Dream debut: Connelly Early dominates with 11 K’s in his Red Sox debut

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Red Sox left-handed pitcher Connelly Early had a standout performance in his Major League debut on Tuesday night, striking out 11 batters in five scoreless innings. Boston defeated the Athletics with a score of 6-0. Early was called up from Triple-A Worcester and was the starting pitcher for the game, replacing Dustin May, who was placed on the injured list due to elbow issues. The 23-year-old allowed five hits and achieved his first strikeout in the MLB against Athletics batter Nick Kurtz in the first inning. In the second and fourth innings, he struck out all the batters, and recorded two strikeouts in the third and fifth innings. The 11 strikeouts tied the most in a debut in the history of the Red Sox, a mark set by Don Aase in 1977. Early also became the fifth pitcher since 2000 to achieve 10 strikeouts without allowing runs in his MLB debut, joining Freddy Peralta, Matt Harvey, Aaron Harang, and Kazuhisa Ishii. Early was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 amateur draft and is Boston’s seventh-ranked prospect. It’s the third pitcher to debut in the MLB this season with the Red Sox, along with Hunter Dobbins and Payton Tolle.

Early had a 3-1 record with a 2.83 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings pitched for Triple-A Worcester this season. Previously, he recorded a 7-2 record with a 2.51 ERA for Double-A Portland, with 96 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings. May, acquired from the Dodgers at the end of July, was placed on the injured list, retroactive to Sunday, due to neuritis in his right elbow. In five starts and one relief appearance with Boston, May had a 1-4 record, a 5.40 ERA, and 26 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings. With the Dodgers, the 28-year-old right-hander had a 6-7 record, a 4.85 ERA, and 97 strikeouts in 104 innings. Additionally, the Red Sox called up infielder Vaughn Grissom from Triple-A Worcester and placed him on the 60-day injured list due to plantar fasciitis.