Hope for Boston Red Sox, Slugger Curtis Mead

Jul 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Washington Nationals third baseman Curtis Mead (45) bats during the third inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hope for Boston Red Sox, Slugger Curtis Mead

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Aug 26, 2026 8:00 AM ET

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The Boston Red Sox are just getting better and better.

Boston is 8-2 over its last 10 games, including a five-game winning streak. The Red Sox swept the San Francisco Giants over the weekend and have a chance to go for their second straight sweep on Wednesday night when they face off against the Miami Marlins on the road.

On Tuesday night, the Red Sox took down Miami in exciting fashion. It took 11 innings, but a Jarren Duran grand slam pushed Boston over the top, 7-3. Now, Boston is a season-high 14 games above .500 and is expected to get at least Roman Anthony and Trevor Story back this week. Both will make the Red Sox better on paper. Plus, the Red Sox got even more good news on Tuesday. Trade deadline addition Curtis Mead has played in just one game for the organization after being acquired from the Washington Nationals in exchange for Connelly Early after fracturing his wrist on a hit by a pitch.

Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy gave an update on Mead on Tuesday and shared that he's healed enough to the point to come out of a hard cast, as transcribed by Christopher Smith of MassLive.com.

Progress For Curtis Mead

"He’s healed enough, progressing in the healing where they could take him out of the hard cast and put him in the splint,” Tracy said.

Even that's not all, though. Tracy insinuated that there is still hope that Mead can return this season, although he didn't guarantee anything.

“But I know that’s just step one and there’s still a good bit of time here after this comes off and what he’s got to do just to get it strong enough to even begin baseball activities,” Tracy said. “So hope but we’ve still got to temper that hope and just see if everything goes well with the next steps.”

This Red Sox team is already elite. It wasn't the case early on, but Boston transformed itself and can contend with any other team in the American League. Boston is one of just three teams in the American League with 70 wins or more. Right now, the Red Sox are just 1 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees for the No. 1 American League Wild Card spot. And, the Red Sox are just five games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the top spot in the AL East.

This club is very good. Imagine how good they could be with Anthony, Story, Mead and maybe even Garrett Crochet back in the mix? Boston isn't even close to its ceiling, which should be a scary thought for opposing teams. Before Mead got hurt, he was slashing .253/.353/.498 with an .851 OPS, 17 home runs and 48 RBIs in 88 games played. If you plug that into second base, all of a sudden the perception of Boston's lineup significantly increases.

Boston is just getting better and better.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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