Red Sox rookie left-hander Connelly Early has been on the injured list for all of July. Early left his start against the Washington Nationals on June 30 with elbow discomfort.
The left-hander underwent imaging and sought out a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that Dr. Meister confirmed the initial diagnosis of just posterior elbow inflammation and soreness, and nothing more beyond that.
With elbows, always a level of concern. But that’s good news for Early and the Red Sox.
That’s good news for both Early and the Red Sox. Pitchers seeking second opinions on key body parts such as the shoulder or elbow are rarely interpreted as a good sign. However, in this case, the second opinion erased Early’s and the club’s worst fears.
That leaves the door open for the rookie left-hander to return before the season ends. He is currently on the 15-day injured list with that elbow injury.
Early has had a pretty solid rookie campaign. After making the rotation out of spring, he has a 3.44 ERA in 17 starts with a 23.8% strikeout rate and an 8.7% walk rate.
What’s Next for Red Sox and Connelly Early?
The question now becomes how long Early will be shut down for. He’s already been down for 10 days, so it will be a matter of when he’ll be asymptomatic. Once that happens, he can start up a throwing progression and ramp back up to a starter.
The timing is going to be very tight for Early to return to the rotation. For each week he sits, he’ll need at least a week to ramp back up. If he’s not progressing to a rehab assignment by the middle of August, it drastically reduces his chances of returning as a starter.
With the Red Sox winning 14 of their last 19 games, this injury subplot carries a lot more weight. They’re down three starters between Early, Ranger Suarez, and Garrett Crochet. But as the club has experienced more on-field success, their season outlook has drastically shifted over the last three weeks.
Despite the rotation being heavily affected by injuries, Boston has gotten great performances to keep their season alive. Fellow rookie left-handers Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett have played a key role in that.
Bennett, in particular, has been critical during their recent stretch. In his last five starts, he’s allowed just five runs over 32.1 innings (1.39 ERA) with 27 strikeouts and just three walks. Considering he was just a minor depth trade, it’s safe to call the 25-year-old the rotation’s unsung hero.
Red Sox Rotation Outlook in Second Half
How the Red Sox’s rotation looks at the end of July could determine how aggressive they are in that market. Their depth has been severely tested, and they’ve relied on rookies to keep the unit afloat.
That’s why the injury situations with Ranger Suarez, Garrett Crochet, and Connelly Early are serious. Ideally, Boston has their rotation close to full strength for the stretch run and the postseason. They’re still in the Wild Card chase, in a year where there aren’t any elite teams in the American League.
Suarez cannot return until July 21 at the earliest, as he’s dealing with a left groin strain. He was placed on the 15-day injured list with a retroactive date of July 6. That will mean he misses one turn through the rotation after the All-Star break.
Crochet’s injury bears monitoring. There hasn’t been much news since he developed a lat strain during his rehab. He’s on the 60-day injured list, so the Red Sox would have to clear a 40-man roster spot once he’s ready to return. But like with Early, the window to return as a starter narrows with each passing day.
Red Sox Get Positive Connelly Early Injury Update Before Mets Series