Connelly Early Injury: Red Sox Starter Exits With Elbow Scare

The biggest strength for the Boston Red Sox so far this season has been the starting rotation.

When the season began, it was known that the Red Sox had a surplus of talented arms and there were plenty of questions about who would actually land a role in the club's big league rotation. The surplus has certainly thinned out, though. Garrett Crochet is on the Injured List. Brayan Bello is down in Triple-A. Johan Oviedo was put in the bullpen to begin the season and hasn't pitched in a game since March 30 due to injury. Kutter Crawford is still injured. Patrick Sandoval hasn't pitched in a big league game yet this season, but that should change in the coming days.

Also, now the Red Sox are holding their breath about young lefty Connelly Early. The 24-year-old surprised many and earned a job in the rotation out of camp because of his stellar play in Spring Training. It has carried over to the regular season. Early entered the day on Tuesday sporting a 3.59 ERA in 16 starts. On Tuesday, he didn't allow a run and gave up just three base hits, but was forced to leave after four innings due to what the club is calling "left elbow discomfort," per MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo.

Boston Is Holding Its Breath For Connelly Early

Jun 25, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Connelly Early (71) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Connelly Early left the game with 'left elbow discomfort,' the Red Sox announce," Cotillo wrote on X.

This is the absolute worst thing you want to see if you're a Red Sox fan. First and foremost, the Red Sox's rotation has already thinned out. Sure, the Red Sox could easily bring Bello back up or turn to Sandoval, but you never want to hear about a pitcher leaving a game due to any elbow concern.

This is especially the case because Early was starting to really find a groove. Since allowing six earned runs on June 14, Early has allowed just three total runs since in 16 innings pitched. Over the last few days, the Red Sox have been able to claw their way at least back into the conversation in the American League, somewhat, thanks to a five-game winning streak. The reason for this has been the rotation above all else.

The injury bug has plagued Boston all season with big-name guys landing on the Injured List left and right, including Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Trevor Story, and Crochet. Hopefully, this is just a precaution for Early. More information will be provided when the team makes an announcement.

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