The Boston Red Sox's starting rotation has been rather chaotic in the recent weeks of the team's playoff chase. Richard Fitts has returned to the injured list with a bicep flare-up, the Sox released Walker Buehler, Dustin May has lost his footing, and top prospect Payton Tolle needs rest late in his first professional season.
Those many circumstances leave Boston's Wednesday start up for grabs. Garrett Crochet and May will start the Red Sox's September 8-9 outings against the A's, respectively, but they're out of rostered, rested options for the afternoon series finale. Two top minor league pitchers could be in the mix.
Kyle Harrison may finally make his Red Sox debut on September 10. The young lefty came to Boston as part of its return in the Rafael Devers trade, and it has debated calling him up multiple times. Injuries and breakouts (such as Tolle's) have derailed his ascent to the major league roster, but he may soon see his moment.
Harrison has appeared in parts of three major league seasons for the Giants since 2023. The 24-year-old has posted a 4.48 ERA in 182.2 innings over those three seasons. He's spent all of his tenure with the Red Sox so far in Triple-A, and he's clocked a 3.75 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 27 walks over 50.1 frames.
Kyle Harrison and top pitching prospect Connelly Early in the mix for potential start Red Sox's Wednesday game against the A's
But there's a chance Harrison is passed over again, in favor of top pitching prospect Connelly Early. Early, the Red Sox's No. 6 prospect, was scratched from his scheduled start on September 7 and is "very much in play" as a rotation option against the A's, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
The Red Sox selected Early in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, and he worked his way up to Triple-A quickly (he only pitched two innings in 2023 and began the 2024 season in High-A). The lefty has posted a 2.60 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP, 132 strikeouts and 40 walks over 100.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season.
Alex Cora stated that Tolle won't start against the A's on September 10, but he could still be part of Boston's pitching plan out of the bullpen. He and Early and their elite strike throwing abilities could be an electric combination against an underwhelming A's squad, but Harrison's MLB experience also makes him an intriguing choice for the call-up.