Thu Sep 11 00:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Red Sox Rookie Connelly Early Dazzles in Historic Debut, Stuns Athletics with 11 Strikeouts
**WEST SACRAMENTO, CA** – Connelly Early’s Major League debut was worth the wait. Called up from Triple-A Worcester to fill a roster spot, the Boston Red Sox left-hander delivered a performance for the ages on Tuesday night, striking out 11 Oakland Athletics batters in five scoreless innings in a 6-0 victory.
Early’s dominant performance tied a franchise record for strikeouts in a debut, matching Don Aase’s feat from 1977. He scattered five hits and walked one, showcasing a diverse arsenal of pitches that left A’s hitters flailing.
“I can’t really think of a better way to start your career,” said Red Sox outfielder Rob Refsnyder.
The Red Sox’s No. 6 prospect, Early had a 2.60 ERA in the minor leagues and earned his call-up after Dustin May was placed on the injured list.
Early’s performance marks the most strikeouts in a MLB debut since Freddy Peralta recorded 13 in 2018. He recorded a strikeout using five different pitch types, a feat impressive enough to make him hop off the mound in excitement after escaping a bases-loaded jam in the fourth.
“There was some traffic there, but he never panicked and gave us five, and that was good enough,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.
While Cora remained noncommittal about Early’s future in the rotation beyond this spot start, the young pitcher’s performance makes a strong case for a longer stay.
The Red Sox, fueled by Early’s stellar outing and a strong performance from Garrett Crochet the previous night, have now recorded back-to-back shutouts, a welcome sign for a team that had struggled with pitching consistency recently.
“We’re going to go as long as our pitching,” Cora said. “We didn’t pitch for a little bit there — for five days or whatever — but we’re back on track.”
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