The Boston Red Sox are making a bold decision on Thursday night.
Entering a winner-take-all Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees, Boston will start rookie 23-year-old pitcher Connelly Early. If that sounds risky and dangerous for a player who is so inexperienced in these kinds of tense settings, that’s because it probably is. No pressure, young man!
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According to MLB’s Sarah Langs, Early will become the youngest Red Sox pitcher to start a postseason game in over 100 years. Who’s the last Red Sox player to do so? Why none other than Babe Ruth when he was 21 years old in Game 2 of the 1916 World Series.
Talk about a deep cut.
For what it’s worth, Ruth was stellar in that game. He pitched 14 innings and allowed just a single run in a clutch playoff performance. Suffice it to say, if Early can channel Ruth’s audaciousness, then the Red Sox might be in a great place even with his inexperience.
Who is Connelly Early on the Red Sox?
Early was drafted by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. The former University of Virginia pitcher had spent the better part of two years in the minor leagues before the Red Sox called him in early September of this season. He struck out 11 batters in his MLB debut in a win over the Oakland Athletics on September 9, 2025, which tied a Red Sox rookie record for strikeouts. He made four starts in September and allowed only a total of five earned runs.
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This article originally appeared on For The Win: Who is Connelly Early? What to know about youngest Red Sox playoffs starting pitcher since Babe Ruth
