The Boston Red Sox placed starting pitcher Connelly Early on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday because of left elbow inflammation.
In other moves, the Red Sox activated left-hander Jovani Moran (elbow inflammation) from the 15-day IL, recalled lefty Alec Gamboa from Triple-A Worcester and designated right-hander Tommy Kahnle for assignment.
Early, 24, pitched on Tuesday, scattering three hits and two walks with five strikeouts over four innings before exiting in an 8-1 home loss to the Washington Nationals while experiencing left shoulder soreness.
“It’s tough,” Early said. “I thought I was throwing the ball really well. I felt really good going into the game, so just a little unfortunate thing that happened there.”
The rookie is 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA, 34 walks and 93 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings. He was scheduled for an MRI exam on Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury.
“Yeah, he comes out of the game. There’s soreness,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Wednesday. “He’s feeling better today, but it’s still a little sore. So with one more start remaining prior to the All-Star break — it’s not just the start right, it’s like, (are we really) going to have this guy go out in two days and throw a side? That’s not something we’re going to do with that kid.
“Connelly will tell you that he fought to not have it happen. But between that and having to use as much bullpen as we did and some of the moves we had to make to make sure we got arms, that’s an easy decision to make sure you take that out of his hands and do right by him.”
Early made his major league debut last September and is 8-7 with a 3.24 ERA, 38 walks and 122 strikeouts in 21 starts.
Boston selected Early in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Virginia.
Kahnle, 36, gave up four runs on four hits and one walk in one inning of Tuesday’s setback. He was 0-0 with an 8.00 ERA, six walks and five strikeouts in nine innings in his first season with Boston.
For his career, Kahnle is 11-19 with 17 saves and a 3.70 ERA in 464 games (all in relief) with six different teams since 2014.
Moran, 29, is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA, 15 walks and 38 strikeouts in 33 innings over 21 games (three starts) this season. He is a career 3-5 with one save and a 3.94 ERA in 102 games (three starts) in parts of five seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2021-23) and Red Sox (2025-present).
Gamboa, a 29-year-old rookie, did not allow a hit, run or walk while recording three strikeouts against five batters in his two games after making his major league debut with Boston on May 5.
He was 2-3 with a 3.21 ERA, eight walks and 40 strikeouts in 42 innings over 13 games (six starts) at Worcester.
