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This content was machine-translated from the French version.
The MLB trade deadline, set for August 3 at 6:00 PM, is approaching, and the first shots have already been fired. The Red Sox opened the ball on Saturday night with a trade that speaks volumes about their ambitions, while in Cincinnati, a stroke of bad luck threatens to undo weeks of negotiations.
Boston bets on Curtis Mead's power
The Red Sox sent left-handed pitcher Connelly Early, 24, to the Washington Nationals in exchange for infielder Curtis Mead.
The Red Sox sent left-handed pitcher Connelly Early, 24, to the Washington Nationals in exchange for infielder Curtis Mead. The move, made official by both clubs on Sunday morning, marks the first major transaction of this period leading up to the deadline.
Mead, 25, is coming off a convincing first half of the season: 17 home runs, a batting average of .278, and an OPS above .800 in a Nationals uniform. The Australian, capable of covering second and third base, brings Boston a right-handed threat the lineup desperately needed. Alex Cora, the Red Sox manager, now has an additional asset in a wild-card race that promises to be tight until the end.
On the Washington side, Early represents a bet on the future. The left-hander, a former third-round pick, has compiled a 3.89 ERA in 14 starts this season. The Nationals, out of playoff contention, are capitalizing on Mead's current value to bolster a young rotation.
Cincinnati loses Steer, and with him its best trade chip
In Cincinnati, the mood is decidedly gloomier. The Reds placed Spencer Steer on the 10-day injured list on Monday, suffering a right wrist sprain. The 28-year-old infielder, with 22 home runs and 68 RBIs this season, was one of the most mentioned names in trade rumors.
Seattle, Philadelphia, and the New York Yankees had all expressed interest in the versatile right-hander. His injury, which occurred in the ninth inning of Sunday's game against the Cubs, radically changes the situation. No return timeline has been announced; medical exams scheduled for Tuesday will determine whether Steer can hope to play again before September.
For a Reds team already last in the National League Central with a 49-55 record, this setback comes at the worst possible time. David Bell, their manager, had acknowledged last week that the team was exploring "all options" before the deadline. Without their ace in the hole, those options are dwindling fast.
A still frozen market
The kickoff given by Boston has not yet triggered the expected avalanche. Several general managers, cited anonymously by The Athletic, describe a market that is "abnormally quiet" a week before the deadline. Asking prices for starting pitchers—the most coveted position—remain high, and potential sellers like Detroit or Miami are biding their time, hoping to drive up the bidding.
One certainty: the Early-Mead trade has broken the ice. The coming week will tell whether it was just the prelude to a fireworks display or a damp squib in a market dominated by caution.