MLB Insider Argues For Red Sox Rookie To Make Playoff Rotation

The Boston Red Sox are still trying to clinch a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2021, but if they qualify, Garrett Crochet is sure to get the start in a potential Game 1 of the 2025 American League Wild Card Series.

From there, right-hander Brayan Bello would possibly be on the bump for Game 2.

ESPN MLB insider Kiley McDaniel ranked the potential starting pitching options for all 14 teams still in contention (or those that have clinched) for a postseason spot on Monday, placing the Red Sox ninth on the list.

Interestingly, McDaniel makes the argument that rookie left-hander Connelly Early should be Boston’s third starter in a playoff series.

“Similar to the Tigers, there’s a clear ace here who is among the best pitchers in the game, and then a collection of interesting pitchers I don’t have a ton of confidence in performing late into a playoff run,” he wrote. “Crochet is very clearly the kind of arm Boston needs to start three times in a seven-game series. Bello has outpitched his underlying metrics all year but also doesn’t get the amount of swing-and-miss I’d like to see to remain confident that he can continue to do that when the heat gets turned up. Early has continually beat my expectations, including when I thought Tolle was the better of the two Red Sox prospect lefties with a chance to be called up.”

McDaniel writes that starting Crochet, Bello and Early and “deploying the other bulk-inning options” as part of a “bullpen day (instead of a conventional fourth starter) and/or long relief to take advantage of matchups is likely the best option.

First things first.

The Red Sox will use Monday’s off day to prepare for their upcoming massive three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays from Tuesday to Thursday.