Last Updated on May 31, 2026 12:28 pm by Paul Williamson | Published: May 31, 2026

Yay, it’s the weekend! However, don’t let chores and fun activities distract you from doing everything possible to help your fantasy teams. That’s where SportsEthos comes in – we’re here to help you through the season enroute to claiming victory in September!

So, before you cut the grass or work in your woodshop, check out today’s recommended waiver wire pickups.

* Note: Although all listed roster percentages are from Yahoo, at the time of the writing of this article, most of our waiver wire recommendations are widely available across all major platforms. *

Jake Bauers – 1B/OF – Brewers – 40%

Can I interest you in a Top 75 overall player who is most likely available on your waiver wire?

Yup, thought so.

I realize Bauers isn’t a sexy name. Why? Maybe because the 30-year-old is playing for his fifth team in the past nine seasons. Better yet, maybe it is due to his career .211 batting average entering this year. These two excuses have something in common – they’re old news! You need production TODAY and, man, Bauers is producing! Just check out his Baseball Savant page below:

That’s a lot of red and, in case you’re wondering, many of those stats are career highs. Bauers is particularly beneficial in daily leagues because he is a lefty who crushes righties but can be benched when the Brew Crew face a lefty. Good news – Bauers won’t face a lefty SP until at least June 5.

Top 75 players are not usually available on waivers so I could have limited my argument for claiming him to “Top 75 player.” However, at least you now know that he is a new guy so far this year. Run, don’t walk, to your waiver wire!

Jake Burger – 1B – Rangers – 28% 

I’m cornering the market this week on first basemen named Jake. This one is almost as hot as the first.

Unlike Bauers, Burger isn’t in the Top 75 overall. However, he is in the Top 50 over the past two weeks during which he hit three homers and had nine RBI. He has a great upcoming schedule as the Rangers have four straight series against teams in the bottom half of the league’s wOBA standings (Royals twice, Cardinals and Guardians). That’s sufficient reason to believe that he’ll stay hot and be worth a roster spot on your team.

Burger went 14-44 (.318) with four homers, 14 RBI and a stolen base in his past four series. Although that line is inflated by one series at Coors Field, Burger was productive in each series.

So we have a guy who is hitting very well recently, has a favorable schedule over the next couple weeks and is mostly likely available on your wire. Go for it!

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Larry Vannozzi

Larry is a meteorologist who was fortunate to have a 36-year career “doing his hobby” with the National Weather Service. He’s a weather weenie who was fascinated by weather in elementary school and graduated with a degree in meteorology from Penn State. He obsesses about fantasy baseball, weather and the Phillies.

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