RADIO
Connelly Early Still a Must-Roster Player?
Boston Red Sox left-hander Connelly Early has been inconsistent so far this season after getting called up on March 29 to replace Johan Oviedo (elbow), pitching to a 3.79 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with 31 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings pitched. He entered the 2026 season as a consensus top-65 MLB prospect, and although his surface stats look acceptable, the underlying metrics do not support them (5.33 xERA, 4.72 xFIP, and 4.64 SIERA). In addition to the expected numbers, his strikeout rate (20.5 percent) and walk rate (11.3 percent) are the worst marks of his career, dating back to his five starts with the Red Sox in 2025 and his career Minor League stats. All that being said, the season is still early, and the young left-hander is still only 24 years old and has the upside to turn it around quickly. At this time, Early remains a must-roster player in deeper formats or points leagues, but not necessarily in shallower category formats.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
