The Boston Red Sox have a number of starting rotation candidates this season. The expected outcome is that left-handed pitching prospect Connelly Early will likely begin the new campaign in the minor leagues. Early, the Red Sox’s No. 3 overall prospect, is giving Boston something to seriously think about with his spring training performance, however.
Early did not allow an earned run across five innings of work in Wednesday’s spring training game against the New York Yankees. The southpaw added seven strikeouts in what was an all-around impressive effort.
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The 23-year-old has not just been good in spring training. Rather, he has looked like an All-Star caliber pitcher. He now holds a sparkling 1.59 ERA across five total spring outings. The Red Sox do not have to rush him to the big league level, but Early’s performance this spring has certainly caught their attention.
Red Sox Starting Rotation Outlook for 2026 Season
As mentioned, Boston’s rotation depth is not an issue. Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suarez, Sonny Gray and Brayan Bello are all going to be in the rotation. Johan Oviedo and top prospect Payton Tolle are candidates for the pitching staff as well.
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Early’s performance has also cemented him as a legitimate candidate. Even if he does not break camp with the MLB ball club, Early will surely be considered for a promotion at some point during the ’26 season.
Early made his MLB debut in 2025. He performed well, but only made four total appearances. Regardless, a 2.33 ERA in your first four MLB starts is nothing to overlook.
He proved he was ready for the next level while pitching between Double-A and Triple-A last year. Early ended up finishing with a strong 2.60 ERA across 21 total games pitched (18 starts). Only six of those outings came in Triple-A, but he impressed at all three levels he pitched at in 2025.
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It is clear that Connelly Early is ready for a spot in the big league rotation. Boston’s pitching depth is currently in his way, though. Early, however, has been the Red Sox’s best pitcher at spring training up to this point. His 1.59 ERA is the best mark among Boston’s starters, while he also leads the ball club with 16 total strikeouts.
The Red Sox were probably not expecting such a difficult decision this spring. Connelly Early has provided them with a good problem to have, however.
Related: Red Sox Announce Garrett Crochet Decision After Spring Training News
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.