MLB Late Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for July 30, 2026
Last updated: Jul 30, 2026, 12:32AM | Published: Jul 29, 2026, 8:34AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Late Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 11:38am AEST on July 30, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on July 30 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Late Thursday slate features the following games:
- Athletics vs Boston Red Sox
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Seattle Mariners
- Los Angeles Angels vs Houston Astros
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the most accurate 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 choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Hayden Wesneski (HOU, P) | $12,880 | 18.4 | 1.4 |
| Value | Eric Lauer (LAD, P) | $12,520 | 18.3 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Thomas White (ATH, 3B) | $8,540 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Lawrence Butler (ATH, OF) | $5,000 | 6.6 | 1.3 |
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 refer to 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) | $8,790 | 8.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $8,790 | 8.3 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $8,150 | 6 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Connor Wong (BOS) | $5,000 | 2.9 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zachary Neto (LAA) | $9,280 | 8.1 | 0.9 |
| Value | Markus Betts (LAD) | $7,840 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Andruw Monasterio (BOS) | $8,130 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Colt Emerson (SEA) | $6,540 | 3.6 | 0.6 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $11,470 | 11.2 | 1 |
| Value | Lawrence Butler (ATH) | $5,000 | 6.6 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Jahmai Jones (BOS) | $8,690 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Joshua Lowe (LAA) | $7,250 | 5.5 | 0.8 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaac Paredes (HOU) | $9,190 | 6.1 | 0.7 |
| Value | Caleb Durbin (BOS) | $7,880 | 5.8 | 0.7 |
| Fade | Thomas White (ATH) | $8,540 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Denzer Guzman (LAA) | $6,370 | 2.3 | 0.4 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $9,280 | 7.1 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $9,280 | 7.1 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Vaughn Grissom (LAA) | $8,040 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Cole Young (SEA) | $7,320 | 4.4 | 0.6 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $10,370 | 8.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Joshua-Douglas Naylor (SEA) | $8,430 | 7.5 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Willson Contreras (BOS) | $10,710 | 5.8 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Nolan Schanuel (LAA) | $7,420 | 6.5 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Hayden Wesneski (HOU) | $12,880 | 18.4 | 1.4 |
| Value | Eric Lauer (LAD) | $12,520 | 18.3 | 1.5 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Late Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Eric Lauer. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Hayden Wesneski 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 Lawrence Butler.
On the other hand, according to our model, Thomas White is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Late Thursday slate closes at 11:38am AEST 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 Late Thursday 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 Late 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.
