Aussie gets second MLB life after trade deadline frenzy
Murray Wenzel |
Curtis Mead is positioned for a second Major League Baseball life in Chicago after the Australian infielder was swept up in a flurry of trade deadline action.
The Adelaide native will head to the White Sox from Tampa Bay in a deal that sent breakout pitcher Adrian Houser to the Rays.
Mead, 24, was a top-50 prospect in his first two seasons at the Rays.
But the big-hitter – the first Australian to register an RBI (runs batted in) in a playoff game in 2023 – has bounced between the Rays and their Triple-A affiliate Durham Bulls during his three years there.
The White Sox (40-69), comfortably last in the American League ahead of playoffs and with a better record than only the battling National League outfit Colorado (28-80) are building under general manager Chris Getz.
Pitcher Houser was a buy-low prospect who excelled in a cameo after being cut from the Texas Rangers.
Getz sees the upside in Mead, who joined Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks as the only Australians on opening-day rosters this season.
He batted .226 in 49 games with Tampa Bay this season, with three home runs and eight RBIs.
A versatile defender who played 42 career games at second base, 40 at third and 20 at first, Mead has hit .238 with five home runs and 20 RBIs across 111 games with the Rays.
He also hit .264 with three homers and seven RBIs in 14 games this season with Durham.
The former Adelaide Giants star was signed as an international free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018 and traded to the Rays 18 months later.
There was a season lost to COVID-19 and then Mead spent two more grinding in the minor leagues before earning his Rays debut in 2023.
Mead’s trade was among dozens of deadline deals that capped a frenetic 24 hours as teams sought to improve their rosters ahead of the post season.
All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa will return to Houston, the San Diego Padres went on a trading spree that brought in hard-throwing closer Mason Miller while the New York Yankees grabbed two-time All-Star reliever David Bednar.
Outfielder Cedric Mullins was dealt to the New York Mets while Shane Bieber is joining the Toronto Blue Jays.
AAP
