Last season Connelly Early capped off his brilliant 2025 by earning the start in Game 3 of the Red Sox’s AL Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees.

Now, following a similarly brilliant showing in spring training, Early will start Game 3 of the upcoming regular season as well.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters in Fort Myers Tuesday that the rookie left-hander has won the club’s last rotation job and will start the third game of the season on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds.

Recently acquired right-hander Johan Oviedo, who appeared to have the inside track for the No. 5 spot, will start the season in the Red Sox bullpen.

Early earned the job after turning in the best string of performances of any starting pitcher in Red Sox camp. The 23-year-old allowed three earned runs in a team-high 17 Grapefruit League innings (1.59 ERA), held opposing hitters to an .180 batting average and struck out 16 hitters while allowing five walks and no home runs.

The rookie beat out Oviedo and fellow rookie lefty Payton Tolle in what was among the most competitive position battles in Red Sox camp this spring. Oviedo, who made his last spring start on Monday, posted a 4.91 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings. Tolle, who was optioned to Triple-A on Monday and will start the year in Worcester, had a 2.53 ERA with 13 strikeouts and one walk in 10 2/3 innings.

Currently ranked as Boston’s No. 3 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Early was called up in September last season to help keep the Red Sox rotation afloat amid a run of injuries and underperformance. The lefty pitched brilliantly, posting a 2.33 ERA with 29 strikeouts over 19 1/3 innings in his first four regular season starts. He also pitched well in the playoffs, allowing three earned runs over 3 2/3 innings in a game where he was let down by poor defense and virtually no run support.

Garrett Crochet and Sonny Gray will start the first two games of the season in Cincinnati, and after Early takes the hill on Sunday Ranger Suarez and Brayan Bello will start the next two games in Houston.