As the 2026 season is about to begin, the Red Sox need to figure out who will fit into that 5th stop in the rotation. With so many viable options, it seems like a difficult question to answer. Here are my top three options the team could go with.

Johan oviedo

Oviedo seems like the obvious pick going into the beginning of the 2026 season. Recently acquired from Pittsburgh in the deal that traded Jhostynxon Garcia, he’s a promising pitcher with considerable upside. Compared to the other options the Red Sox have, Oviedo has more Major League experience, and seems like the least risky option. Last season, he posted a 4.24 ERA, which is very misleading of the potential upside he has. His underlying metrics show he is elite in arm extension, barrel percentage, hard hit rate, and opponent batting average. It will be very interesting to see how Andrew Bailey and his team adjust Oviedo’s arsenal and approach.

Connelly Early 

Despite Oviedo seeming to be the most likely option, the Red Sox could go a different route by allowing young pitcher Connelly Early to make the opening day roster. In a small sample size last season, Early demonstrated his value as a picture and the potential upside he has. Being ranked number four in the Red Sox minor league system, he’s received much trade interest from teams such as the Diamondbacks and Astros going into this season. His expected ERA, expected batting average, and many other analytics show he’s a very promising prospect. According to Baseball Savant, some similar comparisons to his arsenal include Chris Bubic and Carlos Rodón. Entering his age-23 season, Early is a high-value prospect, and the Red Sox will most likely begin him in Triple-A to maximize his potential.

Payton Tolle

Out of all the options listed above, Tolle will almost definitely begin the season in Triple A, but it’s still interesting to hypothesize. Tolle’s fastball is ranked number one in all of minor league baseball. Out of all the pictures previously listed, I believe he has the highest potential upside. Once his secondary pictures are fully developed, Tolle has the possibility of becoming a legitimate number two starter for any big league team. For that reason, the organization will most likely put him in Triple-A to start the season. Being the number two-ranked prospect in the Red Sox system, Tolle has shown promising results at the big league level, and with the new two-seam fastball he developed this offseason, he should be a strong asset going into a playoff push.

Other options

Out of all the organizations within Major League Baseball, the Boston Red Sox have an incredible surplus of Major League starting pitchers. Cutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval are two other potential candidates who have experience as starters. But with both of them coming off injuries, they most likely will not be ready for opening day, and Alex Cora has stated that he sees potential for them both to be used in the bullpen this coming season. Whatever decision the Red Sox end up making, they have many different possibilities and combinations that can be changed and experimented with throughout the upcoming season. The future is bright in Boston, thanks to its starting pitching depth.