The Boston Red Sox will play the second game of their series against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night at Fenway Park after grinding out a 9-8 victory on Monday.
The club is still without infielder Curtis Mead, who has not played since July 27. Mead has been sidelined since he was hit by a pitch in his only appearance for Boston.
The Red Sox received him in a July trade from the Washington Nationals in exchange for left-hander Connelly Early. He was struck in the wrist during that debut and immediately went on the injured list.
An MLB.com report dated Aug. 29 stated: “Has started mobility and strength exercises and is running and throwing.”
The same report listed his expected return as “Late season or 2027.”
That timeline means Mead is unlikely to contribute much, if at all, during the remainder of the 2026 regular season.
A July 28 post from @MLBONFOX said: “The Red Sox are placing Curtis Mead on the 10-Day IL, per multiple reports. Boston traded Connelly Early for Mead on July 25th and he was hit in the wrist in his Red Sox debut last night.”
Mead, 25, entered the season with four years of big-league experience. He previously played for the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox before joining the Nationals and then Boston.
This year he is hitting .253 with 72 hits, 17 home runs, 48 RBIs, 49 runs and six stolen bases across 88 games. Those numbers represent the strongest offensive production of his career to date.
The Red Sox sit in third place in the American League East with a 75-63 record through 138 games. They have gone 6-4 in their last 10 contests and are 35-32 at Fenway Park this season.
After wrapping up the Mariners series, Boston travels to Maryland to face the Baltimore Orioles beginning Thursday.
Manager Chad Tracy and the coaching staff have been forced to mix and match at the infield spots while Mead continues his rehab. The organization remains hopeful the mobility and throwing work will allow him to resume baseball activities without further setbacks.
Whether he can return before the season ends or must wait until 2027 will depend on how his wrist responds in the coming weeks.
For now, the Red Sox will try to keep winning games without him as they push for a stronger position in the standings.
