Early Injury Halts Red Sox Streak
Red Sox Rookie Connelly Early Exits Start With Elbow Discomfort, Snapping Team's Quality Streak
Key Points
Early's exit snapped Boston's 12-game quality-start streak, the longest since a franchise-record 14 straight from April 8-25, 1988, with the Red Sox leading 1-0 at the time of his departure.
In four scoreless innings, Early totaled 3 hits allowed, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, 61 total pitches (38 strikes) and recorded seven swinging strikes before leaving.
Early has walked 34 batters this season in 91 2/3 innings, adding to his 93 strikeouts, highlighting control issues that have accompanied the elbow issue.
The game featured a lengthy on-field melee with multiple ejections earlier in the proceedings, adding a chaotic context to the Red Sox-Nats matchup.
Red Sox rookie left-hander Connelly Early left his start against the Washington Nationals on June 30 with left elbow discomfort after four scoreless innings, throwing just 61 pitches. The 24-year-old was replaced by Danny Coulombe to start the fifth, and the team said imaging and further evaluation were expected to follow, according to Athlon Sports.
Early had allowed only three hits and two walks while striking out five, generating seven swinging strikes before being pulled. His exit snapped Boston's 12-game quality-start streak — the longest since a franchise-record 14 straight from April 8–25, 1988 — and puts his next scheduled start against the Cubs on July 7 in serious doubt.
A Historic Pitching Streak Comes to an Abrupt End
Boston's rotation had been one of baseball's hottest over the past month. The Red Sox posted 12 straight quality starts — defined as six or more innings with three or fewer runs — and held a 1.75 ERA during that run, according to Field Level Media. The last time Boston strung together a longer streak was in 1988, when the rotation reeled off 14 consecutive quality outings.
Early was the anchor of that run. The University of Virginia product broke camp as a starter after a strong Spring Training and had settled in as Boston's most reliable arm. Through 17 starts, he owns a 3.44 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings. Coulombe entered for the fifth inning and immediately surrendered the tying run, according to Athlon Sports.
Elbow Discomfort Raises Fears of an IL Stint
The Red Sox officially announced Early's exit as "left elbow discomfort," with no further detail given during the game. Fantasy analyst George Bissell of NBC Sports said Early is "in jeopardy of missing his next start against the Cubs" at minimum, and that elbow discomfort for a high-usage rookie typically leads to at least a 15-day injured list stint.
Early underwent an MRI and clinical evaluation in Boston following the game. Some reporters noted he showed no dramatic velocity drop before leaving, which could suggest a minor strain. But with the Cubs start on July 7 approaching fast, the team faces a tight window to get answers and make roster moves.
Boston's Rotation Was Already Running on Fumes
The timing could hardly be worse. The Red Sox are already without five projected starters: Garrett Crochet (shoulder, 60-day IL), Johan Oviedo (elbow, 60-day IL), Kutter Crawford (undisclosed), Tanner Houck (elbow surgery), and Patrick Sandoval, who is currently on a rehab assignment, according to Athlon Sports. Early was essentially serving as a de facto ace by default.
If Early lands on the IL, the Red Sox may need to fast-track Sandoval's return or call up Jake Bennett from Triple-A Worcester. Analysts from FanGraphs have noted that Early's 3.44 ERA was a key reason Boston stayed near .500 despite a shaky run differential earlier this season.
A Brawl, Four Ejections, and a Chaotic Backdrop
Early's injury wasn't the only drama at Fenway on June 30. A bench-clearing melee erupted in the fourth inning after Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli struck out Willson Contreras and shouted "Sit down, boy!" at the Red Sox first baseman, according to Athlon Sports. Four players and coaches were ejected, including interim manager Chad Tracy.
Contreras, who had been ejected the previous night for mocking the ABS challenge system, was tossed again during the melee — his second ejection in 24 hours. Cavalli remained in the game despite being widely seen as the instigator. Some Boston-aligned analysts argued the lengthy on-field delay added unnecessary stress to Early's arm before his removal, according to Athlon Sports.
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