He handles both hands about the same
Right-handed hitters project to a .348 average against Early and left-handers to .272.
601 pitches to right-handed hitters, 197 to left-handed hitters.
There is one pitch of his that keeps getting hit
Contact off Early's curveball leaves the bat at 92.7 mph, against 83.6 off his sweeper.
101 and 50 of them thrown.
Runners on base do not change how he is hit
31.8% of the contact against Early with a runner in scoring position is hit hard, against 43.5% with the bases empty.
156 pitches with a runner in scoring position, 642 with the bases empty.
One type of hitter does all the damage against him
Hitters do their damage on his offspeed pitches: a .363 expected average against them, against .296 on his breaking balls.
170 of his offspeed pitches thrown.
When hitters connect off him, they hit it hard
Hitters average 90.3 mph off the bat against Early, 24th percentile.
798 pitches in 2026. 24th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 410th in MLB.
His ball is straighter than it should be
Early's stuff spins at 2,073 rpm, 15th percentile in the league.
798 pitches in 2026. 15th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 456th in MLB.
The shape of the contact off him says how he gets outs
42.6% of the contact against Early is on the ground and 34.9% of it is in the air.
129 tracked batted balls allowed.
He gets by without much velocity, and it costs him
Early averages 88.2 mph across his arsenal, 29th percentile in the league.
798 pitches in 2026. 29th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 384th in MLB.
One side of the plate does most of the damage against him
Right-handed hitters average 90.8 mph off the bat against Early and left-handers 88.7.
96 tracked batted balls from right-handers, 34 from left-handers.
Both sides hit him about the same
40.6% of the contact right-handers make against Early is hit hard, against 44.1% of what left-handers make.
601 pitches to right-handed hitters, 197 to left-handed hitters.
He cannot find the zone often enough
Early works off the plate, with only 41.9% of his pitches in the zone, 38th percentile.
798 pitches in 2026. 38th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 332nd in MLB.
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The numbers behind these live in Matchups.
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He handles both hands about the same
Right-handed hitters project to a .348 average against Early and left-handers to .272.
601 pitches to right-handed hitters, 197 to left-handed hitters.
Both sides hit him about the same
40.6% of the contact right-handers make against Early is hit hard, against 44.1% of what left-handers make.
601 pitches to right-handed hitters, 197 to left-handed hitters.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
There is one pitch of his that keeps getting hit
Contact off Early's curveball leaves the bat at 92.7 mph, against 83.6 off his sweeper.
101 and 50 of them thrown.
The numbers behind these live in Matchups.
Take me there
Runners on base do not change how he is hit
31.8% of the contact against Early with a runner in scoring position is hit hard, against 43.5% with the bases empty.
156 pitches with a runner in scoring position, 642 with the bases empty.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
One type of hitter does all the damage against him
Hitters do their damage on his offspeed pitches: a .363 expected average against them, against .296 on his breaking balls.
170 of his offspeed pitches thrown.
The numbers behind these live in Spray Chart.
Take me there
When hitters connect off him, they hit it hard
Hitters average 90.3 mph off the bat against Early, 24th percentile.
798 pitches in 2026. 24th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 410th in MLB.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
His ball is straighter than it should be
Early's stuff spins at 2,073 rpm, 15th percentile in the league.
798 pitches in 2026. 15th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 456th in MLB.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
The shape of the contact off him says how he gets outs
42.6% of the contact against Early is on the ground and 34.9% of it is in the air.
129 tracked batted balls allowed.
One side of the plate does most of the damage against him
Right-handed hitters average 90.8 mph off the bat against Early and left-handers 88.7.
96 tracked batted balls from right-handers, 34 from left-handers.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He gets by without much velocity, and it costs him
Early averages 88.2 mph across his arsenal, 29th percentile in the league.
798 pitches in 2026. 29th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 384th in MLB.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He cannot find the zone often enough
Early works off the plate, with only 41.9% of his pitches in the zone, 38th percentile.
798 pitches in 2026. 38th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 332nd in MLB.
Red Sox
Career team 2025–2026