The Boston Red Sox made a bold gamble a week before the trade deadline, and the fan base does not seem happy about it.
Several reporters confirmed Saturday that the Red Sox traded rookie starting pitcher Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals in exchange for third baseman Curtis Mead. The trade was reportedly a 1-for-1 swap of young talent.
Early, who made his MLB debut last season, has been a bright spot for Boston in his first full campaign in the majors. The 24-year-old left-hander has posted a 3.44 ERA across 17 starts through June, with a left elbow injury sidelining him in early July.
After Connelly showed early promise, it’s no surprise that Red Sox fans expressed their disdain for the deal immediately. Many felt the move was a gross overpay to acquire Mead.
There's no shot the Red Sox paid that much???? https://t.co/H4CqlNZ75O
— jack (@Jolly_Olive) July 26, 2026
seems like a horrible trade for the sox am i trippin
— Late (@latesideofgood) July 26, 2026
I don’t want to overreact but what am I missing
— Casas Connoisseur (@CasasCounselor) July 26, 2026
While Mead’s previous three seasons weren’t very promising, the 25-year-old Aussie’s righty bat has shown up in a big way this season. He has hit 17 home runs through Saturday, a tally that will rank second on the Red Sox behind Willson Contreras once the deal is made official. In 87 games, Mead has batted .254 with an OPS of .852.
The Red Sox have been slotting Caleb Durbin at third base for most of the season. Durbin has made it known that he’s willing to move to second base should the Red Sox acquire a third baseman.
Enter Mead, who joins a Red Sox team in the bottom 3 in home runs this season.
Only time will tell whether Mead can eventually win over Red Sox fans. A few more of those dingers or doubles off the Green Monster would probably be a good way to start.
