MLB Late Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 26, 2026
Last updated: Aug 26, 2026, 12:28AM | Published: Aug 25, 2026, 8:26AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Late Wednesday DFS contest kicks off at 11:38am AEST on August 26, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on August 26 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Late Wednesday slate includes the following games:
- San Francisco Giants vs Cincinnati Reds
- Seattle Mariners vs Philadelphia Phillies
- San Diego Padres vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs Chicago Cubs
- Athletics vs Minnesota Twins
- Los Angeles Angels vs Cleveland Guardians
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 accurate 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 selections on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul Skenes (PIT, P) | $20,250 | 21 | 1 |
| Value | Terry Friedl (CIN, OF) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Pedro Ramirez (CHC, 3B/2B) | $9,210 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Manuel Machado (SD, 3B) | $6,900 | 7.7 | 1.1 |
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 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 | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $10,000 | 8.3 | 0.8 |
| Value | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $10,000 | 8.3 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Ryan Jeffers (MIN) | $10,440 | 5 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Henry Davis (PIT) | $5,000 | 3 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Elly De La Cruz (CIN) | $12,010 | 9.2 | 0.8 |
| Value | Xander Bogaerts (SD) | $5,990 | 6.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Kaelen Culpepper (MIN) | $8,450 | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $6,580 | 6.2 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Corbin Carroll (AZ) | $10,960 | 9.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Terry Friedl (CIN) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Andrew Gilbert (SF) | $8,450 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jackson Merrill (SD) | $7,750 | 7.2 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $11,040 | 8.9 | 0.8 |
| Value | Manuel Machado (SD) | $6,900 | 7.7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Pedro Ramirez (CHC) | $9,210 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jared Triolo (PIT) | $5,000 | 4.7 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicholas Hoerner (CHC) | $8,070 | 7.4 | 0.9 |
| Value | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $6,580 | 6.2 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Pedro Ramirez (CHC) | $9,210 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Bryson Stott (PHI) | $7,040 | 6.6 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Rafael Devers (SF) | $9,950 | 8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Luis Arraez (PHI) | $7,740 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Timothy Tawa (AZ) | $8,250 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Spencer Horwitz (PIT) | $7,710 | 5 | 0.7 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul Skenes (PIT) | $20,250 | 21 | 1 |
| Value | Brady Singer (CIN) | $12,070 | 14.3 | 1.2 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your MLB Late Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Terry Friedl. 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 Manuel Machado.
On the other hand, according to our model, Pedro Ramirez 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 Late Wednesday slate closes at 11:38am AEST on Wednesday. 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 Late Wednesday slate. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Late Wednesday 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.
