The Boston Red Sox are sending rookie starting pitcher Connelly Early to the mound on Thursday night to take on the New York Yankees.
What a wild turn of events for the Red Sox’s starting rotation, huh? Injuries have certainly been felt this season. Back in Spring Training, the conversation around the Red Sox’s rotation was whether or not they would consider a six-man rotation because there was seemingly so much depth. The rotation candidates at the time were Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, Tanner Houck, Lucas Giolito, Walker Buehler, and Kutter Crawford. Houck and Crawford are injured and Buehler is a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. Giolito is also today hurt.
Other initial options were Sean Newcomb, Richard Fitts, Hunter Dobbins, and Quinn Priester. Fitts and Hobbins are both hurt. Newcomb and Priester are no longer in the organization.
All of that has culminated to opportunities for young guys like Early, Payton Tolle, and Kyle Harrison. Tolle is the team’s No. 2 prospect and got a shot already in the series for Boston vs. the Yankees. Harrison hasn’t pitched yet in the series. Early, the Red Sox’s No. 6 prospect, impressed enough in his brief stint down the stretch that he’s making the start for Boston on Thursday night.
Baseball is wild. Early wasn’t even on the Red Sox’s radar early on, but he catapulted his way up through the minors and today, at 23 years old, is going to be the youngest pitcher to start a postseason game for Boston since Babe Ruth, per MLB’s Sarah Langs.
“At 23 years and 182 days, Connelly Early will be the youngest Red Sox pitcher to start a postseason game since Babe Ruth in 1916 WS G2 (21y, 246d),” Langs said.
You didn’t misread that. Early is young and Boston is turning to to him against the club’s biggest rival with a chance to advance to the American League Division Series. These are the moments that baseball are made. A kid who seemingly came out of no where today has a chance to make his mark in Boston history.
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