MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 28, 2026
Last updated: May 27, 2026, 10:36PM | Published: May 27, 2026, 8:39AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest begins at 9:10am AEST on May 28, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on May 28 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate includes these match-ups:
- Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros
- Chicago White Sox vs Minnesota Twins
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Colorado Rockies
- Kansas City Royals vs New York Yankees
- New York Mets vs Cincinnati Reds
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 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 Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jacob deGrom (TEX, P) | $20,250 | 19.2 | 0.9 |
| Value | Terry Friedl (CIN, OF) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Derek Hill (CWS, OF) | $8,010 | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Ezequiel Tovar (COL, SS) | $6,210 | 7 | 1.1 |
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 | Salvador Perez (KC) | $8,270 | 6.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Hunter Goodman (COL) | $7,520 | 6.4 | 0.8 |
| Fade | William Smith (LAD) | $9,880 | 5.8 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Austin Wells (NYY) | $6,290 | 4.8 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $10,790 | 9.7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $6,210 | 7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Brooks Lee (MIN) | $9,030 | 5 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | José Caballero (NYY) | $5,000 | 4.4 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Aaron Judge (NYY) | $13,480 | 10 | 0.7 |
| Value | Terry Friedl (CIN) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Derek Hill (CWS) | $8,010 | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Lane Thomas (KC) | $5,000 | 5.3 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $7,940 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Value | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $7,940 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Fade | German Rosario (NYY) | $8,690 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Ryan McMahon (NYY) | $5,000 | 4.9 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $6,970 | 6.9 | 1 |
| Value | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $6,970 | 6.9 | 1 |
| Fade | German Rosario (NYY) | $8,690 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Willi Castro (COL) | $6,930 | 5.9 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $11,300 | 8.4 | 0.7 |
| Value | Vincent Pasquantino (KC) | $8,220 | 7.3 | 0.9 |
| Fade | David Lowe (CIN) | $9,880 | 4.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Mark Vientos (NYM) | $6,920 | 5.6 | 0.8 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jacob deGrom (TEX) | $20,250 | 19.2 | 0.9 |
| Value | Michael Burrows (HOU) | $13,850 | 14.5 | 1 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Terry Friedl. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jacob deGrom is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Ezequiel Tovar.
On the other hand, according to our model, Derek Hill is one of the worst 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 9:10am 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 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 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.
