Connelly Early makes the Red Sox rotation and will start Game 3 on Sunday

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 12, 2026: Connelly Early #71 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during the third inning of a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins at Lee Health Sports Complex on March 12, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images The Red Sox rotation is set. Garrett Crochet will start the season opener on Thursday in Cincinnati, Sonny Gray will then take the hill for game 2 on Saturday, and in what was a pretty significant announcement today, Connelly Early will get the ball for the series finale on Sunday.

From there, Ranger Suarez, the biggest signing of the offseason will start game 4 in Houston on Monday, and Brayan Bello will round out the first swing around the carousel on Tuesday. Because of a combination of factors, including Suarez’s schedule for Team Venezuela in the WBC and certain matchups in Cincinnati and Houston, the bottom two slots in the rotation were actually filled in before the game 3 starter was determined for Sunday. But this morning, Rob Bradford broke the news that filled in the final piece of the puzzle: Connelly Early will start Game 3.

Oviedo will be in the bullpen. — Rob Bradford (@bradfo) March 24, 2026 So this is the part of the proceedings where I have to admit I was completely wrong and give my “mea culpa. ” As recently as this month, I was convinced the Red Sox were going to give this rotation spot to Johan Oviedo and send Connelly Early down to Worcester for at least 35 days to start the season to squeeze an extra year of control out of him.

This is what a team operating as a “good business” would do. And quite frankly, the Red Sox have operated too much like a good business and not enough like a good baseball team over the last five years. But I’m happy to report, I was completely wrong!