Red Sox aim to build momentum in St. Louis as Early, Suárez, Bello take the mound

From “sell the team” chants to Lobstah Poutine, it’s been a wild first 12 games of the 2026 season for the Red Sox.

Boston avoided a potentially disastrous homestand, finishing 3-3 after dropping two of three to the Padres and then taking the series against the first-place Brewers. Sonny Gray bookended the stretch with two strong outings, while Garrett Crochet looked dominant Tuesday night against one of the game’s top young arms, Jacob Misiorowski.

The Red Sox have a golden opportunity ahead to climb back to .500 or better, with a three-game series this weekend against the Cardinals, followed by a three-game set with the Twins before returning home to face the Tigers.

What Boston has struggled with through the first 12 games has been magnified, particularly on the mound. Outside of Crochet and Gray, the starting rotation has yet to live up to expectations.

Connelly Early, Ranger Suárez, and Brayan Bello are lined up to start for the Red Sox this weekend in St. Louis.

In his second outing of the season, Early battled command issues against the Padres, allowing two runs on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts over four innings. His most efficient frame came in the fourth, when he needed just eight pitches. The cold weather played a factor, as the 24-year-old struggled at times to get a consistent grip on the ball.

If the Red Sox expect to be playing meaningful games in October, Early, and the rest of the rotation will need to learn how to navigate those conditions and execute in tougher environments.

To his credit, Early took accountability.

“I’ve got to do a better job figuring out how to keep my hand warm and go out there and execute from pitch one,” he said.

Through his first two starts, Early owns a 2.89 ERA with 10 strikeouts. He also tied Daisuke Matsuzaka for the most strikeouts in franchise history through a pitcher’s first six career appearances (39).

He’ll be opposed by Dustin May, who signed with the Cardinals this offseason after splitting last year between the Dodgers and Red Sox.

The club acquired the hard-throwing right-hander at the deadline in a deal that sent James Tibbs III and Zach Erhard to Los Angeles. A trade that has quickly become lopsided in favor of the Dodgers.

Tibbs III has been on a tear at the plate, mashing pitching in the Pacific Coast League. He’s hitting .474 with a 1.719 OPS through nine games with the Oklahoma City Comets. He has four doubles, a triple, seven homers, and 13 RBI. Three of those homers came on the same night. 

Boston initially acquired Tibbs III as one of the four players in the Rafael Devers trade last Father’s Day. His tremendous start has fans questioning Craig Breslow for pulling the plug so quickly on the left-handed slugger.

May, who made five starts (six appearances) for the Red Sox, going 1-4 with a 5.40 ERA over 28 1/3 innings before being shut down in September with right elbow neuritis, was a letdown for a team needing starting pitching down the stretch. 

So far in St. Louis, May hasn’t found his footing. Across two starts, he’s allowed 13 earned runs on 17 hits over just 7 1/3 innings, surrendering two home runs with three walks, seven strikeouts, one hit batter, and two wild pitches.

For a Red Sox offense beginning to show signs of life, particularly since moving Trevor Story to the No. 5 spot, where he’s driven in six runs over the last three games, this sets up as an opportunity.

May enters with a 15.95 ERA, the highest by a Cardinals pitcher through his first two starts with the club since Alan Benes (17.18 ERA in 1995), making him a prime target for Boston as it looks to win three straight for the first time this season.

One thing to watch Friday night is