Red Sox send Connelly Early to Nationals for Curtis Mead
The Boston Red Sox are trading left-hander Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals for infielder Curtis Mead, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The one-for-one deal, not yet formally announced, adds a breakout bat as Boston pushes for a playoff spot ahead of the trade deadline.
Key Takeaways
- Boston sends rookie lefty Connelly Early to Washington for Curtis Mead in a reported 1-for-1 swap.
- Mead has hit 17 home runs with a .256/.351/.505 slash and 135 wRC+ in 322 plate appearances for the Nationals.
- Early owns a 3.44 ERA over 17 starts but is on the injured list with elbow inflammation and has resumed throwing.
- The Red Sox hold the final AL Wild Card spot after winning 21 of their last 25 games; the Nationals sit two games out of a postseason bid.
- Mead is controlled through 2030; Early has five years of team control remaining beyond this season.
What did the Red Sox get in Curtis Mead?
Curtis Mead, 25, is a former top prospect who finally broke through after stops with the Rays and White Sox. Traded to Washington early this season, he has become the Nationals’ primary third baseman and posted an excellent 135 wRC+ with 17 homers, 17 doubles, 48 RBIs and an .856 OPS in 86 games (322 plate appearances), per MLB Trade Rumors and MassLive reporting.
After just five home runs in his first 152 big-league games, Mead’s power surge stands out. He has logged heavy time at third base and some at second, and Boston has not locked in a defensive home yet. Reports say Caleb Durbin could shift to second base, while fantasy analysts note Mead may also see DH and first-base work.
Mead turns 26 in October and remains under club control through 2030. Follow more deadline moves and lineup buzz on our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Why are the Red Sox trading Connelly Early now?
Early, 24, has made 17 starts in his first full major-league season with a 3.44 ERA. He burst onto the scene with an 11-strikeout debut last September and earned a rotation job this year. Strikeouts have settled nearer league average and walk rates have risen, with a 4.04 SIERA and 4.14 xFIP suggesting more modest underlying results.
He landed on the injured list July 1 with posterior elbow inflammation, threw a bullpen Friday, and has resumed mound work. MassLive reports the deal is Boston’s first strike ahead of Monday’s deadline, swapping surplus young pitching for offense after chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said scoring runs was the clear need.
Both clubs are in the playoff mix: Boston holds the final AL Wild Card, and Washington is two games out with baseball’s highest-scoring offense but a thin rotation.
How does this trade reshape both rosters?
For the Nationals, a healthy Early projects as a top-three starter behind All-Star Foster Griffin and Cade Cavalli, filling innings that have fallen to Zack Littell, Miles Mikolas and Andrew Alvarez. Washington plans to recall Brady House to replace Mead, according to Spencer Nusbaum.
Boston moves ahead with Gray, Suarez, Tolle, Bennett, Sandoval and others while awaiting returns from Crochet and more. Masataka Yoshida may lose at-bats as Mead arrives. The swap is also the second major deal between Breslow and Nationals president Paul Toboni, who left Boston last fall.
Teams have not announced the trade officially, but multiple outlets confirmed the agreement late Saturday, with MassLive saying it would be finalized before Sunday’s game.