Red Sox acquire Curtis Mead, Nationals receive Connelly Early in early deadline trade
Boston traded left-handed pitcher Connelly Early to Washington for right-handed hitter Curtis Mead, addressing the Red Sox’s offensive needs while the Nationals add a controllable young starter.
Boston and Washington completed a player-for-player swap ahead of the 2026 trade deadline, sending right-handed batter Curtis Mead to the Red Sox and left-handed pitcher Connelly Early to the Nationals. Both players are under team control through the 2030s.
Mead, 25, has emerged as a power-contact hitter this season, posting a .254 average with 17 home runs, a 19.0% strikeout rate and an 11.9% walk rate. He has shown particular success against left-handed pitching, a profile the Red Sox hope will add depth to a lineup that has struggled to score runs despite strong pitching.
Early, 24, compiled a 3.44 ERA over 17 starts before being placed on the injured list with elbow inflammation. He is a six-pitch pitcher who has demonstrated the ability to mix fastballs, sinkers, changeups, curveballs, sliders and sweepers, though his underlying metrics suggest room for improvement.
The trade aligns with Boston’s need for additional right-handed power as they chase a wild-card spot, while Washington, coming off a .500 stretch, looks to bolster a rotation that has been among the league’s weakest in run prevention. The Nationals’ front office highlighted the move as a cost-effective upgrade to their pitching staff.
Both clubs will need to adjust their lineups and rotation depth charts as the players integrate, with Boston likely to use Mead at third base or as a designated hitter and Washington planning to add Early to a rotation that currently relies heavily on left-handed starters.