The Boston Red Sox's recent 15-game winning streak has cemented them as buyers ahead of the trade deadline, but they got started making deals early. Late on July 25, Boston made an unexpected trade to get the dealmaking started on a strange note.
The Red Sox traded lefty pitcher Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals for third baseman Curtis Mead, first reported by Jeff Passan. Mead was traded to the Nats from the Chicago White Sox after they designated him for assignment a few days before Opening Day.
Mead, who was born and raised in Adelaide, Australia, is a right-handed infielder, which checks two boxes on the Sox's trade deadline wish list. He's slashing .254/.352/.500 with 17 doubles, a triple and 17 home runs over 87 games this season in the best offensive year of his young career so far. Mead will be a great fit for Fenway Park and the Red Sox's lineup dominated by lefties with a pull AIR % of 22.8. He's pulled the ball a career-high 47 percent of the time this season.
Mead is a rough defender with nine outs below average and -2 defensive runs saved at the hot corner — a stark contrast to Caleb Durbin's Gold Glove-caliber play. After Boston's July 25 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, Durbin said he would move to second base if the team acquired a third baseman at the trade deadline, though the Red Sox have not yet confirmed a plan for the two players.
Red Sox trade for slugging third baseman Curtis Mead, send Connelly Early to the Nationals
Boston has leaned heavily on the rookie Early this season and it's strange to see him traded in such an unexpected deal when he could've been part of a larger deadline package for someone like Zach Neto or Shea Langeliers (if we're dreaming big) in the coming days. Jake Bennett and Payton Tolle had cemented themselves as fixtures of the rotation, as well, and Boston may be baking on them breaking out further.
Mead is still on a pre-arbitration deal, which explains why the Sox gave up such a promising arm for him, but as of now, many fans feel this is an overpay. Mead has had just a few weeks of great offense in his career, but the Red Sox have more than enough young pitching to spare — we'll have to wait and see how this trade ages.
Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow tends to make trades with the same few clubs. The St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates have been his two favorites, and both front offices have Boston connections — former CBO Chaim Bloom is in charge in St. Louis and Pirates GM Ben Cherington is another former Boston exec. Former Red Sox assistant general manager Paul Toboni is in charge in Washington now, and he's already made two trades with Boston. If history is any indication, they may not be the last.
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