Nationals set to activate Connelly Early from 60-day IL for Saturday start vs. Mets

What happened

The Washington Nationals are expected to reinstate left-hander Connelly Early from the 60-day injured list ahead of Saturday's home matchup against the New York Mets, per Mark Zuckerman of Nats Journal. Early is slated to make his team debut as a starter, working a few innings before bulk reliever Jake Irvin takes over. Per Zuckerman, Early's most recent rehab outing covered 1 2/3 innings on 40 pitches — a modest workload that telegraphs the plan: get him through the lineup once, hand the ball to Irvin, and see what the lefty looks like in a Washington uniform for the first time.

Washington's 40-man roster is currently full, per Charlie Wright of MLB Trade Rumors, meaning a corresponding move will be required before Early can be reinstated.

Why it matters

Early has not appeared in a major-league game since late June, and the circumstances surrounding his arrival in Washington have been anything but smooth. The Nationals acquired him from the Red Sox in exchange for infielder Curtis Mead in late July — a straight-up swap that MLB Trade Rumors called intriguing for both sides, yet one that has yielded essentially nothing for either club so far.

Early had entered the injured list with left elbow inflammation in early July, before the trade was even completed, and Washington subsequently moved him to the 60-day IL in August. Saturday would be his first chance to actually pitch for the team that acquired him.

The other half of the deal has not gone smoothly either. Mead was healthy when he was dealt, but that did not last: he was hit by a pitch in his second at-bat with Boston and broke his wrist, per the report. He has not played since.

The numbers

Early's track record offers a reasonable baseline for what Washington is hoping to see. He earned a spot in Boston's Opening Day rotation with a four-start stretch at the end of 2025, striking out 29 batters in his first taste of the majors while allowing just five earned runs. The strikeout rate came down this past season, but he remained a steady presence in Boston's rotation before the elbow issue, posting a 3.44 ERA across 17 starts.

Where the club stands

Washington enters Saturday at 76-84 (.475), sitting fourth in the NL East, 17 games back in the division, and eliminated from both the division race and the Wild Card race. The Nationals have won three straight. Saturday's probable matchup is Early against New York's Jonah Tong; Sunday features DJ Herz against Sean Manaea.

The Herz activation is itself a recent development — the left-hander returned to the Nationals rotation approximately 17 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery, making his first MLB appearance since September 2024. His return, alongside Early's expected reinstatement, gives Washington a pair of young left-handers to evaluate in the final days of the season.

The broader rotation picture for 2027 is unsettled beyond ace Cade Cavalli, who was locked up on a four-year deal last week per MLB Trade Rumors. Andrew Alvarez has built a case over the final two months of the season. Herz is back. Jake Irvin, Jackson Kent, Brad Lord, Riley Cornelio, Luis Perales, and Will Dion all carry starting experience. Per the report, that is not a group that would block a healthy Early from competing for a rotation spot next year — which makes Saturday's outing as much an extended audition as a late-season appearance.

What we don't know yet

The corresponding 40-man roster move has not been announced. It is also unclear how Early's elbow has responded to the rehab process beyond the pitch-count details from his most recent outing. His workload Saturday will be managed, but how he feels coming out of it will matter more than the box score.

What to watch

Early's pitch count and stuff in those first few innings will be the primary signal. A clean, healthy-looking outing — even a short one — would go a long way toward establishing him as a legitimate 2027 rotation candidate. If the elbow limits his command or velocity, the questions will carry into the offseason. The roster move Washington makes to clear 40-man space is also worth tracking, as it will indicate which player the organization is comfortable moving on from at this stage of the season.