Red Sox trade Curtis Mead, demote Tsung-Che Cheng and assess future moves

The Boston Red Sox placed infielder Tsung-Che Cheng on waivers and assigned him to Triple-A Worcester following the acquisition of outfielder Curtis Mead. Cheng had contributed to the team's recent 15-game winning streak, appearing in nine games and posting a .407 on-base percentage during that span.

Interim manager Chad Tracy said the departure of veteran Connelly Early, who was also traded, affected several players who were close to him, adding that the moves signal the club’s effort to address run-scoring gaps with added power.

"There’s a lot of guys in there that are very close with Connelly, and he’s been a huge part of this," Tracy said.

Former Red Sox pitcher Craig Breslow described the trade as “incredibly uncomfortable” but emphasized the front office’s priority of improving the major-league roster rather than simply winning a trade.

"Our goal is to make our major league team better. Sometimes, the most straightforward way to do that is a need-for-need type trade," Breslow said.

Analysts noted the Sox remain active in the trade market. Outfielder Arias is considered a high-value asset, potentially required to acquire players such as Angels shortstop Zach Neto. The team’s ability to acquire Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal is viewed as limited by Arias’s market value. Rotation depth may be less of a concern with the return of pitcher Ranger Suárez, while catcher Hunter Goodman is being mentioned as a possible trade target for Boston and other clubs.