Baseball fans got the first Passan bomb of the trade deadline late on Saturday evening when the Red Sox and Nationals did a one-for-one player swap of Curtis Mead and Connelly Early. It was an interesting trade to say the least, as both teams dealt from a place of surplus to address an existing need.
Instant reactions felt that the Nationals got the better of this deal, acquiring a controllable starting pitcher for an unproven bat in the midst of a breakout campaign. That is a totally fair assessment, but for the Atlanta Braves, this trade should serve as a warning sign. Alex Anthopoulos knows the Braves could use a right-handed bat, and the precedent cost was just set at a pretty high rate.
What an interesting deal this Boston/Washington match is.
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) July 26, 2026
In a vacuum I like it better for the Nats but also as I wrote a few days ago .. if you want a RHB, expect to overpay for it. https://t.co/ghAUjeztMc
Low supply on serviceable right-handed bats means the Braves will have to overpay to add
Acquiring a starting pitcher should be the main focus for Alex Anthopoulos right now, but a quality bat isn't too far behind. Underperformance from Austin Riley, the DH, and the platoon spot with Mike Yastrzemski have created a need for another bat, preferably one that hits left-handed pitching well.
However, the market seems to show that not many quality right-handed bats are openly available this trade deadline. Mike Petriello wrote about this phenomenon on mlb.com a couple of weeks ago, and Boston's cost for Curtis Mead supported his analysis.
Names like Lane Thomas, Taylor Ward, and Spencer Steer are intriguing right-handed pieces for Atlanta because they excel at hitting left-handed pitching. However, this Boston/Washington trade is fascinating because Connelly Early was a top-ten prospect in the Red Sox organization entering 2025. Atlanta's trade equivalent feels like an Owen Murphy-type level of prospect, which on the surface feels steep for a player like Mead.
Overpaying in a trade has never been Alex Anthopoulos' style, and if this first big trade of the deadline is any indication, acquiring a right-handed bat looks to be a steep price. Because of that, do not be surprised if Anthopoulos acquires more of a rental reclamation project should he address the Braves' need for a right-handed bat.
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