MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 1, 2025
Last updated: Apr 30, 2025, 11:25AM | Published: Apr 30, 2025, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest commences at 9:05am AEST on May 1, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate consists of the following games:
- Texas Rangers vs Athletics
- Chicago White Sox vs Milwaukee Brewers
- Tampa Bay Rays vs Kansas City Royals
- New York Mets vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Toronto Blue Jays vs Boston Red Sox
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses 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'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 | Corbin Burnes (AZ, P) | $16,620 | 18 | 1.1 |
| Value | Lucas Giolito (BOS, P) | $11,470 | 14.6 | 1.3 |
| Fade | José Caballero (TB, OF/SS) | $9,030 | 3.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Brandon Lowe (TB, 2B) | $5,000 | 6 | 1.2 |
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 budget-conscious strategies, "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) | $8,220 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
| Value | Salvador Perez (KC) | $6,520 | 6.6 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Shea Langeliers (ATH) | $7,740 | 5.9 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $9,240 | 9.5 | 1 |
| Value | Robert Witt (KC) | $9,240 | 9.5 | 1 |
| Fade | José Caballero (TB) | $9,030 | 3.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Wilson (ATH) | $6,960 | 6 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Corbin Carroll (AZ) | $10,990 | 9.2 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jonathan India (KC) | $6,750 | 6.6 | 1 |
| Fade | José Caballero (TB) | $9,030 | 3.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Isbel (KC) | $5,100 | 4.8 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Rafael Devers (BOS) | $11,410 | 7.7 | 0.7 |
| Value | Jonathan India (KC) | $6,750 | 6.6 | 1 |
| Fade | Eugenio Suárez (AZ) | $11,380 | 6.3 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $6,830 | 6.1 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Alexander Bregman (BOS) | $12,210 | 7.4 | 0.6 |
| Value | Brandon Lowe (TB) | $5,000 | 6 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Kristian Campbell (BOS) | $12,540 | 5.5 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Michael Massey (KC) | $5,050 | 5.1 | 1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $10,450 | 8.3 | 0.8 |
| Value | Vincent Pasquantino (KC) | $6,340 | 6.9 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Pavin Smith (AZ) | $8,220 | 4 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Salvador Perez (KC) | $6,520 | 6.6 | 1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Corbin Burnes (AZ) | $16,620 | 18 | 1.1 |
| Value | Lucas Giolito (BOS) | $11,470 | 14.6 | 1.3 |
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 Lucas Giolito. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Corbin Burnes is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Brandon Lowe.
On the other hand, according to our model, José Caballero 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 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.
