It’s not every day that a team is able to acquire a young, productive southpaw starter with years of team control. It’s even rarer to do so without giving up several prospects or a star player.
Yet, somehow, the Nationals have done exactly that with the acquisition of 24-year-old Connelly Early from the Boston Red Sox, a deal they got done by shipping away third baseman Curtis Mead.
Giving up Mead, a 25-year old who has been one of the team’s breakout hitters in a great offense, certainly hurts. But Early more than makes up for it with what he brings to the team both in the present and future.
First, the negative; Early is currently on the IL with elbow issues, though they are not structural and the lefty is nearly ready to begin a rehab assignment as POBO Paul Toboni noted the second rehab outing is scheduled for Aug. 3 with the expectation he pitches again this season.
With that out of the way, let’s get into the positives — of which there are many.
First and foremost, Early is another sorely needed quality arm for Washington. Before the deal, the Nationals only really had two guys — Foster Griffin and Cade Cavalli — who feel reliable in the short and long-term.
Early, easily, brings that number to three. He has been very productive to start his career, with a 3.24 ERA through 21 career starts, more than good enough to believe in his future potential.
Plus, Early’s career rate numbers are also a positive. He has 122 strikeouts to 38 walks, all in 111 innings of work. The strikeout and walk rates have been a bit worse this year than in his cup of coffee last year, but the Nationals will certainly take the bet that they can correct that over time.
Beyond his statistical output, Early is a left-handed pitcher — always valuable — with a five-pitch mix that includes a four-seamer, sinker, changeup, curveball, slider and sweeper. He uses them all a decent amount, keeping hitters guessing.
The underlying numbers, like some of the rate stats, have been a bit worse in 2026 compared to when he broke into the big leagues in 2025. That is, to a degree, a cause for concern, or at least a sign to slightly temper the enthusiasm the trade could reasonably inspire.
But regardless, the trade is an unqualified success for the Nationals. Small warts and all, Early is a good pitcher, a commodity Washington does not have enough of.
Whether he factors into a playoff push this season remains to be seen, but Early patches a lot of holes for the Nationals both now and in the years to come. While it stings to lose an young impact bat like Mead, Nats fans should be excited.
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