And now, Early holds the fate of the season in his hands.
Nothing like a little pressure, huh?
There is no imaginable scenario in which the Red Sox could or would have predicted their season taking this unexpected turn, that they would be sending out the first pitcher ever to start a winner-take-all postseason game within 30 days of his MLB debut (thank you OptaSTATS). To be fair, there’s just as little a chance the Yankees would have imagined they’d also be sending a rookie to the mound for another dramatic chapter in the longstanding baseball rivalry, but here comes Walpole’s own Cam Schlittler to take on the Sox.
“Two rookies, Game 3, Wild Card, Yankees-Red Sox. Imagine that,” Cora said. “Should be a fun night.”
That’s one word for it, though there are plenty of others fans would probably think of first — stressful, agonizing, nerve-wracking, excruciating.
Yet as much as the Red Sox locker room was subdued by a loss filled with so many missed opportunities, the vibe was anything but gloomy. Instead, as players glanced over at the smiling, red-cheeked face of Early, as they remembered his 11-strikeout gem in his first game and considered how seamlessly he’s fit into their tight-knit room, they couldn’t help but perk up.
“He’s so young but so calm, cool and collected,” said Jarren Duran, whose costly misplay of a fly ball had him shouldering the blame for the night’s loss. “I can’t wait to see him get on the mound and see the smile.”
“Early has been amazing,” said reliever Garrett Whitlock, who took the loss after his 1⅔-inning, 47-pitch appearance. “Really proud of the stuff that he’s done so far this year. You know, I love watching him play and I’m really excited to see him out there.”
“The kid is electric,” said catcher Carlos Narváez, a fellow rookie but one who has been around all season. “He can use any pitch, any time. So that’s our best chance, and we got a better chance in that they haven’t seen him. He’s more than happy to have that opportunity, and I know he’s going to be ready. I got to lead the way for him.”
“While I’m gutted, not to make it about me, I think that he’s the right man for the job,” said Gioloto, the man whose ailing elbow forced him off the playoff roster and took away this game that would have been his. “He’s mature beyond his years. The stuff is there, it’s really high tier. For him to debut and punch out 11 over five innings, that shows he’s the real deal. He has the maturity to take on the task.”
Still, it’s a big ask. Big. Huge.
Remember, Early started his college career at West Point, moving from his hometown in Virginia to attend the United States Military Academy, a stint Gioloto actually credited for Early’s poise. Two dominant seasons in the Patriot League and Early moved up the college ranks, returning home to the University of Virginia for the 2023 season. He and his new catcher — the former Red Sox prospect and Garrett Crochet trade chip Kyle Teel — helped the Cavaliers advance to the College World Series, with Early mowing down rival Duke in a key NCAA Super Regional game.
That’s the highest-stakes game he’s pitched in … until now.
“It’s gonna be really fun,” he said at his locker, turning with that signature smile to face the growing circle of cameras and notepads crowding the area in front of him. “It comes down to this game and I’m excited to get out there.”
A spectator to the intensity of the first two games, Early has some sense of what awaits.
“It’s electric,” he said. “Really good games so far. Every pitch matters. Really competitive games and competitive ABs, so I just got to go out there and do my thing.”
One game, season on the line, and Early can’t wait.
As he turned toward a door at the back of the room to get some late dinner and pack up for the team bus, he admitted he hadn’t even had time to check his phone. It wouldn’t be surprising if he found a text there from Teel, as the two remain close friends who have been staying in touch throughout these playoffs.
His answer to that would be the same as the one he used to wrap up his conversation with reporters.
“Let’s go,” he said. “Let’s do it.”
Tara Sullivan is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at tara.sullivan@globe.com. Follow her @Globe_Tara.
