Red Sox trade Connley Early to Washington Nationals for Chris Mead INF
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said postgame Mead's X-rays were negative, so it appears the slugger won't miss much time, if any. Still, Mead is expected to undergo more tests today.
Mead – 25 yrs old Hitting .254/.352/.500 with 17 home runs in 87 games while taking over their full-time third-base job
Early – 24 yrs old Career 3.24 ERA in 111 innings, 21 starts, during which he has struck out 122, walked 38 and allowed 15 home runs.
Mead - The 25-year-old, originally signed out of Australia as an international free agent by the Phillies in 2018, has bounced around and didn’t gain his footing until recently. In November of 2019, the Phillies made a masterful trade, sending Mead to the Rays for their current ace, Cristopher Sánchez. Mead got his first callup to the Rays in ‘23 and didn’t do much in parts of three seasons there before getting moved to the White Sox at the ‘25 Trade Deadline. Off he went again on March 28 of this ‘26 season -- two days after Opening Day -- when the White Sox sent him to the Nats for prospect Boston Smith.
Early - Early went to the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2023 draft and by the 2025 postseason had pitched his way into a playoff start. After two years at Army, he transferred to Virginia and proved his worth against higher-level competition. Boston helped him draw another 3 mph of fastball velocity, and he cruised through the minor leagues and has used his above-average stuff and high intellect to great effect, with a slider and changeup proving particularly effective.
Boston’s 98 homers are tied with the Brewers for fewest in MLB. Then you have the Nats, who have gone deep 156 times, good for best in baseball.
“It was clear and obvious how our team needs to improve offensively, and Curtis fits that,” said Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy.
“Any time you give up a player like Connelly Early, it’s really tough,” said Breslow. “Looking at our roster and our needs, we felt like this was something that made us better.”
Paul Toboni formerly worked for Sox under Breslow (Traded Red Sox Jake Bennett)
Early is on the IL with an elbow injury soon to come off.
Early is not a good analytical pitcher
Red Sox over paid, but maybe not by much?
Was there other deals out there with some creativity from Breslow?
Do we trust Breslow talent evaluation in Early?
Could they afford to give up Early this year?
Ranger Suarez (dealing with injury)
Crochet wont pitch again this year
All reports say Red Sox are not done. They are looking for a short stop.
According to reports from The Athletic, USA Today and ESPN in recent days, Boston is looking to upgrade at shortstop. The club reportedly has interest in the Angels’ Zach Neto, the Nationals’ CJ Abrams and the Astros’ Jeremy Peña.
However, it could be difficult for the Red Sox to pry one of those trade targets loose.
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