NEW YORK – Connelly Early, the No. 6 prospect for the Red Sox per MLB Pipeline, wasn’t in the plans to be in the club’s starting rotation in September, let alone October.
But if nothing else, the 2025 season has been one of unpredictability for Boston.
The latest chapter comes Thursday night when Early, a 23-year-old lefty, makes his fifth career start and first of the postseason in a winner-take-all Game 3 of this AL Wild Card Series against the Yankees.
Early will become the fifth pitcher in history to make a postseason start within his first five MLB appearances.
Dylan Lee (ATL) (opener) – 2021 WS G4
Shane Baz (TB) – 2021 ALDS G2
Ryan Merritt (CLE) – 2016 ALCS G5
Matt Moore (TB) – 2011 ALDS G1
Early will be facing fellow rookie Cam Schlittler, who has made just 14 MLB appearances of his own. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, it will be the first game in postseason history between two starters who are each making their 15th career appearance or fewer (regular season and postseason combined).
“These boys throw out very calm,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Obviously, it is going to be loud here. Two rookies, Game 3, Wild Card, Yankees-Red Sox. Imagine that. Should be a fun night.”
It is a big spot for Early to be in, but one he earned by notching a 2.33 ERA in those first four starts in the regular season after he was called up to fill in for injured No. 5 starter Dustin May, who still hasn’t returned to action.
On the eve of the playoffs, the Red Sox suffered yet another blow to their starting rotation when No. 3 starter Lucas Giolito was ruled out for the series with irritation in his right flexor tendon.
One week later, Early made his impressive first Fenway start, giving up just one run over 5 1/3 innings while striking out seven in a rematch with the Athletics.
It has been a swift rise for a pitcher the Red Sox selected out of Virginia in the fifth round of the 2023 Draft. Before going to Virginia, a major college baseball program, Early was at Army throwing in the low 80s. In those days, he was finding time for baseball when he wasn’t fulfilling his military requirements.
Everything changed when he went into the transfer portal, and his decision to choose baseball as a career has come to fruition this season.
