BREAKING... MAJOR Boston Red Sox trade!

We just got breaking news as Craig Breslow and this Red Sox organization just kicked off the trade season with a one-for-one trade with the Washington Nationals. It is not a name any of us expected. I'm here to break down Conley Early's departure and who came back to Boston in exchange for him. We'll break down all of that on this episode of Red Sox Digest so let's not waste any time and get right to it breaking down the news as Jeff Passan just tweeted out this set of breaking news that is a bit interesting and has a lot of people questioning whether or not this is a good decision, another Craig Breslow boneheaded decision. Let's break it all down. So Passan tweets just a few minutes ago the Red Sox are trading left-hander Conley Early to the Washington Nationals for infielder Curtis Meade. Sources tell ESPN. Now if you don't know who Curtis Meade is honestly the underlying metrics are not bad but it is now his fifth team in just three years. That is crazy but he's only 25. He is pre-arbitration so there's a lot of team control out in front of his young career which is another bonus point in a right-handed power bat. He currently has 17 home runs on the year and again he's only 25 now on his fifth team which is crazy and he's primarily a third baseman. Now he does have reps at first base as well and throughout the infield which is something the Red Sox do enjoy as he does have reps at first base, second base, third base and another level or another player that brings you a level of versatility that we are firmly accustomed to in Boston as this year it's it's been a highlight and a just a a dominant point to this Red Sox team at least defensively to have the ability to have versatility in depth at a multitude of different positions and Curtis Meade now fits into that position. Now if you're wondering what position he's actually going to play we haven't broke this down yet on this channel yet because it just happened earlier today or just late yesterday. Caleb Durbin was asked asked by Alex Spear about what would how he would feel if he was requested to move positions in the infield from third base to second base what do you have the capability of doing that not only in the sense of a skill set but also would he be willing to do that as we all know just over a year ago this was a huge talking point surrounding the Red Sox and a different third baseman that was extremely disgruntled about having this conversation even the idea of being approached about this conversation where Durbin went on to say I played second base my whole entire life today I'd probably be most comfortable playing at third base just because that's where I've taken ground balls all year but it wouldn't take long for me to get comfortable there speaking about second base and also said he would be willing to do so if requested which thank you Caleb Durbin not only have you turned it on offensively but now and you've been great defensively at the hot corner at third base but now he's acknowledging the fact that hey dude whatever this team needs me to do and I'm capable of doing I will do it so that's a huge point but it was only a matter of hours since getting these quotes from Caleb Durbin that Craig Breslow and this Red Sox organization went out there and actually acquired a primary third baseman and again the underlying metrics are not horrible now I will say the fielding metrics are horrible but specifically offensively it's not too shabby for Curtis Meade he doesn't whiff all that much he walks at a high percentage doesn't k all that much doesn't chase and that's really really good the expected Woba batting average and slugging are all above league average the batting run value is above league average he's not going to kill you on the base paths but he has the ability to do great damage at the plate against 17 home runs up to this point in the year and he's only 25 it seems like there's a lot of baseball out in front of him for this young man and it seems like he's on a bit of a hot streak if you look at the numbers in the bottom left hand corner of this page on MLB network or MLB.com his last 7 to 15 games have been pretty damn productive hitting north of 300 in that stretch or in both of those stretches I should say but this move is very questionable and the reason being is not because Curtis Meade is not going to fit in in Boston I think he's going to be a great option as a right-handed bat that's going to give you a level of pop the Red Sox have been desperately looking for granted he's not Barry Bonds that's not what I'm saying but he does have 17 home runs it is another layer of power as a right-handed bat who could feast in Fenway Park as we all know how this conversation and equation actually goes you plug a right-handed batter in who has some form of pop with the ability to pull the baseball usually in Fenway Park that is a winning recipe you see the spray chart yes he does have the ability to hit to really all sides of the field he has the ability to hit oppo he has the ability to hit to the left center but he does have a tendency to pull it down that left field line as a right-handed power bat and honestly it could work out the idea is trading Conley Early who's currently been dealing with an IL stint and he is now moved but look how how much depth is on the IL starting rotation for the Red Sox Suarez, Oviedo, Suarez is coming back tomorrow for the final game of the series against the individual rival Toronto Blue Jays which is great hope he looks good but Oviedo, Hauk, Early, Crochet and Crawford all on the IL right now all starting pitchers for the Boston Red Sox and now they're running a legitimate four-man rotation like they are they need more pitching I know a bit is the fact that they're dealing with injuries so it's not like you have to make a trade because you're going to have some of these guys if not all of them return at some point during this year but you're very short-handed right now due to injuries which no one can obviously control and it is going to be a problem if they continue to put more strain on their bullpen but now getting getting rid of another pitcher or getting rid of a pitcher this time not via injury but just via a trade is very questionable the idea that you would trade Conley Early in a one-for-one setting in order to go out and get someone like Curtis Meade is it's just really really interesting because this was not a name that had been circling around the Red Sox obviously with the Nationals you hear C.J. Abrams but it didn't feel like that was legitimate not only because the Nationals didn't feel like they were actually going to shop him or actually move him they'd answer calls they'd field calls and have conversations but unless they were blown away they weren't actually going to move C.J. Abrams and I don't think the Red Sox would even if he was on the trade market and on the on the trade block I should say because he's a left-handed bat and he plays shortstop but he doesn't seem like he's going to play shortstop for all that much throughout his career so why would the Red Sox go out there and acquire him especially when they've been looking for a right-handed power bat going out and getting another lefty would just not have worked out Curtis Meade is a right-handed bat and he's only 25 which is huge and brings you a lot of upside not to mention the contract gives you a lot of flexibility because there's a lot of arbitragees pre-arbitration still you have what you'd have another three to four years of arbitration after this following season it's that that's going to work out greatly for the Red Sox it's just the idea that you gave up a young starting pitcher for someone that was like in the sense that it wasn't going to be not even a blockbuster trade but just the idea that you weren't like the idea surrounding early if he was going to be traded was the idea that he was going to be packaged along with other young prospects in the farm system or guys on the major league level now that could end up going for a big name someone that plays catcher like a Shea Langeleers or a Hunter Goodman I know those price tags would have been ridiculous but adding early as well as various other pieces to that puzzle in the trade package would have possibly gotten it done but now the Red Sox are out there Craig Breslow is out there and he's getting the done the job done early and he's making splashes he's not waiting for other teams to go out there and set the market he's going out there he's having conversations with teams and he's looking to get the job done early and often and acquire pieces that could absolutely help the Boston Red Sox and the more I think about it I'm not opposed to this trick I don't want to jump on Craig Breslow and say this is another horrible move give the dude time okay everyone jumped on his back for Durbin Wilson Contreras and Sonny Gray and not actually signing free agents the trades ended up working out as Durbin has now played phenomenal Wilson is the lifeline of the Red Sox Sonny Gray could be and should be in the running for a Cy Young outside of today's appearance against the Toronto Blue Jays which was his worst start of the year outside of that all three of those names have been absolutely phenomenal for the Boston Red Sox I know it didn't start all that great for some of them Caleb Durbin but things have slowly but surely turned on and it looks really good I'm not going to rule out that this trade is not going to work for the Red Sox I think Curtis Meade could fit in especially in the role that he's going to play defensively I believe they're going to take some form of hit because Durbin is going to play second base and Meade's going to take over that third base position and that could be problematic especially with these underlying metrics as he's in the bottom first percentile in range and he's in the bottom what is that uh 19th oh excuse me 10th percentile in arm strength while not maintaining good wheels it's there are some blemishes but there are some good things I let me know down below how how do you feel about this trade do you like that Breslow's getting out early making these trades without other people setting the market do you think this was a reach do you think they gave up too much in the sense of giving up someone like Conley early could that could have been a legitimate piece or or are you okay with early being the guy departing the Boston Red Sox I wish I I'm totally okay with the idea of early over Peyton totally being traded because I think totally has more upside and I think he's just too too emotionally inclined with this Red Sox organization and fan base because everyone loves him so much and the personality and just who he is to this Red Sox team but let me know down below your thoughts and opinions on the move and I will see you on the next episode of Red Sox Digest