Nine days before the MLB trade deadline, Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow made his first big move ahead of Aug. 3. He sent left-handed pitcher Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals for infielder Curtis Mead.
It was a move that certainly caught some by surprise late on Saturday night. Breslow and the Red Sox are banking on Mead proving his 2026 season is no fluke. However, just two at-bats into his tenure in Boston, disaster struck.
Mead was hit by a pitch on the wrist late Monday night in West Sacramento, Calif., and left the game an inning later. Test results revealed a fractured wrist on Tuesday, and he flew back to Boston to meet with doctors. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive, for now, Mead will avoid surgery and will be out 6-to-8 weeks.
This likely means that Breslow and Boston will be in the market for another middle infielder by the trade deadline. Jeff Passan of ESPN believes that Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez is the best fit. However, it doesn’t mean that he will be moved.
Boston Red Sox Named Best Fit for Marlins Shortstop Otto Lopez
It’s been widely known that Boston would like to add a shortstop at the deadline. They have been linked to Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels. However, is Breslow willing to meet a high asking price? Passan believes that Lopez, an All-Star, would be the best fit.
“The Red Sox fought their way back into contention and aren’t done adding after acquiring Curtis Mead. They are going big. Maybe that means getting Zach Neto from the Angels. They could try to convince Houston to move Jeremy Pena, even as the Astros try to win now, or wheedle Abrams from Washington. The best opportunity, though, could be Lopez, the Marlins’ All-Star shortstop,” Passan wrote.
Boston has been dealing with injuries in the middle of the infield. Trevor Story has been out injured, as has been Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Interim manager Chad Tracy has been getting by with Triple-A players. How much longer can the Red Sox survive that way?
The 27-year-old Lopez is having a career year at the plate in terms of his slash line. If Miami president of baseball operations Peter Bendix wants to cash in, now might be the time to do it. Lopez is slashing .329/.363/.490 with nine home runs and 50 RBIs. Defensively, he has been good, which earned him a spot on the National League All-Star team earlier this month in Philadelphia.
Boston Red Sox Expected To Be Active at the Trade Deadline
There are going to be a handful of teams who could be big players at the trade deadline. Boston, according to Passan, could be one of them.
“As of now, the Red Sox are juggling dozens of balls. They’ll cull those in the coming days and are among the teams likeliest to make a decisive move. Whether it’s at shortstop, catcher or both is the big question to be answered when the market finally defines itself,” Passan wrote.
The American League is wide-open this fall once the playoffs begin. There is no dominating team. Any one of four or five teams could advance to the World Series. Boston could be one of them. However, as currently constructed, it might not be enough. Adding at the deadline with a big move might push them over the top. Lopez could be that player. However, that could be easier said than done.
Boston Red Sox Named Best Trade Fit for National League All-Star Shortstop