Red Sox Relying on Rookie Pitcher Connelly in Playoff Game
The Boston Red Sox are looking to their rookie left-hander, Connelly, who has just 19 major league innings on his resume. He’ll take the mound for the crucial Game 3 of the wild card series against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night.
This will make him the first pitcher in playoff history to start a game within 30 days of his debut.
“It’s going to be really fun,” Connelly expressed after the Yankees forced a deciding game with their 4-3 victory the previous night. “It’s 1-1 now, so I’m excited to play and really looking forward to it.”
Originally, the Red Sox had planned to start veteran Lucas Giolito. However, an injury sidelined him, leading to Connelly’s unexpected opportunity.
Connelly was drafted fifth overall in 2023 from the University of Virginia, though he’s currently ranked as the Red Sox’s No. 6 prospect and has not yet broken into the top 100 prospect list in minor league baseball.
This year, he pitched briefly in the minors, splitting his time between Single-A and Double-A before getting a call-up earlier this season. He had a 4.40 ERA during six starts in Triple-A before making his major league debut in September.
Reflecting on his unexpected rise to this moment, Connelly admitted, “I couldn’t have imagined being here at the beginning of the year, extending the season for my team.”
He debuted impressively, securing his first win on September 9 with five shutout innings and striking out 11 batters.
His journey continued with some ups and downs. Early in his career, he pitched well, achieving a 2.33 ERA in his first few starts. However, he faced challenges as the season progressed; he experienced losses with the Rays and the Tigers, which brought his record to 1-2.
Throughout these outings, he predominantly used his fastball, curveball, and changeup while averaging 94 mph on his four-seamer and 93 mph on his sinker.
As the Red Sox gear up to face the Yankees, Connelly’s biggest challenge will be proving himself against a team that leads the majors in runs and has a solid OPS against left-handed pitchers.
“I’m really excited,” he remarked about his upcoming start. “I feel good and I’m ready to take the field.”
