Red Sox Acquire INF Curtis Mead from Washington Nationals
BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today acquired infielder Curtis Mead from the Washington Nationals, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Connelly Early.
Mead, 25, ranks 10th among qualified right-handed hitters in slugging percentage (.500) and 12th in OPS (.852). The right-handed hitter has played in 87 games for the Nationals, batting .254 (72-for-284) with a .352 on-base percentage, 49 runs scored, 17 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 39 walks, and six stolen bases. He has made 42 starts this season at third base, 19 at first base, and one at second base. In 16 games this July, Mead is slashing .367/.465/.650/1.115 with 13 runs scored, six doubles, one triple, three home runs, nine RBI, and 11 walks.
A native of Australia, Mead was originally signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an international free agent on May 4, 2018, after playing 58 games with the Adelaide Bite in the Australian Baseball League (2017-18). In 239 career Major League games with the Tampa Bay Rays (2023-25), Chicago White Sox (2025), and Nationals (2026), he has hit .244 (178-for-729) while making 99 starts at third base, 42 at first base, 35 at second base, and three as the designated hitter.
Early, 24, has gone 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA (35 ER/91.2 IP) with 93 strikeouts in 17 starts for the Red Sox this season. The left-hander was placed on the 15-Day Injured List on July 1 with left elbow inflammation. Selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft, the Virginia native has posted a 3.24 ERA (40 ER/111.0 IP) with 122 strikeouts in 21 career Major League starts, all with the Red Sox (2025-26).