Report: Curtis Mead to IL with fractured wrist

Cotillo elaborates that it’s a tentative return timetable, which leaves open the possibility that Mead could make it back at some point in mid-September. The encouraging news is that he won’t require season-ending surgery after suffering a fractured left wrist when he was hit by a pitch during his Red Sox debut earlier this week. There should be a clearer return timeline once he’s cleared to resume baseball activities at some point in August.

It’s a brutal development for the Red Sox as Mead is out indefinitely and will fly back to Boston to visit a hand specialist to determine whether he’ll require season-ending surgery. The 25-year-old infielder, who was acquired from the Nationals for talented young lefty Connelly Early over the weekend, underwent an MRI that revealed the fracture after initial X-rays came back negative. It’s possible there was too much swelling for the fracture to show up on initial imaging at the ballpark after he was hit by a pitch during Monday’s series opener in West Sacramento. He suffered the injury during his second at-bat during his Red Sox debut. Fantasy managers should anticipate a lengthy absence and there’s a possibility his season is over.

The positive news here is that Mead appears to have avoided serious injury during his Red Sox debut after initial X-rays came back negative for any fractures. He was struck by a pitch from Athletics starter Jack Perkins during his second at-bat of the contest. The 25-year-old infielder, who was acquired from the Nationals in a trade over the weekend, is presumably day-to-day moving forward. It’s a significant relief for Boston and fantasy managers as well.

You can’t make this stuff up. Mead was replaced by Anthony Seigler at second base a couple frames after being drilled by a pitch on the left hand during his second at-bat in a Red Sox uniform after striking out in his first plate appearance. He’ll undergo X-rays to determine whether he suffered any fractures. There should be an update on his status shortly.

Mead has a phenomenal opportunity to make some noise in Sutter Health Field’s high-octane offensive environment in West Sacramento after coming over from the Nationals in a challenge trade for lefty Connelly Early over the weekend. The 25-year-old former top prospect has gone through a bizarre odyssey in the early portion of his career, but he appears to have finally arrived as an impactful everyday option this season, launching 17 homers in 327 plate appearances for Washington. He’s started pulling the ball in the air with much greater frequency this season, which will absolutely work in Fenway Park. He’s at second base in his Boston debut, but is likely to also see time at the hot corner over the final two months.

The Red Sox could have easily acquired Mead a few months ago, but they’re obviously much bigger believers now after he hit .254/.352/.500 with 17 homers in 327 plate appearances for the Nationals. And he does look like a perfectly legitimate major league hitter at this point. However, his bat speed and exit velocity numbers are all pretty average, and he just doesn’t offer much defensive value as a well-below-average defensive third baseman and potentially adequate first baseman. The Red Sox will likely make him their primary DH for now, allowing him to maintain some mixed-league value. Still, if they’re ever at full strength, he might not warrant starts against righties. Time will tell, but giving up Early here seems like a misstep. With Mead likely to see significant time at DH, Masataka Yoshida will again become a reserve, though perhaps a Jarren Duran trade could put him in left field for a time.

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.

Seigler started the bottom of the first with a leadoff homer off Trey Yesavage and just kept going from there. He had been hitting just .172/.246/.276 in 15 games since the Red Sox moved him to the leadoff spot at the end of June, though with the way the team has played, there wasn’t much reason to move him back down. He’s at .273/.336/.455 with three homers in 111 plate appearances overall.

Durbin was 0-for-3 before putting a Tyler Wells offering over the Green Monster for his 10th homer of the year. He’s hit nine in his last 33 games after collecting just one in 59 games through June 9. The Red Sox are now one win away from matching their franchise-long winning streak of 15 games from 1946.

Seigler has settled in as the Red Sox’ everyday second baseman and leadoff hitter over the past couple of weeks, but he’ll get a breather in this one. Romy Gonzalez will start in his place and bat sixth against Rays’ left-hander Shane McClanahan on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park.