Washington Nationals Expect Connelly Early to Pitch in 2026

The Washington Nationals made a move to acquire pitching help after sending third baseman Curtis Mead to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left hander Connelly Early, adding a much-needed replacement in the rotation to address arguably the biggest question for the Nationals. It still leaves room for Washington to also bolster the bullpen, an additional sore spot through 2026, yet the question about when exactly Early is available to make his Nationals' debut is a question that doesn't have an exact answer yet, according to president of baseball operations Paul Toboni. But it is clear the Nationals do expect Early to pitch in 2026, which factored into the decision to trade for the rookie lefty.

Early went on the injured list back on July 1 due to elbow inflammation, though he did toss one inning side session this past Friday, July 24, along with throwing from 120 feet. The initial plan for Early was a two inning side session in his next rehab stint, but that will now materialize with a rehab outing scheduled for Aug. 3 as pitching coach Simon Matthews looks to add the upgrade to the rotation.

While ESPN's Jeff Passan said the Red Sox were shopping Early before taking the Nationals' offer, Toboni offered a different perspective after noting teams were getting "pretty darn aggressive" in pursuit of Mead. Yet in the end, the Nationals added a player that Toboni was already plenty familiar with given the Early was drafted by the Red Sox during Toboni's tenure with the organization.

Yet Toboni's familiarity wasn't an initial benefit to him after admitting being worried he would "have blinders on," but the input from the rest of the front office solidified the opinion on possibility for the left handed rookie to become an impact piece in Washington.

As for Mead, he departs the organization after arriving in late March in a low-cost trade with the Chicago White Sox after what proved to be a career year in Washington. His 17 home runs and 48 RBIs this season account for the overwhelming portion of his production in his MLB career to become a trade candidate as the deadline neared. But with Brady House, who was recalled following Saturday's trade, already seasoned with MLB experience and the farm system well-equipped in the infield, the chance to add an impact rookie to a rotation in dire need of support signaled Toboni's commitment to the rebuild.

While he bolsters the long-term outlook, the chance for the Nationals to acquire Early with a path to pitching this season mattered for a team still in the race for the final wild card spot in the National League.

"We believe in this team and want to give them a shot," Toboni said ahead of Sunday's rubber match.

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