RADIO
Connelly Early to Have Second Opinion on his Elbow
Boston Red Sox left-hander Connelly Early (elbow) will be getting a second opinion on his elbow after an MRI exam showed that he has posterior elbow inflammation, per MLB.com. It came a day after he left his start early against the Washington Nationals after four scoreless innings pitched on June 30. The Red Sox placed Early on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday, and he won't be eligible to rejoin Boston's starting rotation until after the All-Star break from July 13-16. Barring a more serious diagnosis after a second opinion, the young southpaw could have a chance to jump right back into the rotation to start the beginning of the second half of the season. In his first 17 starts in 2026 in his first full year in the majors, Early went 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA (4.62 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 93 strikeouts and 34 walks in 91 2/3 innings. The former fifth-round pick in 2023 out of the University of Virginia could be a sneaky waiver-wire pickup before he returns from the IL for the second half. He's rostered in exactly half of Yahoo leagues after his elbow injury.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Payton Tolle Worth a Waiver Pickup After Recent Short Outing?
Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle is 4-6 with a 3.39 ERA (3.53 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 74 strikeouts and 23 walks in 13 starts across 74 1/3 innings pitched in just his second year in the big leagues in 2026. The 23-year-old southpaw and former second-round pick out of Texas Christian University in 2024 broke a stretch of three straight outings with three earned runs or fewer on Wednesday, when he allowed a season-high six earned runs on seven hits (two homers) while walking three and striking out five in just three innings for his sixth loss of the year. It was the first time since May that Tolle failed to go at least five innings in what was his shortest outing of the season. Despite the poor showing this week, Tolle remains one of the more intriguing young lefty arms in baseball and is still worth a pickup off the waiver wire with an upcoming matchup against the Chicago White Sox, a team that ranks seventh in OPS (.739) but fourth in strikeouts (777). Tolle ranks in the 79th percentile in chase rate and the 62nd percentile in strikeout rate despite giving up plenty of hard contact. He's currently rostered in 60% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Connelly Early Dealing With Posterior Elbow Inflammation
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said that left-hander Connelly Early's (elbow) imaging only showed "posterior elbow inflammation in the area that we thought it was... that was kind of the area that he was complaining about last night. So we got some good news there." The Red Sox placed Early on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday after he was forced to leave his start early on Tuesday night after four innings against the visiting Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. The 24-year-old southpaw will be out through the All-Star break, but it sounds like he could be ready to rejoin Boston's starting rotation to begin the second half, barring a setback when he resumes throwing. In 17 starts (91 2/3 innings) in the first half of 2026, Early went 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA (4.61 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 93 strikeouts and 34 walks. He was impressive in his MLB debut last year, too, allowing six runs (five earned) while walking four and striking out 29 in just four starts. Fantasy managers looking for rotation help to begin the second half will want to consider adding Early if he's ready to go, and he's only rostered in 54% of Yahoo leagues after his elbow injury.
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Jake Bennett a Priority Waiver-Wire Addition With Opportunity to Stick in Rotation
Boston Red Sox rookie left-hander Jake Bennett, who is ranked as the team's No. 6 prospect at MLB Pipeline, has pitched well in his first six major-league starts and should have a long leash in Boston's starting rotation going into the second half of the 2026 season, with both Garrett Crochet (shoulder) and Connelly Early (elbow) on the injured list. In his first 33 innings pitched in the majors, Bennett has posted a 3.27 ERA (3.11 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and seven walks for a 2-3 record. The 25-year-old could end up being a steal after Boston acquired him in a trade with the Washington Nationals over the offseason. The former second-rounder in 2022 out of the University of Oklahoma has been much sharper in his last three starts, giving up just three earned runs with two walks and 17 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings pitched after he allowed nine earned runs with five walks and eight strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings in his first three big-league starts. With great command of his pitches and an opportunity to stick in Boston's rotation the rest of the year, Bennett is a priority waiver-wire pickup for fantasy managers in need of rotation help. Bennett is currently rostered in under 20% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Red Sox Place Connelly Early on Injured List With Elbow Inflammation
The Boston Red Sox announced on Wednesday that they placed left-hander Connelly Early (elbow) on the 15-day injured list with left-elbow inflammation and recalled left-hander Alec Gamboa from Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Early threw four shutout innings with two walks and five strikeouts on Tuesday night against the visiting Washington Nationals before the BoSox pulled him early with elbow discomfort. The 24-year-old southpaw will now miss at least the next two weeks and won't be able to rejoin the Red Sox's starting rotation until after the All-Star break in late July, in a best-case scenario. Once Early undergoes tests, we'll have a better idea of whether he'll be ready to return from the IL when eligible after the break. In his first full year in the majors, Early has gone 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA (4.61 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 93 strikeouts and 34 walks across 91 2/3 innings and 17 starts. He's had a decent 23.8% walk rate and 8.7% walk rate, but he ranks in the 15th percentile in barrel rate and has allowed 15 homers in his 17 starts.
Source: Boston Red Sox
Source: Boston Red Sox
Connelly Early Pulled Early on Tuesday With "Left-Elbow Discomfort"
Boston Red Sox left-hander Connelly Early (elbow) was removed from his start early on Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals in the fifth inning with "left-elbow discomfort," according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Before leaving, Early looked good at Fenway Park, throwing four scoreless innings with three hits allowed, two walks and five strikeouts in a no-decision in the eventual 8-1 loss. It's unclear how serious the 24-year-old southpaw's elbow injury is, but with the All-Star break quickly approaching in mid-July, this might be the last we see of Early until late July. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Wednesday for an update on his condition. In his second year in the majors with Boston in 2026, Early entered his outing on Tuesday with a 7-5 record, 3.59 ERA (4.72 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 88 strikeouts and 32 walks in 87 2/3 innings across his 16 starts. His strikeout rate has come down from 36.7% in four starts as a rookie in 2025 to 23.5% this year, but he remains one of the more intriguing young left-handed arms in the game, and he's rostered in 63% of Yahoo leagues. Don't be surprised if Early requires a trip to the IL.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Payton Tolle Shines Against the Yankees, Makes a Great Rotation Addition
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Payton Tolle turned in an impressive performance against the Yankees on Friday night, allowing just one hit in seven shutout innings and racking up seven strikeouts. He improved to 4-5 with the win and lowered his ERA to 2.78 with a 3.19 FIP on the year. The fiery 23-year-old lefty had allowed 10 runs in his previous three games, but his domination on Friday reminds everyone of his strikeout upside. He kept the strong Yankees lineup silent and can bring solid punchout production when he's at his best. While he has had some inconsistencies, his ceiling makes him worth adding as he continues to adjust to the majors. His emergence has been one of the few bright spots in a rough season for the Red Sox, and he can definitely make a solid addition, offering both rotation depth and upside in mixed leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Sonny Gray Lowers his ERA Under 3.00 and Strikes Out 11 on Tuesday
Boston Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray continued his strong first season in Boston in 2026 with his ninth victory of the season on Tuesday night in the 5-2 win over the Colorado Rockies at hitter-friendly Coors Field. Gray was stingy and had his swing-and-miss stuff working in Denver, allowing just one earned run on six hits (a solo homer) while walking three and striking out a season-high 11 batters in seven innings pitched. The 36-year-old veteran hasn't displayed a lot of swing-and-miss stuff this year despite getting solid results, but he generated 16 swings and misses on Tuesday night in the thin air of the Mile High City. Gray now has a 2.95 ERA (3.81 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 66 strikeouts and 20 walks in 76 1/3 innings pitched in his first 14 starts with the BoSox. He's been a bit fortunate given his lack of swing-and-miss stuff -- his 21.1% strikeout rate is his lowest mark since 2018 with the New York Yankees. Gray is firmly on the sell-high radar in fantasy as we near the end of the first half.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Garrett Crochet hasn't Resumed Throwing
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder, lat) won't resume throwing yet, interim manager Chad Tracy said on Monday. Crochet had a scheduled re-evaluation of his shoulder on Monday, which showed that he is "improving." However, it wasn't enough for Crochet to take the next step in his recovery. The 27-year-old southpaw has been on the injured list since late April with inflammation in his left shoulder, and he encountered a setback along the way in early June when he suffered a low-grade lat strain. Crochet said that his shoulder is the bigger issue. He has been throwing a plyometric ball while he rehabs, but he's not to the point where he can pick up a real baseball yet. We already know that Crochet will be out beyond the mid-July All-Star break, and we don't have a specific timetable for when he might be able to rejoin Boston's big-league starting rotation. The two-time All-Star has league-winning upside when fully healthy, but he's been a major disappointment in 2026 in his second year in Boston, posting a 6.30 ERA and 1.47 WHIP with 37 strikeouts in 30 innings over just six starts.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Fantasy Managers Need to Jump on the Payton Tolle Bandwagon
Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle took his fourth loss of the season in his most recent outing on June 16 versus the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, when he allowed three earned runs on four hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out six in just five innings of work. He gave up a season-high four earned runs in six innings for a loss in his previous outing on June 9 against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, but the 23-year-old southpaw remains one of the best young left-handed arms to roster in fantasy baseball leagues in just his second year in the league. The former second-round pick in 2024 out of Texas Christian University is 3-4 in 2026 with a strong 2.93 ERA (3.08 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP with 60 strikeouts and 16 walks in 58 1/3 innings over his 10 starts after having an ERA over 6.00 with a 1.59 WHIP and 19:8 K:BB in 16 1/3 frames in his first seven MLB appearances (three starts) in 2025. Tolle has a 25.5% strikeout rate since debuting last year and a 7.7% walk rate. He has done enough to stick around in Boston's starting rotation and is an emerging young arm with his arrow pointed up. Tolle has bounce-back potential in his next scheduled start against the banged-up Seattle Mariners.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Garrett Crochet Could Resume Throwing Program Soon
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder, lat) started throwing a plyometric ball on Tuesday and will continue to do so for the rest of the week before potentially progressing to throwing a real baseball, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Crochet initially landed on the 15-day injured list with left-shoulder inflammation before suffering a setback with a lat strain. He recently clarified that his shoulder is the bigger issue as he continues to tweak his mechanics, and now that he's on the 60-day injured list, the talented southpaw won't be back with the Red Sox's starting rotation until after the mid-July All-Star break. The 26-year-old former 11th overall pick by the Chicago White Sox in 2020 out of the University of Tennessee has been one of the biggest busts so far in fantasy in 2026 after finishing second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025 in his first year in Boston. Crochet has a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37 K's in 30 innings in his six starts this year, but despite the tough first half, he deserves to be held in all fantasy formats as he looks to bounce back in the second half with better health.
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Garrett Crochet Not Expected to Return Until After All-Star Break
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (lat, shoulder) clarified on Friday that his comments earlier this week were about his shoulder taking longer than expected, not his lat, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. Crochet's lat is asymptomatic. However, because of his shoulder, he doesn't think he'll be back before the All-Star break in mid-July. A low-grade lat strain that Crochet suffered in early June definitely didn't help his cause, but it's the left shoulder that is keeping the talented southpaw from returning to close out the first half of his second season in Boston. The 26-year-old deserves to be stashed in all fantasy formats while he recovers, as he's one of the best left-handers in the game when he's at full health. Crochet finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025 in his first year with the BoSox, but he's currently 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA (4.30 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in his six starts in 2026. He led the league in innings (205 1/3) and strikeouts (255) last year.
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Payton Tolle Still Worth Adding After Recent Loss?
Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle was hit around a bit in his most recent start on June 9 in a loss to the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, surrendering four earned runs on a season-high nine hits allowed while walking one and striking out only three in his six innings of work. It wasn't Tolle's finest showing, but he deserves a pass given the opponent. Overall, the 23-year-old southpaw has been strong in just his second MLB campaign, going 3-3 with a 2.70 ERA (2.71 FIP) and 1.05 WHIP with 54 strikeouts and 14 walks in 53 1/3 innings pitched across his nine starts. Despite allowing a season-high nine hits, Tolle, a second-rounder in 2024 out of Texas Christian University, was one out away from picking up his sixth quality start of 2026 in his nine outings. Tolle sits in the 82nd percentile in hard-hit rate and the 79th percentile in walk rate, and his overall body of work through his first 16 big-league outings, dating back to last season, makes him one of the more intriguing young left-handed arms in the majors. Next on tap is a matchup against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Tolle allowed three earned runs with four walks and four strikeouts against them back on April 28 in just his second start of the season.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Garrett Crochet's Lat Strain Worse Than Originally Thought
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (lat) told The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham that his lat strain "is a lot worse than what we thought," and he has "no idea" when he might be cleared to throw again. When Crochet initially went on the 15-day injured list in late May, he was diagnosed with a low-grade lat strain. That diagnosis was apparently wrong, and now it's looking like we may not see the talented southpaw back in Boston's starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. The 26-year-old has since been placed on the 60-day injured list. Crochet still deserves to be stashed in all traditional fantasy leagues, but his return is no longer around the corner. The two-time All-Star was as advertised in Beantown in 2025 in his first year with the team, going 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA (2.89 FIP), 1.03 WHIP, and a league-high 255 strikeouts in a league-best 205 1/3 innings over 32 games. Things have not gone as planned in Year 2 in Boston, though, as he currently has a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37:11 in just six starts.
Source: The Boston Globe - Peter Abraham
Source: The Boston Globe - Peter Abraham
Garrett Crochet Moved to 60-Day Injured List on Friday
The Boston Red Sox transferred left-hander Garrett Crochet (lat) to the 60-day injured list on Friday, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. The move doesn't come as a surprise, as the Red Sox needed the 40-man roster spot, and Crochet has already been on the IL for around 40 days due to what was initially a left-shoulder injury. The 26-year-old southpaw had a setback during his rehab last week, when he suffered a low-grade lat strain. Before that, Crochet was struggling to get his mechanics dialed back in. Now that he's on the 60-day IL, fantasy managers won't get him back until some point in July, potentially after the mid-July All-Star break. The former 11th overall pick by the Chicago White Sox in 2020 out of the University of Tennessee was a second-time All-Star in 2025 and finished second in the American League Cy Young voting after going 18-5 with a career-best 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 255:46 K:BB in 32 starts. Crochet had an ERA over 6.00 in six starts this year before going on the IL, but he also had 37 K's in 30 innings, and he should remain stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy baseball leagues.
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
