Red Sox's Alex Cora Gives Telling Response On Rookies' Playoff Roster Chances

Youth will be served for the Boston Red Sox in October, but just how useful will the pitching staff be?

The Red Sox have two rookies in contention for the playoff roster who still have single-digit appearances under their belts in the majors. It's a testament to how far their pitching development system has come over the last couple of years, but also how many injuries they've sustained.

Those rookies are lefties Connelly Early, who started Saturday's game against the Detroit Tigers, and Payton Tolle, who came out of the bullpen. Neither even began the season at Triple-A, but manager Alex Cora has to seriously consider both of them as candidates to pitch meaningful innings in October.

Cora talks Early, Tolle as roster candidates

After Saturday's game, Cora was asked about both pitchers' chances to make the postseason roster, and though he didn't give a straight answer on either, his answers were fairly revealing.

“He’s a big part of what we’re trying to accomplish,” Cora said about Early, per Christopher Smith of MassLive. “Let’s see what happens — the (playoff roster) decisions we make, — but he’s a part of it.”

Early has been nails for the Red Sox in his four big-league starts, pitching to a 2.33 ERA and striking out 29 batters in 19 1/3 innings. He doesn't quite have the same velocity as the more physically-imposing Tolle, but all of his secondary pitches are well developed and tunnel off each other.

Meanwhile, Tolle, who has had a rougher go of things with a 6.06 ERA in 16 1/3 innings, didn't get quite as strong an endorsement from Cora, and understandably so. Still, the fireballer has been getting a taste of the bullpen in September, with his last four appearances coming in relief, and in the right situation against a pocket of left-handed batters, he could be a tempting option.

“Those decisions, it all depends on who we play," Cora said of Tolle, per Smith. "Right now, we have no clue who we’re going to play.”

We included both Tolle and Early on our projected Red Sox playoff roster on Saturday. But it should be noted that while Early feels like a lock, it's likely down to Tolle and Kyle Harrison for one additional lefty spot, and it would be entirely understandable if the Red Sox decided to lean on the slightly more experienced Harrison.

More MLB: Red Sox's Playoff Scenarios Entering Final Day Of Regular Season