MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for June 4, 2026
Last updated: Jun 3, 2026, 10:47PM | Published: Jun 3, 2026, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest commences at 9:05am AEST on June 4, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 June 4 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate consists of these match-ups:
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- Cincinnati Reds vs Kansas City Royals
- Houston Astros vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- New York Yankees vs Cleveland Guardians
- Atlanta Braves vs Toronto Blue Jays
- Los Angeles Angels vs Colorado Rockies
- Chicago Cubs vs Athletics
- Milwaukee Brewers vs San Francisco Giants
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Texas Rangers
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 reliable DFS projections available.
With the latest 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 find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul Skenes (PIT, P) | $20,890 | 21 | 1 |
| Value | Robert Gasser (MIL, P) | $10,670 | 16 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Wade Meckler (LAA, OF) | $10,220 | 1.6 | 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 | William Contreras (MIL) | $7,930 | 7.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,040 | 6.7 | 1 |
| Fade | Logan O'Hoppe (LAA) | $8,100 | 4.5 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | William Contreras (MIL) | $7,930 | 7.5 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $11,690 | 9.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Anthony Volpe (NYY) | $5,000 | 5.9 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Vaughn Grissom (LAA) | $9,740 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Geraldo Perdomo (AZ) | $7,240 | 7.2 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Corbin Carroll (AZ) | $9,840 | 9.5 | 1 |
| Value | Lawrence Butler (ATH) | $5,000 | 6.6 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Wade Meckler (LAA) | $10,220 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Joshua Lowe (LAA) | $5,000 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $10,470 | 8.9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Nolan Gorman (STL) | $5,000 | 5.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Kyle Karros (COL) | $8,370 | 3.3 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Paredes (HOU) | $6,270 | 6.1 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brice Turang (MIL) | $10,510 | 7.6 | 0.7 |
| Value | Matthew McLain (CIN) | $5,000 | 6.3 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Donovan Walton (LAA) | $8,820 | 1.5 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Edouard Julien (COL) | $5,000 | 4.1 | 0.8 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $8,990 | 9 | 1 |
| Value | Andrew Vaughn (MIL) | $5,000 | 5.9 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Troy Johnston (COL) | $9,390 | 3.3 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Marcell Ozuna (PIT) | $5,000 | 5.8 | 1.2 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul Skenes (PIT) | $20,890 | 21 | 1 |
| Value | Robert Gasser (MIL) | $10,670 | 16 | 1.5 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Robert Gasser. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Paul Skenes is a strong option. If you're looking for 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, Wade Meckler 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 Thursday slate closes at 9:05am 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.
