Should Red Sox Regret Turning Down Diamondbacks Connelly Early Trade?

What was the right move for the Sox?

Jun 8, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early (71) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As we know, the Boston Red Sox wound up trading Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals on Saturday. And although a player can be traded to only one team, there's usually more suitors in the pipeline at the time of any deal.

That was the case in the Early sweepstakes, as we learned later on. And Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reported on Sunday that the Red Sox rebuffed the Arizona Diamondbacks' interest in Early.

As we know now, the Red Sox were enticed by Curtis Mead's combination of promise and four-month track record of production to make the move. But there's one young bat in the Arizona system who, if he was available in this case, would be tough to pass up at any juncture.

Did Red Sox have chance to acquire Ryan Waldschmidt?

Jul 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt (15) in the batting cage before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Diamondbacks' 2024 first-round pick, well-rounded outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, is just the type of high-potential right-handed bat who would have made sense as a target for the Red Sox in an Early trade. Mead is more proven, though, which would be the explanation for passing on Waldschmidt if he had been available.

Piecoro did not confirm the identities of any of the young Arizona players who were offered to Boston in discussions for an Early deal, so it's possible Arizona left Waldschmidt off the table. If so, the Red Sox probably laughed in their faces when they were offered someone like Tim Tawa.

Waldschmidt, 23, has a .697 OPS and just one home run in his first 42 major league games with the D-backs. In his minor-league career, however, he put up an OPS of .889 in 199 games. He's a high-average hitter with a great eye and plus speed, and he's probably the center fielder of the future in Arizona.

It would be hard to blame the Red Sox, who need present impact and extra power in the top half of the order, for going with Mead over Waldschmidt. But the latter is a tantalizing talent who could very well go on to have the best career out of himself, Mead, and Early.