The Chicago Cubs had a busy trade deadline as Jed Hoyer completed four deals for pitchers in early August, including three for rotation arms. Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman headlined the trade deadline for the Cubs, while reliever Ryan Zeferjahn and project lefty Braxton Garrett were also acquired. While the team accomplished its goal of upgrading the rotation for 2026, the Cubs weren’t able to get a deal done for a true controllable starting pitcher.
It turns out that they were engaged in making one big splash with the Boston Red Sox for left-handed starting pitcher Connelly Early. The 24-year-old has been in trade rumors since the offseason, often linked to the Cubs after they signed Alex Bregman and suddenly left Matt Shaw without a starting spot. Early only threw in four games during his late-season call-up in Sept. 2025, but he was impressive with 29 strikeouts in 19.1 innings.
Early was ultimately traded by the Red Sox this year, going in a surprising 1-for-1 deal with the Washington Nationals. The left-hander posted a 3.44 ERA in 17 starts with the Red Sox in 2026, leading up to his trade for infielder Curtis Mead.
According to Pat Ragazzo, the Cubs were interested in trading for Early but were sideswiped by the Nationals, who were aggressive in the trade market and got a deal done on July 25, eight days before the trade deadline.
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The cost-control aspect of getting Early shouldn’t be lost, as the left-handed pitcher is under team control through the 2031 season. However, in terms of the 2026 season, this was one of those lucky situations where the Cubs are better off that the Nationals ended up with Early instead of the Cubs.
Heading into the final three weeks of the regular season, Early still has not pitched for Washington. Coincidentally, Early last pitched against the Nationals on June 30 before going down with an elbow injury. He was later transferred to the 60-day IL in late August, and Early will barely go on a rehab assignment this week for the Nationals.
Given that the Nationals traded away Mead, a player in his mid-20s, who is also under team control at a low cost for several more years, you have to imagine that the Red Sox were eyeing either Matt Shaw or Pedro Ramirez in negotiations. Shaw was hurt at the trade deadline, sidelined with a wrist issue, while Ramirez has been doing a good job as the Cubs’ backup infielder, recently thrown into a starter role after Dansby Swanson went on the injured list.
Shaw hasn’t necessarily made much of a difference for the Cubs since returning from the injured list, but trading him for Early would have stung for this year. You would think the Cubs would have been less aggressive in the trade market after that, which might mean they didn’t get Holmes.
His last start was rough, allowing eight runs in 4.1 innings against the Miami Marlins on Sunday, but Holmes has looked elite since the trade deadline with the Cubs.
That trade between the Red Sox and the Nationals has been quite the disappointment for both sides. Early has yet to return from the injured list, while Mead had only two plate appearances with the Red Sox before suffering a broken left wrist after being hit by a pitch. Mead is hoping to return this season for Boston.
Think about the Cubs without Holmes, or how the infield would be without Ramirez, while still not having Early pitch for the team this year. Yikes. Sometimes the best deals are the ones you don’t make.
