Connelly Early Earns Opening Day Spot As Red Sox Prioritize Early-Season Rotation Depth
Boston’s rotation flexibility reflects both immediate need and long-term confidence The Red Sox didn’t just finalize their rotation heading into Opening Day. They made a statement about where things stand in the present and where they’re headed next. And that statement starts with Connelly Early.
In a late-camp twist, Boston is carrying the 23-year-old left-hander on its Opening Day roster, a decision that felt unlikely just a few weeks ago but now looks fully earned. Early didn’t just survive a crowded spring competition. He forced his way into it.
After flashing potential in a brief big-league cameo late last season, including a start in the Wild Card round, Early backed it up with one of the most consistent spring performances in camp. He posted a 1. 59 ERA across 17 innings, striking out 16 while showing the kind of poise that made him impossible to ignore .
As Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported, the Red Sox are not viewing this as a short-term bullpen solution or a placeholder role. Mar 18, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early (71) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the second inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images) “The Red Sox view Early as a starter and it remains unlikely he’s used as a reliever during the first few weeks of the season,” Cotillo wrote for MassLive on Monday. “The Red Sox plan to start Garrett Crochet [Thursday] and Sonny Gray [Saturday] in the first two games of the regular season but have not yet announced a starter for Sunday in Cincinnati. Exact plans for Early and Oviedo are still being ironed out.