Connelly Early Set To Join Babe Ruth In 109-Year Red Sox History
Boston Red Sox rookie left-hander Connelly Early will start the team’s do-or-die AL wild-card Game 3 vs. the New York Yankees on Thursday night.
Both Early and Yankees rookie starter Cam Schlittler will make MLB history just by taking the mound on Thursday and for Boston’s hurler, he’ll be doing something that hasn’t been done for the Red Sox in 109 years.
“At 23 years and 182 days, Connelly Early will be the youngest Red Sox pitcher to start a postseason game since Babe Ruth in 1916 WS G2 (21y, 246d),” MLB.com’s Sarah Langs posted on Bluesky.
Babe Ruth allowed just one run on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts in his Game 2 win during the 1916 World Series against the Brooklyn Robins.
Early will try to match or better those numbers posted by “The Sultan of Swat,” but there’s one part of Ruth’s postseason debut that Early certainly will not duplicate.
Ruth not only pitched a complete game in the Oct. 9, 1916 victory, but was on the mound for an unheard of 14 innings.
Given the legendary history of Red Sox-Yankees playoff battles, a 14-inning drama wouldn’t be shocking to see on Thursday, but the 23-year-old obviously wouldn’t be on the bump for that long.
If Early can go just half of that distance and give Boston seven strong innings, Red Sox Nation would likely be more than satisfied.