According to Foul Territory on X, the Red Sox (80-65) are calling up their No. 6 prospect Connelly Early to start tonight against the Athletics (66-79) in Sacramento, with Dustin May (7-11, 4.96 ERA) expected to head to the 15-day injured list with an undisclosed injury.
While this call up is surprising, the Red Sox had to address the looming issue that was May as a backend starter.
After a lackluster trading deadline for Boston where the team missed out on bringing in both a true No. 2 starter and a consistent bat at first base, Maye was the consultation prize heading over from the Dodgers (80-64). A member of their 2020 World Series roster, May was thought to be someone who could bring championship pedigree to the rotation, even with his best days as a pitcher seemingly behind him.
But in the five years post-2020 title, May has struggled to stay healthy. In May of 2023 in a start against the Twins, he left the game after only one inning due to right elbow pain. Following the game, he was diagnosed with a right flexor pronator strain, later receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection which sent him to the 60-day IL. Less than two months later, it was announced that May would undergo surgery on the flexor tendon in his right elbow, as well as a Tommy John revision for a Grade 2 UCL sprain. Those procedures, of course, ended his 2023 season.
Continued rehab from those surgeries led to May starting the 2024 season on the 60-day IL, with the righty eventually being ruled out for the season after going under the knife in July yet again, this time for a repair of an esophageal tear. So while May might have a second World Series ring from the 2024 Dodgers winning their eighth championship in franchise history, he didn’t actually throw a single pitch for the blue that season.
May started the 2025 season in the rotation for Los Angeles, but was never able to recapture the magic from early in his career. After 18 starts, the Dodgers announced on July 30 that May would be moved to the bullpen and would be shifted into a bulk relief role.
That new job for May didn’t last long, as one day later he was traded to Boston in exchange for James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard.
So who the heck is this Connelly Early guy?
Here’s what Andrew Mahoney of The Boston Globe wrote on Tuesday about the newest member of the Red Sox:
“In his start for Worcester last week, Early elicited 20 swings and misses — the most by any Red Sox pitcher in Triple A this year — and struck out 10 over six innings of one-run ball. The 23-year-old has a 2.83 ERA and 31 percent strikeout rate in six Triple A starts.
“He was selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2023 draft out of the University of Virginia.”
Early gets the start one day ahead of fellow rookie pitcher Payton Tolle (0-1, 7.56 ERA), who shined in his MLB debut at Fenway Park on August 29. As evidenced by his ERA, his second career start left much to be desired, with the Diamondbacks sitting on his fastball to the tune of 5 hits and 5 earned runs while walking four and only striking out two across 3.0 innings pitched.
With how their schedule in September lines up, this series in Sacramento for Boston is a must-win situation. Early might be facing a last-place club to open his MLB career, but make no mistake about it - this is a high leverage spot for the 23-year-old.
He’ll be hoping his offense is able to match their effort from Monday night, spanking the A’s in a 7-0 win that saw Garrett Crochet striking out 10 across 7.0 innings of work.
Tonight’s first pitch is set for 10:05 p.m. ET with the A’s throwing lefty Jeffrey Springs (10-10, 4.13).
Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.