MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for October 9, 2025
Last updated: Oct 8, 2025, 10:25PM | Published: Oct 8, 2025, 7:26AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest starts at 10:08am AEDT on October 9, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 put together 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 includes these games:
- New York Yankees vs Toronto Blue Jays
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies
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 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 find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD, P) | $22,160 | 19.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Louis Varland (TOR, P) | $5,000 | 10.2 | 2 |
| Fade | Daulton Varsho (TOR, OF) | $10,370 | 6.6 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Bryce Harper (PHI, 1B) | $7,530 | 8.7 | 1.2 |
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 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 | Jacob Realmuto (PHI) | $6,490 | 5.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Jacob Realmuto (PHI) | $6,490 | 5.8 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Austin Wells (NYY) | $5,830 | 4.1 | 0.7 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Markus Betts (LAD) | $9,030 | 8.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Markus Betts (LAD) | $9,030 | 8.5 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Thomas Edman (LAD) | $8,090 | 6 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Anthony Volpe (NYY) | $7,420 | 5.2 | 0.7 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $12,500 | 10.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Kyle Schwarber (PHI) | $7,710 | 8.8 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Daulton Varsho (TOR) | $10,370 | 6.6 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Nicholas Castellanos (PHI) | $5,000 | 5.2 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Alec Bohm (PHI) | $6,120 | 6.9 | 1.1 |
| Value | Alec Bohm (PHI) | $6,120 | 6.9 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $8,060 | 5.7 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Ryan McMahon (NYY) | $5,000 | 5.1 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY) | $8,590 | 8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Bryson Stott (PHI) | $6,090 | 6.7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Thomas Edman (LAD) | $8,090 | 6 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Andrés Giménez (TOR) | $7,940 | 6.6 | 0.8 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $11,290 | 8.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Bryce Harper (PHI) | $7,530 | 8.7 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Paul Goldschmidt (NYY) | $8,200 | 5.7 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Enrique Hernández (LAD) | $6,580 | 1.8 | 0.3 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) | $22,160 | 19.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Louis Varland (TOR) | $5,000 | 10.2 | 2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Louis Varland. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Yoshinobu Yamamoto 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 Bryce Harper.
On the other hand, according to our model, Daulton Varsho is one of the worst 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 10:08am AEDT 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 contest. 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.
