RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sourcesThe Boston Red Sox traded pitcher Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals for infielder Curtis Mead on July 26. The unofficial start to trade deadline season — teams can’t swap major league players after Aug. 3 — started off with a head-scratcher.
Mead, 25, was a .238/.300/.317 hitter from 2019-25 with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox. Early, 24, had a 3.44 ERA in 17 starts for the Red Sox this season, is under team control for five more years, and was a consensus Top-100 prospect coming into the season.
MORE: All-Star kills trade rumors, tells Red Sox he won’t waive no-trade clause
The Red Sox arguably overpaid for Mead if he was healthy. One day into his Red Sox career, Mead was hurt.
Mead was hit on the left hand by a 95-mph fastball July 27 in West Sacramento, and forced to leave Boston’s game against the A’s in the fifth inning. X-rays after the game were negative.
Only one day later, however, Nick Sogard was on his way to join the Red Sox for the second game of their series against the A’s.
MORE: Red Sox make trade, acquire outfielder with .137 batting average
Tommy Cassell of the Telegram & Gazette, who was first to report Sogard was en route, posted on Twitter/X that “it has to do with the Curtis Mead injury being worse than initially thought.”
According to multiple reports, Mead is being placed on the injured list.
Sogard, Cassell notes, was originally scheduled to play second base and bat second for the Worcester Red Sox, Boston’s Triple-A affiliate.
With the MLB trade deadline looming on Aug. 3, Mead’s injury throws a monkey wrench into Boston’s trade deadline plans. Is his injury serious enough, and are the Red Sox’s infield needs so acute, that they are now in the market for yet another infielder?
MORE : Red Sox cut 12-year veteran immediately before All-Star break
Mead hit 17 home runs with an .852 OPS in 87 games with the Nationals, making him a coveted player leading up to the deadline.
Boston has struggled to fill its middle infield positions amid an injury to veteran Trevor Story, and the surprising regression of former prized prospect Kristian Campbell.
Mead might be the answer at some point this season. For now, he has to get healthy.
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.