Nationals Have to Get Creative After Connelly Early's Planned Start Gets Canceled

The Washington Nationals are being forced to get creative when it comes to how Connelly Early is going to get some work in before the end of the season.

He was supposed to make his second start for the organization on Sunday with Double-A Harrisburg. But the game was rained out, so couldn't make his scheduled start. And as the end of the 2026 campaign gets closer and closer, the Nationals are trying to decide their next steps so the left-hander can possibly make his big league debut for his new ballclub.

According to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic, Washington is weighing two options.

Nationals Could Have Connelly Early Throw for Triple-A Rochester

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Connelly Early | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Manager Blake Butera said they might have Early throw for Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. The Red Wings are scheduled to face the Buffalo Bisons for a six-game road series in what will be their final set of the regular season. Tuesday would be Game 1 of that series.

That appears to be the most likely course of action for the Nationals. The decision makers seem to believe that he is healthy enough for a live-game setting at the upper levels of the minors following his outing in the Bridge League. So having him pitch in Triple-A instead of Double-A is probably what Washington will decide to do.

However, there is also a chance they just have Early throw in a live at Nationals Park on Monday. That would simulate some live action for the left-hander without him actually throwing in a game that matters. In theory, that would be a more controlled and "safer" environment, which would limit injury risk that could come from throwing in a live-game situation.

Whatever the Nationals choose to do, time is now against them when it comes to actually getting Early back on the mound in the majors this year. If they throw him in Triple-A and he feels healthy after his outing, then they might decide to activate him from the injured list once he's ready to pitch again. That would give Washington a six-game window for Early to pitch, whether that comes in their series against the Detroit Tigers from Sept. 21-23 or against the New York Mets from Sept. 25-27.

But that's assuming they don't believe he needs to get more reps before returning to the majors. Either way, time is working against the Nationals when it comes to seeing their prized in-season acquisition make his team debut this year. And it didn't help matters that his scheduled start on Sunday was canceled.

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