Welcome to the Waiver Wire Picks, our daily fantasy baseball article that looks at the best players you should be adding to your rosters. We’ll look at the players that are likely to be available in most leagues, as well as some deep league waiver wire options. We’ll also look at the most-added players in fantasy baseball across the major sites and tell you which players to add and which to leave on the wire.
Top Priority Players to Add
Jake Burger (TEX) – 1B (Yahoo – 15%)
Call me a fool, you wouldn’t be the first, but I don’t believe in hot streaks. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy looking at box scores. But, to me, they are a little more than chaotic representations of white noise. Process over results, you know? Regardless, if you are someone who believes in hot streaks, you might want to scoop up Burger, who, before last night’s game at Coors Field, had banged a pair of dingers with ten RBI over his previous five games. Recent results aside, Burger has had a largely underwhelming 2026 thus far, and strictly speaking, he may only tip the needle in RBIs. However, I still want to believe in the version of him we saw in 2023-24, i.e., a bona fide slugger with 63 home runs and a 114 wRC+. In the meantime, he has a really favorable schedule on the horizon, with two more games at Coors Field, followed by a series against the Angels, and an awful Astros pitching staff early next week.
Colt Emerson (SEA) – SS (Yahoo – 22%)
The prospect parade continues with Seattle’s best prospect, who received the call after slashing .255/ .347/ .469 across 169 PAs with Triple-A Tacoma. Temper expectations; baseball history isn’t littered with 20-year-old success stories (yes, he was born in 2005). Emerson’s 27.2% K rate in Triple-A is a little higher than you’d like, especially considering his game power at present is probably around league average. Still, the Mariners handed him an eight-year extension for a reason. And he also stole ten bases this year, so he can run a little. Looming 3B eligibility is another bonus, as we’ll get a potential breakout option at a woefully thin position.
Logan Henderson (MIL) – SP (Yahoo – 41%)
Henderson needed just 84 pitches to record a Gallows Pole this past Saturday and owns a 28.2% K-BB% through his first four turns. Sure, the sample size is small at 269 pitches, but his 5.40 PLV is off-the-charts. And check out his fastball’s 27.5% whiff rate; that’s a tough trick to fake. You might remember his cup of coffee last year. Spoiler alert: it was pretty good. Simply put, now is your chance to grab a pitcher who looks absolutely legit for more reasons than one. He isn’t ranked 29th on The List for nothing. The only stick in the mud is that he’ll face the Dodgers this weekend. Game on
Yahoo and ESPN Most Added Players
Fantasy managers eager to stream added J.T. Ginn for his start last night, which, on paper, made some sense, considering the Angels lack any lefty thump to take advantage of his weakness against opposite-handed hitters. Regardless, you’re not missing much; he’s a Toby ranked near the bottom of The List.
After banging three home runs this weekend in Seattle, that’s three more than Tatís has hit all year, Gavin Sheets is slashing .262/ .340/ .556 across 141 PAs. I feel like last year’s 19 home runs and .746 OPS are likely his ceiling, which is to say, I’m not too excited. He has never shown the ability to hit lefties, either (career 20 wRC+).
Zebby Matthews received a spot start last Thursday against the Marlins and took advantage. However, as Nick laid out plainly in his SP Round-up, his arsenal just isn’t that exciting, and his command remains shaky. Remember when we were excited about him a couple of years ago? Yeah, this doesn’t look like it, at all, really.
Seth Lugo continues to eat innings, but the further we move along, the further his sparkling 2024 season seems like a fever dream. He got the start last night against a Red Sox team that has really struggled to score. There’s nothing to see here.
Ben Brown fanned seven Braves last Thursday across four innings (65 pitches). Yes, his curveball is great, but there’s nothing else in his arsenal that suggests he can flip through a lineup multiple times. Hard pass.
Angel Martínez received top billing yesterday; before last night’s game against Detroit, he had banged four home runs over his previous five games. Like Ketel Marte early in his career, Angel Martínez entered the season with far better splits as a right-handed hitter. However, seven of his nine home runs this season have come as a left-handed hitter. Alright, maybe there’s something there.
Before last night’s start against the Jays, Ryan Weathers had most recently held a no-hitter through six against the Orioles and owns a K rate just under 30%. He doesn’t belong on waivers.
Category Specific Players to Add
Austin Martin (MIN) – 2B/OF (Yahoo – 8%)
Martin’s 91 power suggests he isn’t going to knock the ball over the fence often. However, his 14.8% K rate and 16.2% BB rate have fueled a sensational .437 OBP and .313 batting average as Minnesota’s new leadoff man. He has also made exemplary swing decisions (133 DV). Martin’s counting stat upside may be somewhat muted, but if you need to gain ground in batting average and/or OBP, look no further.
Speculative Adds
Dylan Crews (WSN) – OF (Yahoo – 32%)
Crews has mustered a 78 wRC+ through the first 454 PAs of his big-league career. But, hey, he’s still only 24 and a former first-round pick. The Nats are giving him another shot after slashing .258/ .345/ .432 across 177 PAs with Triple-A Rochester. Whether or not Crews can hit enough for the bigs remains to be seen, but we do know he can run based on last year’s 17 stolen bases.
Streaming Pitchers
Be sure to check Nick’s daily SP streamers article.
Today
Griffin Jax (TB) – SP, RP (Yahoo – 25%) vs. BAL
Jax’s first foray into the Rays’ rotation didn’t knock anyone’s socks off, but those familiar with his work know that his nasty sweeper can be a great strikeout pitch. I’m curious to see where this goes. Just know that Jax might not be the best bet for a win, considering he tossed 70 pitches in his first start.
Tomorrow
Sean Burke (CWS) – SP, RP (Yahoo – 18%) at SEA
Burke has endured two rough starts, but we know he is capable of pitching deep into games, thanks to a low 5.4% BB rate. He could also pick up another strikeout or two with this game being at T-Mobile Park.
Deep League Players to Watch
Brett Baty (NYM) – 1B, 2B, 3B, OF (Yahoo – 6%)
I was intrigued to see what Baty could do after he hit .291 with a 135 wRC+ over the second half last season. But I’ve gradually lost interest. Until last night’s home run! That’s a seven-game hit streak! Are we back in business? Probably not; his PLV metrics aren’t noteworthy. Right now, a best-case scenario seems like a left-handed version of Alec Bohm. Still, he’s playing every day, and that eligibility makes him very useful.
