MLB Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 18, 2025
Last updated: May 17, 2025, 10:25PM | Published: May 17, 2025, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Sunday DFS contest commences at 9:05am AEST on May 18, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Sunday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Sunday slate includes these games:
- San Diego Padres vs Seattle Mariners
- San Francisco Giants vs Oakland Athletics
- Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros
- Kansas City Royals vs St. Louis Cardinals
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs Colorado Rockies
- Milwaukee Brewers vs Minnesota Twins
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Los Angeles Angels
- Boston Red Sox vs Atlanta Braves
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 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Pablo López (MIN, P) | $18,730 | 18.5 | 1 |
| Value | Germán Márquez (COL, P) | $6,940 | 12.9 | 1.9 |
| Fade | Kody Clemens (MIN, 2B) | $8,800 | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| Cheapie | Tyler Fitzgerald (SF, 2B) | $5,000 | 5.7 | 1.1 |
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 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 | William Contreras (MIL) | $8,690 | 7.1 | 0.8 |
| Value | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $6,580 | 6.1 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Carlos Narváez (BOS) | $8,130 | 2.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,300 | 6.2 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $12,260 | 9.5 | 0.8 |
| Value | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $6,720 | 7.6 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Geraldo Perdomo (AZ) | $9,780 | 5.8 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Joseph Ortiz (MIL) | $5,840 | 5.5 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $13,390 | 10.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,180 | 7.8 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Elijah White (ATL) | $8,050 | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Brent Rooker (OAK) | $7,860 | 7.8 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Austin Riley (ATL) | $9,440 | 7.9 | 0.8 |
| Value | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $5,000 | 4.9 | 1 |
| Fade | Dylan Moore (SEA) | $8,010 | 3.9 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Ryan McMahon (COL) | $7,140 | 6.1 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,180 | 7.8 | 1.1 |
| Value | Tyler Fitzgerald (SF) | $5,000 | 5.7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Kody Clemens (MIN) | $8,800 | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| Cheapie | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,180 | 7.8 | 1.1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $9,460 | 8.2 | 0.9 |
| Value | Christian Walker (HOU) | $7,370 | 7.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Pavin Smith (AZ) | $9,980 | 3.8 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $5,000 | 4.9 | 1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Pablo López (MIN) | $18,730 | 18.5 | 1 |
| Value | Germán Márquez (COL) | $6,940 | 12.9 | 1.9 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Sunday teams, consider starting with a value player like Germán Márquez. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Pablo López 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 Tyler Fitzgerald.
On the other hand, according to our model, Kody Clemens is one of the lowest 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 Sunday slate closes at 9:05am AEST on Sunday. 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 Sunday contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Sunday 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.
