Role
Curtis Mead came from Washington on July 26 for left-hander Connelly Early, got hit by a pitch in his second at-bat with Boston, and broke his left wrist (per MLB Trade Rumors). He was back for the Wild Card Series roster but didn't play. Manager Chad Tracy said it's "broadly (the) plan" for Mead to get most of the second base work in 2027 (via Tim Healey of The Boston Globe).
Outlook
Almost all of his 2026 came with the Nationals: .254/.352/.500 with 17 homers in 87 games. He had a .620 OPS for Tampa Bay and the White Sox in 2025, and Chicago designated him for assignment in March. Savant mostly backs the breakout, with a .358 expected wOBA against a .370 actual. The glove is the concern. He was at -9 outs above average, mostly at third, with arm strength in the 9th percentile, and he played just 26 innings at second this year.
Our take: Tracy's "30-home run season" talk is too high for a guy who had five career homers before this year. Twenty-two at Fenway, with the defense at second hovering just below average, still makes the Early trade look fine.