The Boston Red Sox swung a surprising late-night trade to acquire infielder Curtis Mead from the Washington Nationals on Saturday, sending pitcher Connelly Early to the nation’s capital in return.

But even after landing a big boost for their lineup, the Red Sox are apparently not done dealing.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today has reported that Boston is still seeking another bat before the MLB trade deadline, specifically mentioning that the Red Sox are searching for a shortstop.

“The Boston Red Sox are in dire need of a right-handed bat, and would love to acquire shortstop Jeremy Pena of the Houston Astros or Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels,” Nightengale wrote Sunday morning.

Now, Mead himself is a right-handed bat, but it’s entirely possible that the Sox are looking for yet another slugger to round out a lineup that has struggled for a good portion of the season.

We also know that Boston is in dire need of a shortstop, as Trevor Story — who is on the 60-day injured list while recovering from sports hernia surgery — has managed a .547 OPS this season, and while Andruw Monasterio (.743 OPS) has been serviceable in his stead, the Red Sox would prefer a more proven option.

Neto in particular has been said to be on Boston’s radar for quite some time now, and with the Angels out of playoff contention, a deal could be possible. That being said, Neto is under club control through 2029, so the Red Sox would probably have to pay an exorbitant price.

Pursuing Pena is probably a bit more dicey considering that the Astros are still very much alive in the American League playoff race, thanks much in part to a terribly weak AL West division.

But with Pena slated to hit free agency after 2027 and Houston certainly not resembling a World Series contender, perhaps the Astros could be convinced to part ways with the former World Series MVP.

Neto is slashing .236/.326/.445 with 19 home runs and 46 RBI this season. He leads the AL with 144 strikeouts, but he compensates for it with terrific pop and stellar defense.

Meanwhile, Pena missed some time due to injury early on, but since returning, he has been impressive, slashing .315/.371/.477 with nine homers and 28 RBI over 245 plate appearances.

We’ll see if the Red Sox decide to make a move for either slugger before Aug. 3.