Connelly Early (elbow) completes bullpen session

Early might come off the IL to make an appearance or two at the end of the year. He presumably won’t be fully built up for five- or six-inning starts.

Early’s odds of returning before the end of the season took a major hit when he experienced forearm tightness during a live batting practice session earlier this month. The 24-year-old has been out with posterior elbow inflammation since late June and remains without a clear return timetable following this latest setback. The procedural move opens up a spot on Washington’s 40-man roster to claim starter Matt Waldron off waivers.

Early is working his way back from posterior elbow inflammation, so his now feeling tightness in his forearm is not a great sign. Nationals manager Drew Butera said that the team will be “ultra cautious” with Early and “hit pause” on his throwing program for now before deciding on next steps. With Washington now 5.5 games out of a playoff spot, there’s a good chance we won’t see Early pitch any games for them this season.

Early was acquired from the Red Sox on Saturday night in exchange for Curtis Mead. The left-hander has been out since June 30 with posterior left elbow inflammation. He will likely require at least three rehab starts to build up his pitch count before he makes his way back onto an MLB mound, so, assuming he progresses without any setbacks, he could be pitching for the Nationals in the final week of August or early September. Of course, whether or not the team is still in the playoff race by then may determine how they use Early, who is just 24 years old and is clearly an important part of Washington’s future.

Obviously, there’s nothing at all guaranteed for the Nationals here, but turning Mead, who was acquired after being DFA’d by the White Sox in March, into a pitcher who was universally regarded as a top-75 prospect at the start of the season and who has posted a 3.24 ERA through 21 major league starts, seems like a major win for the organization. There is the huge caveat that Early is currently on the IL with elbow inflammation. Also, his peripherals aren’t as strong as that 3.24 ERA. Still, he projects as a fine middle-of-the-rotation starter for the long haul, even if his recovery from his current elbow issue doesn’t go as hoped. The Red Sox, for what it’s worth, seemed optimistic that he’d be ready to contribute in September. The Nationals, meanwhile, will replace Mead with Brady House. They’ll still probably trade another infielder, too, with Luis García Jr. most likely to go.

Unless Early is damaged goods — and he obviously currently is on the IL with elbow inflammation — this seems like a pretty weak return for the Red Sox. Mead has broken out nicely with a .256/.351/.505 line this year, but not with the kind of exit velocity numbers that suggest he’s going to be an above average regular going forward, especially given his lack of defensive value. The Red Sox figure to use him a lot at DH for now and then mix him at third and first if Roman Anthony gets healthy and the outfield gets overcrowded again. Masataka Yoshida will lose at-bats in Boston. The Nationals will recall Brady House to replace Mead, according to Spencer Nusbaum.

Early increased his flat-ground throwing distance to 90 feet after playing catch from 75 feet on Friday. The 24-year-old lefty hit the injured list with posterior elbow inflammation back on July 1. He’ll ramp up his throwing progression over the next few weeks and should make it back to Boston’s rotation at some point in the second half.

Early had gone for a second opinion on his elbow injury, but it appears that the Red Sox and Early are happy with what they saw. Early has missed about three weeks since being placed on the injured list on July 1 and may require a rehab assignment before he’s ready to return. It’s still great news for the Red Sox that they avoided a major injury here.

Tracy cautioned not to read too much into it and that most pitchers that are dealing with arm-related injuries do head for a second opinion. Early landed on the injured list earlier in the week due to what was termed posterior left elbow inflammation. The Red Sox should have another update on his status in a few days.

It’s an extremely encouraging update based on initial imaging after Early hit the injured list after being removed from Tuesday’s start against the Nationals with elbow discomfort. It doesn’t appear that he’s dealing with any UCL damage or other structural issues, which would’ve resulted in an extended absence. There should be a definitive return timetable at some point in the near future, but it sounds like Early has managed to avoid a worst-case scenario. He’s worth hanging onto in all fantasy formats with the exception of extremely shallow mixed leagues.