Red Sox Place Key Starter on Injured List

The Boston Red Sox acted swiftly in their decision on left-hander Connelly Early.

Early, who had to exit his start on Tuesday night with left elbow discomfort, has officially been placed on the 15-day injured list as first reported by MassLive's Chris Cotillo. In a corresponding move, the club reinstated left-handed reliever Jovani Morán from the IL and recalled left-hander Alec Gamboa from Triple-A to replace Tommy Kanhle, who was designated for assignment after last night's game.

Red Sox placed Connelly Early on the 15-day IL. Jovani Moran is active. Alec Gamboa takes Tommy Kahnle's spot, too.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) July 1, 2026

The Red Sox confirmed after the game that Early would undergo imaging on Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury that forced him out after just four innings and 61 pitches. The 24-year-old said that he was "personally not too concerned" about the elbow but emphasized that a decision would be made based on the results of the imaging.

It wasn't clear in real time what had happened for Early to have to leave the contest. After getting a double play to end the fourth inning, Boston got Danny Coulombe warming in the bullpen despite Early working a shutout with just three hits and five strikeouts.

Early explained postgame that he "thought he was throwing the ball really well" and "felt really good going into the game," and that it was an "unfortunate thing" that his night had to end there.

He pointed to the last pitch of the top of the fourth inning, saying that he mentioned the discomfort to the training staff when he got back to the dugout in an effort to be cautious, which got him pulled from the start.

Connelly Early "not too concerned" after exiting tonight's game with elbow discomfort



presented by @WBMasonCopic.twitter.com/7LT0aZBN7T

— NESN (@NESN) July 1, 2026

It's a big blow for the Red Sox rotation, which had been cruising along despite the massive injury to ace Garrett Crochet. Losing an arm like Early, who holds a steady 3.44 ERA through 17 starts this year, will not be easy to overcome, especially considering the team's reliance on quality starts to pick up wins.

That said, the move to the 15-day IL should not come as a surprise and does not yet signal the worst-case scenario. Even a minor elbow injury will require a few weeks of rest to ensure it doesn't compound into something more significant, either in the elbow or by over-compensating somewhere else.

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With less than two weeks until the All-Star break, this gives Boston a chance to give their rookie starter an extended breather, even if imaging comes up clean.

Replacing Early will not be an easy task, as the Red Sox have already been forced to call on top prospect Jake Bennett to join the rotation after Brayan Bello's demotion. The club could use this opportunity to showcase rehabbing veteran Patrick Sandoval before the trade deadline, who is close to a return after a two-year absence. Early's next start was set for Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, but with two days off between now and then, Boston could opt to stick with their current rotation on regular rest.

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This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 11:09 AM.