Connelly Early to Make First Start on Sunday
Boston Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect Connelly Early will make his first regular-season start of the year on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Right-hander Johan Oviedo, who has been battling for the No. 5 starting spot in spring training, will open in the bullpen and will likely be a piggyback option. The Red Sox will re-assess after a couple of turns through the rotation. Early could easily be sent to the bullpen or to the minors in 2026 if he starts to struggle, but the young southpaw has earned a rotation spot after recording a 1.59 ERA with 16 strikeouts and only five walks in 17 innings in the Grapefruit League. The 23-year-old former fifth-rounder in 2023 out of Virginia also looked good in his MLB debut in 2025, posting a 2.33 ERA (0.91 FIP), 1.09 WHIP, and 29:4 K:BB in 19 1/3 innings. Early has a versatile repertoire, has a pretty clean injury history, and is good at inducing weak contact. His stock in all fantasy formats is on the rise.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
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