MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 22, 2025
Last updated: Aug 21, 2025, 10:26PM | Published: Aug 21, 2025, 8:26AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest kicks off at 9:15am AEST on August 22, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 August 22 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate includes these match-ups:
- New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox
- Baltimore Orioles vs Houston Astros
- Tampa Bay Rays vs St. Louis Cardinals
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the strongest DFS projections in the world.
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 make the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Sonny Gray (STL, P) | $19,220 | 19.1 | 1 |
| Value | Yandy Díaz (TB, 1B/3B) | $6,700 | 7.6 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Giancarlo Stanton (NYY, OF) | $10,250 | 4.6 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Junior Caminero (TB, 3B) | $7,510 | 8.3 | 1.1 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer 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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Iván Herrera (STL) | $8,400 | 6 | 0.7 |
| Value | Samuel Basallo (BAL) | $5,000 | 5.1 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Victor Caratini (HOU) | $5,000 | 3.6 | 0.7 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Gunnar Henderson (BAL) | $10,120 | 8.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Anthony Volpe (NYY) | $7,160 | 6.9 | 1 |
| Fade | Masyn Winn (STL) | $8,140 | 6.6 | 0.8 |
| Cheapie | Carlos Correa (HOU) | $7,870 | 6.6 | 0.8 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Aaron Judge (NYY) | $13,610 | 8.8 | 0.6 |
| Value | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,920 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Giancarlo Stanton (NYY) | $10,250 | 4.6 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS) | $7,380 | 6.5 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Junior Caminero (TB) | $7,510 | 8.3 | 1.1 |
| Value | Yandy Díaz (TB) | $6,700 | 7.6 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Alexander Bregman (BOS) | $9,030 | 7.4 | 0.8 |
| Cheapie | Junior Caminero (TB) | $7,510 | 8.3 | 1.1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY) | $11,230 | 7.8 | 0.7 |
| Value | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,920 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Nolan Gorman (STL) | $8,880 | 4.4 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Brandon Lowe (TB) | $7,780 | 6.2 | 0.8 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Yandy Díaz (TB) | $6,700 | 7.6 | 1.1 |
| Value | Yandy Díaz (TB) | $6,700 | 7.6 | 1.1 |
| Fade | David Lowe (BOS) | $8,890 | 4.1 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Christian Walker (HOU) | $7,450 | 7 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Sonny Gray (STL) | $19,220 | 19.1 | 1 |
| Value | Joseph Boyle (TB) | $12,920 | 14.2 | 1.1 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Yandy Díaz. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Sonny Gray is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Junior Caminero.
On the other hand, according to our model, Giancarlo Stanton is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Friday slate closes at 9:15am AEST on Friday. 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 Friday slate. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Friday 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.
