Red Sox LHP Connelly Early recorded a 2.60 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 100.1 innings pitched across two levels of minor league play this year to earn his Tuesday night debut. His 31.9 percent strikeout rate and 22.2 strikeout-minus-walk rates were right in line with career norms for the 2023 fifth round pick out of Virginia. His debut was a thing of beauty: five shutout innings with 11 strikeouts. He’s probably not that good, but Boston has been on fire for a while now when it comes to player development, and I’m in no hurry to bet against them.