MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for July 30, 2026
Last updated: Jul 29, 2026, 10:37PM | Published: Jul 29, 2026, 8:34AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest begins at 9:10am AEST on July 30, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate consists of these games:
- Chicago White Sox vs New York Yankees
- Cincinnati Reds vs Cleveland Guardians
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Seattle Mariners
- Athletics vs Boston Red Sox
- Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals
- Los Angeles Angels vs Houston Astros
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joseph Cantillo (CLE, P) | $15,420 | 18.8 | 1.2 |
| 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 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) | $8,790 | 8.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $8,790 | 8.3 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Benjamin Rice (NYY) | $10,290 | 6.2 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,750 | 6.7 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Elly De La Cruz (CIN) | $10,130 | 9.2 | 0.9 |
| Value | Markus Betts (LAD) | $7,840 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Andruw Monasterio (BOS) | $8,130 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Masyn Winn (STL) | $7,270 | 7.2 | 1 |
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 | Alec Burleson (STL) | $6,810 | 6.6 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $10,910 | 8.9 | 0.8 |
| Value | Gabriel Arias (CLE) | $5,000 | 4.2 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Thomas White (ATH) | $8,540 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Ryan McMahon (NYY) | $6,070 | 4.9 | 0.8 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY) | $9,450 | 7.5 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY) | $9,450 | 7.5 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Pedro Ramirez (CHC) | $10,770 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jonathan Wetherholt (STL) | $7,870 | 5.9 | 0.7 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $10,370 | 8.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Alec Burleson (STL) | $6,810 | 6.6 | 1 |
| Fade | Kody Clemens (MIN) | $8,400 | 3.2 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Nolan Schanuel (LAA) | $7,420 | 6.5 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joseph Cantillo (CLE) | $15,420 | 18.8 | 1.2 |
| Value | Eric Lauer (LAD) | $12,520 | 18.3 | 1.5 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Eric Lauer. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Joseph Cantillo 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 building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate closes at 9:10am 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 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 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.
