Working the Waiver Wire: June 1st

​

  • By Nathan Baker

    Last Updated on June 1, 2026 6:17 pm by Paul Williamson | Published: June 1, 2026

    June is here, which means the start of trade rumblings, the super two cutoff, and the league finding out who will contend for real, and who can save their season from the ruins. Injuries have gifted opportunities to some of our waiver wire adds, who can all provide some upside in the absence of the player they are replacing.

    Edwin Arroyo – 2B/SS – Reds – 12% Rostered

    The injury to Elly de la Cruz is a crushing one for the Reds, whose lineup has been entirely carried by two or three players all season, but with that crushing news is opportunity for one of the better infield prospects in the game. Edwin Arroyo is the last big piece from the Luis Castillo trade to arrive in Cincinnati, and he’s arriving after a monster start to his Triple-A season.

    He’s already smacked 11 home runs this year after hitting just three all of last season, and there hasn’t been any trade-off for contact either, with Arroyo also batting a career best .323 with a .383 OBP and a .562 SLG. He’s expected to play second base in the absence of de la Cruz, sliding Matt McLain over to shortstop, which will get him that dual eligibility on ESPN (already has it on Yahoo). He’s a worthwhile add in all leagues for now, and while his offensive surge may not keep up in the big leagues, his improvements have been drastic enough for a 22 year- old infielder to believe that the massive upside may just be here.

    Curtis Mead – 1B/2B/3B – Mets – 27% Rostered

    In a month where Cristopher Sanchez grabbed headlines, it’s the player who was traded for him to the Rays who’s become one of the most underrated hitters in baseball. Mead has a 141 WRC+, better than Bryce Harper and just one point less than Byron Buxton and Matt Olson, and, despite being just 25 years old with plenty of prospect pedigree, he’s still been largely overlooked.

    Part of this is his participation in the best lineup in baseball, being overshadowed by both James Wood and CJ Abrams, but he’s become a very important piece at the top of that lineup to protect those left handed hitters. Playing first base nearly full time, Mead has all of the underlying metrics checked off to be a fantastic major league hitter, making him a must add everywhere; it’s shocking that he’s available in nearly 3/4 of leagues.

    Want to get access to the rest of Nathan’s article? You’ll need to have a FANTASYPASS membership. Click here to learn more and sign up! Premium Access Required

    Come join us at SportsEthos by filling out an application by clicking here
    Click here to join us on Discord!
    Follow us on X by clicking here
    Follow us on Bluesky by clicking here
    Follow Nathan on X at @nbakerngb

    June 1, 2026, 6:17 pm