Boston Red Sox
“(At first), it was ‘no way.’ Then I called (Early).”
Payton Tolle was shocked by the Red Sox’ trade involving Connelly Early. Christian Kantosky for The Boston Globe
Craig Breslow and the Red Sox’ top brass jumped the gun ahead of MLB’s trade deadline on Aug. 3, dealing lefty starter Connelly Early to the Nationals in exchange for infielder Curtis Mead.
The emergence of Jake Bennett and the Red Sox’ improving track record of developing pitching might have made Early expendable as Boston looks to bolster its lineup.
Still, news of Saturday’s trade came as a shock to many in Boston’s clubhouse, including Early’s close friend on the team, Payton Tolle.
Speaking to MassLive’s Sean McAdam on Sunday, Tolle admitted that he initially thought news of Early’s trade was fake after a friend texted his wife late on Saturday night.
“I (said to my wife), ‘Call her because we’ve got to tell her that it’s AI,’ ” Tolle told McAdam. “I didn’t think it was real for a while until I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a Jeff Passan (of ESPN) tweet; that’s legit.’ (At first), it was ‘no way.’ Then I called (Early).”
Early — who went from a seemingly unheralded prospect to a key fixture in Boston’s rotation in the span of 10 months — took to Instagram Sunday to say farewell to the Red Sox.
Here is Early’s full farewell:
“Boston,
“Words are impossible to describe the amount of joy and happiness you have brought to my life. I play this game because baseball provides me peace and shows me how to be present no matter the result. The relationships I have made throughout the organization will forever be held in my heart. To my teammates and staff who I consider my Boston family, it’s part of it but damn has it been so good.
“@Nationals, looking forward to having my cleats in the dirt at Nationals Park.”
Early was a surprise contributor for the Red Sox in 2025, sporting a 2.33 ERA across four starts in the fall before getting the nod for Boston’s eventual season-ending loss to the Yankees in Game 3 of the Wild Card Round.
The 24-year-old lefty earned a spot in Boston’s rotation to open the 2026 season — going 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA across 17 starts before landing on the injured list at the end of June due to elbow pain.
Despite his close ties with Early after moving through Boston’s farm system with him, Tolle acknowledged that trades are part of the business in pro sports.
“Obviously, I’ve been close with Connelly for a little bit now,” Tolle told McAdam. “It’s a business. Decisions are going to be made to make the Red Sox the best as we can be moving forward, so it’s part of it. I’m going to still talk to Connelly. Hopefully, it will be good for everybody involved.
“I would say that this is the first one where I’ve been close (with someone) traded away. You kind of prepare yourself that it is a business and it’s going to happen. I hope nothing but the best for him.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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