Boston Red Sox
Despite initial X-ray results offering some optimism, Mead is reportedly dealing with a broken wrist.
Curtis Mead might be on the mend for some time. AP Photo/Scott Marshall
The Red Sox are reportedly going to have to wait a bit longer to see their new trade pickup, Curtis Mead, make an impact in the heart of Boston’s lineup.
According to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, the Red Sox will place Mead on the injured list Tuesday — just a day after the infielder was hit by a pitch and exited his Red Sox debut in the fifth inning of action.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday in Sacramento, Mead confirmed his injury — saying that further testing revealed that he suffered a fractured wrist in his debut with Boston.
“Yeah, challenging,” Mead said of the injury, per MassLive’s Chris Smith. “I’m super disappointed. It kind of doesn’t feel real that it’s (the) first game and there’ll be break in-between the next one….I came here to play and be with the group down the stretch.
“So yes, definitely disappointing but hopeful that I can be back (and play).”
Mead — acquired from the Nationals in a one-for-one swap for Connelly Early last weekend — only logged two at-bats with his new club before this brutal setback.
In the top of the fourth inning of Monday’s road game against the Athletics, Mead was struck on the left wrist on an inside 95-mile-per-hour fastball by starter Jack Perkins — with the blistering offering catching Mead after he initially checked his swing.
Mead was in discomfort as he took off his wrist guard and made his way to first base, but remained in the game as a baserunner before playing in the field as Boston’s second baseman in the bottom of the fourth.
Mead was eventually pulled from the game in the bottom of the fifth, with Boston announcing after the Red Sox’s eventual 4-2 win against the A’s that his X-ray results were negative.
“Squeezing my hand feels OK,” Mead said postgame, per MassLive’s Chris Smith. “Just a little bit of pain rotating. We were able to get an X-ray and everything looked OK. So I’m hopeful that I’ll feel better tomorrow morning and that wouldn’t be a problem.”
Even with the concerning optics of Mead leaving his Red Sox debut early, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy offered an optimistic outlook about Mead’s status after Monday’s victory.
“He’s sore,” Tracy said. “We’re just going to take it day to day and see how he feels coming in (Tuesday). A little sore but at least right now it looks like we dodged a bullet maybe.”
The news on Tuesday was far more discouraging, with Boston now tasked with moving forward without a trade pickup who was expected to bring some thump in the heart of the Red Sox order.
Mead told reporters on Tuesday that he’s taking a red-eye flight back to Boston to see a hand specialist in order to determine a recovery timeline — and whether or not he might need surgery.
Mead was in the midst of a breakout season with the Nationals before arriving in Boston last weekend, with the Australian-born slugger batting .256 with 17 home runs, 48 RBI and an .852 OPS over 87 games in Washington this year.
Mead was expected to bolster a Red Sox lineup that ranks 29th out of 30 MLB clubs with just 99 home runs on the season through 105 games.
Now, the Red Sox will have to play the waiting game once again with a key fixture sidelined with injury — with Boston already without several other franchise stalwarts like Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet.
Speier added that the Red Sox have Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester to replace Mead on the roster — with Sogard expected to split reps at second with Anthony Seigler with Mead on the mend.
With Mead now sidelined, the Red Sox might be on the prowl for more offense between now and MLB’s trade deadline, which is set for 6 p.m. on Monday, August 3.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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