What Red Sox’s Connelly Early’s Start Means For Garrett Crochet, Lucas Giolito

Boston Red Sox rookie Connelly Early will make his second big-league start Tuesday when the Athletics open a three-game series at Fenway Park. By sending the left-hander out to face the A’s for the second time in a week, manager Alex Cora seemingly lined up his starting rotation for the stretch run.

Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello will follow Early for the rest of the series vs. the A’s. The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey notes that “would line up Garrett Crochet to pitch on four days of rest Friday, when the Sox open a series at the Rays. They would need a fifth starter, probably (Payton) Tolle, by Saturday.”

“Among the implications of that rotation order, if the Sox stick with it: Giolito, Bello, and Crochet are slated to face the Blue Jays in Toronto next week,” Healey continued. “Giolito would be available on regular rest to start the regular-season finale on Sept. 28, against the Tigers, if that game is important to the Red Sox. And Crochet should be good to go for a postseason opener Sept. 30.”

That means Crochet will have two more chances to make his case for the American League Cy Young Award. The left-hander is trying to chase down Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, who’s the reigning Cy Young winner.

As for Giolito, getting at least two more regular-season starts should make his wallet very happy. The right-hander has thrown 136 innings this season. If and/or when he cracks 140 innings pitched, his contract states Giolito will be a free agent after this season because a team option becomes a mutual option.

But first things first. Early will look to build off last week’s historic MLB appearance when he struck out 11 batters over five innings of work. That tied a Red Sox record for strikeouts in a big-league debut.

“He has a pretty good idea of what he needs to do on the mound to be successful,” Cora said about Early, according to Healey.

The 23-year-old Early is the Red Sox’s No. 6 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.