1 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
C (Catcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $10,380 | 8.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | William Contreras (MIL) | $8,120 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
| Fade | William Contreras (MIL) | $8,120 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Carson Kelly (CHC) | $6,540 | 4.1 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Dansby Swanson (CHC) | $7,460 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Joseph Ortiz (MIL) | $5,660 | 5.9 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Dansby Swanson (CHC) | $7,460 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Julio Rodríguez (SEA) | $9,890 | 9.5 | 1 |
| Value | Julio Rodríguez (SEA) | $9,890 | 9.5 | 1 |
| Fade | Kyle Tucker (CHC) | $10,590 | 6.6 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Parker Meadows (DET) | $6,800 | 5.9 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Eugenio Suárez (SEA) | $8,010 | 7.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Eugenio Suárez (SEA) | $8,010 | 7.5 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Caleb Durbin (MIL) | $7,060 | 5.9 | 0.8 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicholas Hoerner (CHC) | $9,010 | 7.5 | 0.8 |
| Value | Brice Turang (MIL) | $8,390 | 7.3 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Jorge Polanco (SEA) | $8,940 | 6.9 | 0.8 |
| Cheapie | Colten Keith (DET) | $7,180 | 0.9 | 0.1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joshua-Douglas Naylor (SEA) | $8,680 | 8.2 | 1 |
| Value | Michael Busch (CHC) | $5,000 | 7.1 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Spencer Torkelson (DET) | $8,990 | 6.9 | 0.8 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bryce Miller (SEA) | $13,140 | 14.6 | 1.1 |
| Value | Bryce Miller (SEA) | $13,140 | 14.6 | 1.1 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Early Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Michael Busch. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Bryce Miller is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Joseph Ortiz.
On the other hand, according to our model, Kyle Tucker is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Early Thursday slate closes at 6:08am AEDT on Thursday. ENTER NOW!
As with all MLB DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven MLB fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the MLB Early Thursday slate. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Early Thursday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
