The Nationals traded corner infielder Curtis Mead to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for rookie pitcher Connelly Early, the teams announced early on Sunday morning.
The move marks the first major midseason trade for Paul Toboni, the Nationals’ first-year president of Baseball Operations, but analysts expect more to come in what is shaping up as a busy week ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Early, a Virginia product, entered the season as the third-ranked prospect in Boston’s farm system after starting four games following his 2025 debut. The 24-year-old made the major league roster this year as a starting pitcher, amassing a 7-5 record across 17 starts with a 3.44 ERA.
“He’s a stud. Stud competitor, incredibly composed out there, he brings great energy to the clubhouse,” said Toboni, who was part of the Red Sox front office that drafted Early in 2023. “He’s one of my favorites that I’ve been around. Just an awesome get for us.”
The fifth-round pick struck out 93 batters while holding opponents to 34 walks and a .235 batting average this season. The Red Sox placed Earley on the 15-day injured list on July 1 due to left elbow inflammation. He has not started since a June 30 game against the Nationals.
Toboni said Early is scheduled to make a rehab start on Aug. 3. He could rejoin Washington’s big league rotation two weeks after that, barring any setbacks.
Early’s availability down the final stretch of the season was a key consideration for the Nationals, who are trying to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2019.
“That was part of it for us. We believe in this team and we wanted to give them a shot,” Toboni said. “Connelly, I think, helps with that.”
Mead, 25, was enjoying a breakout season in Washington. The Australian became the Nationals’ everyday third baseman and hit 17 home runs while posting an impressive .500 slugging percentage and a .352 on-base percentage.
The hard-hitting infielder started his major league career with unimpressive stints with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox before joining Washington this offseason.
“He’s dealt with a lot of adversity. He was basically given another chance here and flourished and had a lot of success,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said before Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. “I’m just hopeful he can continue this; I know he will.”
The Nationals elevated infielder Brady House, who was sent to Triple-A Rochester earlier in the year after defensive struggles, to take Mead’s place in the lineup on Sunday.
Washington entered Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 53-52 record, two games behind Arizona for the NL’s final wild-card spot.
Toboni has repeatedly said that his decision to bolster the roster or strip it for prospects would depend on the Nationals’ playoff odds ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
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