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Red Sox lefty, a long shot to make team this spring, eager for first start of season
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- Red Sox lefty, a long shot to make team this spring, eager for first start of season
CINCINNATI — Connelly Early wasn’t supposed to be here.
Throughout spring training, it seemed a given that, with the three starting pitchers the Red Sox acquired, along with some returning veterans, Early would begin the year at Triple A Worcester to further his development.
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But then, newcomer Johan Oviedo stumbled and Ranger Suárez didn’t get the workload he was expecting in the WBC, and the Sox shifted gears. Early was a surprising addition to the rotation late in camp. He’ll make his 2026 debut Sunday in the series finale at Great American Ball Park against the Cincinnati Reds .
“It’s special,” said Early before the second game of the season. “I’m super excited about it.”
Early was tasked with getting bigger and stronger over the winter, the goal to pitch deeper into games. He focused on that in spring training and now gets to apply what he learned in a major league setting.
“I’m trying to just stay me,” he said, “and do the same thing. I felt good during the spring so I’m just trying to take the same notes during the season and keep working on the stuff I’ve been working on.”
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Early made four starts at the end of last year — and another in the Wild Card round against the New York Yankees — and knows there’s still a lot to learn.
“I’m just focusing on the routines, making sure I’m in a good spot,” he said, “getting more comfortable with the coaches, learning how to talk the right way on how we want to attack certain things when I’m on the mound. Also, all the stuff behind the scenes, in the training room and weight room.”
While Early may have been regarded as a long shot to make the Opening Day roster, he came to spring training with a goal of being on the staff.
“I feel like mentally, I’m in a really good spot, going into this outing,” he said. “Hopefully, we can carry over from what I did last season and what I did this whole offseason and be in a good spot on the mound.”
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Great American Ball Park is known as a hitter’s park and pitchers have to be mindful of keeping the ball in the ballpark. But Early won’t dwell on that Sunday.
“It’s still baseball, no matter where you are,” he said. “You just have to go out there and make your pitches and see what happens.”
A year ago, Early was promoted from the minors in early September. This season, he has the luxury of starting the year with the team and feeling more a part of things.
“The coaching staff and all the players did a really good job making me feel comfortable from the first time I was up here,” Early said. “(It’s the same) now in the offseason and spring training, so I feel really good.”
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