11:05am: IL’s early placement came before the photo shoot, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. He notes that Tracy said Early is already feeling better today, but with more than a week to go before the All-Star break, the Sox are taking a cautious approach. They expect to know more later today and will have more updates at that time.
9:30am: The Red Sox are placed on the left Connelly Early on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his left elbow, the team announced Wednesday. Boston brought back a lefty reliever Jovani Moran from IL for 15 days in parallel travel. The Sox also missed Lefty Alec Gamboa from Triple-A Worcester. He will fill the 26-man roster spot created by the veteran reliever’s DFA Tommy Kahnle.
He exited last night’s start early after just four innings, citing discomfort around the back of his elbow. It is expected that photographs will be taken to determine the extent of his injuries. The Sox have not disclosed anything beyond the IL placement, although interim captain Chad Tracy will provide more information when he meets with the team before this afternoon’s game against the Nats.
Not much has gone right for the Sox in 2026, but their rotation has even managed to produce an ace. Garrett Crochet he has missed most of the year so far. Early appearances have been an important part of that. The 24-year-old lefty took the ball 17 times and earned a tidy 3.44 earned run average. In 91 2/3 innings, he has struck out 23.8% of his batters against an 8.7% walk rate. Early has held opponents to two runs or fewer in 12 of his 17 starts this season, providing much-needed consistency while Crochet has been sidelined for two-plus months.
An early placement on the injured list could solve one potential problem for the Sox. A veteran Patrick Sandoval is set to return after missing more than two calendar years due to UCL surgery. His first 30-day rehab window is coming to an end, but the Sox didn’t have much room for him in each of the early rotations, Sonny Gray, Guard Suarez, Payton Tolle and the rookie Jake Bennett to dress well. Sandoval can still step into the void created by Early’s absence, kicking the can on any kind of decision down the road a little. (Sandoval’s recent resume has been watched closely by contenders with teams in need of rotation help.)
Sandoval, 29, signed a two-year, $18.5MM contract with the Red Sox in free agency after his 2024 season ends due to UCL surgery. The hope was that the longtime Angels pitcher could return by the end of 2025 and be ready for a full rotation spot in 2026, but a number of obstacles have delayed that progress. That includes a stalled repair effort earlier this season. The Sox first inserted Sandoval into the minor leagues in April, but he allowed eight runs (five earned) in 5 1/3 innings before reporting soreness in his biceps and being ruled out. After a two-month shutout, he has now made five starts and pitched 13 1/3 innings with a 2.70 ERA (four runs on nine hits and five walks and 11 strikeouts).
With the approaching All-Star break presenting a natural downtime, perhaps the Sox took advantage of the schedule to play the cautious route with Early’s elbow. At first, Tolle and Bennett both have long-term rotation concerns, so it’s natural to be cautious if either team sees an elbow or shoulder pop. He previously made a brief MLB debut late last season but enters 2026 with his rookie status intact. He is controllable for five more seasons beyond the current one and won’t be eligible for compensation for the first time until at least the 2028-29 offseason.
