Payton Tolle was taken aback when his wife, Devin, shared a text from a friend about the trade of Connelly Early, his closest teammate, to the Washington Nationals late Saturday night. At first, Tolle thought it might be a prank associated with artificial intelligence. “I was like, ‘Call her, because we got to tell her that it’s AI,’” he said, laughing at the absurdity of the situation. It took seeing the report from esteemed ESPN insider Jeff Passan for him to accept the reality: for the first time since their days in Double-A Portland, he and Early would be on separate paths.
Reflecting on their journey, Tolle noted how they had shared significant experiences together. “I think we got to be able to, like, walk through those parts,” he expressed. They had navigated similar milestones in their careers, from Portland to Triple-A and now with the Red Sox. Their first spring training had allowed them to support one another, creating a solid foundation for their friendship. “So like, we had moments where we could bounce off of each other, which I think was big for us. So it helped out along the way, but now you got to be a little bird and go flap your wings.”
Tolle’s sentiments resonated as he sat in front of his locker, adjacent to the empty space that Early had vacated just hours before. Interim manager Chad Tracy acknowledged the impact Early had on the team and the camaraderie he shared with players like Tolle. “There’s a lot of guys in there that are very close with Connolly, and he’s been a huge part of this,” Tracy remarked. He caught up with Tolle, who was among the first to arrive as they processed the news together.
The Red Sox selected Early in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, while Tolle was taken in the second round the following year. They both made their major league debuts within weeks of each other, celebrated a playoff berth, and experienced the disappointment of the team’s early postseason exit side by side.
Tracy, who has developed strong relationships with both, was fortunate enough to guide their journeys through Triple-A and the majors. He was the one to share the joy of their debuts with them. In a touching moment, Early even starred in Tracy’s inaugural game as a big-league manager earlier this season.
After learning about Early’s trade, Tolle and Tracy were among the first to reach out to him. “I called him pretty immediately after (Craig Breslow informed him of the trade),” Tracy recalled. He described Early as not just a skilled pitcher but also as someone who understands the complexities of the game. “He gets it. We always say he gets it. He knows the business side of this thing. He knows that he’s going to an organization that wanted him … But he also is going to miss people here.”
Expressing his feelings, Tracy conveyed how much Early would be missed. When Early returned the following day, Tracy embraced him, reaffirming, “We’re gonna miss you, and we’re gonna be rooting hard for you.”
