Early Return on Track for Nationals | Washington Nationals News

Corey (0:00)

It's September 16th. I'm Corey with the story. This is Washington Nationals News Today, driven by AI and built for fans. So, the Nationals got this pitcher, Connelly Early, back in July.

He was coming off some elbow inflammation, and the plan was for him to pitch again in 2026 They thought he was on track, already throwing and getting ready for rehab. But then he hit a snag. He felt some forearm tightness, which threw a wrench in things and had people worried he might not pitch again until 2028 They took it slow, eased him back in the throwing, and eventually sent him out on rehab assignments.

Now after throwing in some live games, the team is actually getting ready for him to make his debut with them before the year is out. Baseball operations president Paul Taboni mentioned on the radio that they're targeting Saturday, September 26th for his first start.

He was supposed to pitch for AA Harrisburg last Sunday, but rain washed that out, so they sent him up to AA Rochester for a start on Tuesday. He threw 35 pitches, giving up three earned runs in one inning, but he did manage two strikeouts and showed off his full pitch mix. Rochester season wraps up on September 20th. That could give Early another outing before his expected September 26th debut, giving him a solid week of rest. It looks like they're trying to manage his workload carefully to make sure he's ready for the big leagues.