The Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals swapped young talents in the first major trade of deadline season Saturday night, with the Red Sox acquiring infielder Curtis Mead for left-hander Connelly Early.
The deal adds the 25-year-old Mead, one of the breakout hitters in 2026, to a Red Sox lineup in need of offense to buttress the pitching that carried the team to a 15-game winning streak.