According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Boston Red Sox pitcher Connelly Early has made his way onto the Opening Day roster. Early made his debut in September of last season, going 1-2 with an ERA of 2.33. In those starts, he struck out 29 batters and walked only four. Despite the record, he did well enough to earn a spot on the postseason roster. He got the start in the deciding game of the American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees, where he would be outdone by Massachusetts native Cam Schlittler.
Seeing as the number one through four starters in the Red Sox rotation are all locks right now, that leaves the number five starter up in the air. As fellow prospect Payton Tolle got sent down to Worcester on Monday, that would leave newcomer Johan Oviedo as his only competition. While Oviedo has more experience, Early has become a fast riser since making his debut.
Connelly Early, Johan Oviedo make Red Sox Opening Day roster, per @ChrisCotillo.
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) March 23, 2026
Connelly Early Makes Opening Day Roster: Why This is Good
Early burst onto the scene last season. He struck out 29 of the 79 batters he faced in 2025, which is a strikeout rate of 36.7%. His K/BB ratio is also very good at 7.25. Despite relying on his fastball the most (29.1%), he possesses a six-pitch arsenal. It also includes a curve, changeup, slider, sweeper, and sinker. Against lefties, his deadliest pitch is his sweeper, getting batters at an insane 83.3% whiff rate. Against righties, his curve is the best at 39.4%. His fastest pitches are his fastball (94 MPH) and his sinker (93 MPH).
The Red Sox have sent down Zack Kelly, Tyler Uberstine, Payton Tolle and Tommy Kahnle, per @alexspeier.
Johan Oviedo and Connelly Early both remain in big league camp. pic.twitter.com/es2tq58zMs
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) March 23, 2026
During spring training this year, he dominated. He didn’t get a win or loss in the five games that he appeared in, but he did show a 1.59 ERA in those starts. He had 16 strikeouts to five walks, alongside a 0.941 WHIP. If this is pointing to any signs of what could come this season for the left-hander, Boston’s pitching at the major league level got even deeper.
Where Will He Appear?
Now that Early is up at the major league level, the next question is, where does he get placed? There are only two options for him right now. That is the number five starter or a spot in the bullpen.
Oviedo is the current number five starter, according to ESPN’s depth chart. However, he struggled hard in his last spring training appearance on Monday. The right-hander got shelled in 3 1/3 innings against the Minnesota Twins, allowing six runs on as many hits. He also walked two batters and hit another. Oviedo finished the spring with a 4.91 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings.
The result of Oviedo’s outing may have led the Red Sox to make this decision to bring Early up. There’s a lot of promise in the 23-year-old. Is it enough to steal the last spot? Signs would point towards that being accurate, at least in the short term. However, if Oviedo does hold onto the fifth starter role, a bullpen role wouldn’t hurt either side. He could definitely benefit in a long reliever role in a stacked rotation, and Boston could always use another lefty reliever. Either way, a full season of Connelly Early should be fun to watch.
Main Photo Credit: © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
