Jake Bennett steadies Red Sox rotation as rookie left-hander earns another start vs. Angels

The Boston Red Sox are turning to rookie left-hander Jake Bennett again, with the plan to have him start Friday against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. The move reflects a broader need for stability in a rotation that has been missing Garrett Crochet since late April and then lost Connelly Early to the injured list on Wednesday.

According to MLB’s game preview, Bennett has posted a 3.27 ERA in six Major League starts, numbers that have helped keep Boston competitive during a stretch where the staff has had to adjust on the fly. The Red Sox are not just relying on volume, either. MLB reported that Bennett has already delivered multiple quality outings, including a recent run of production that has separated him from the typical early-season rookie arc.

MLB’s account traced Bennett’s rise to the moment he reached the majors. He arrived after Boston acquired him from the Nationals in December for right-hander Luis Perales, and his first MLB appearance set an early tone: Bennett worked five innings of one-run pitching against the Astros at Fenway Park.

Since then, Bennett’s best stretches have come in his most recent starts. MLB reported that he blanked the Rockies over six innings with nine strikeouts at Coors Field on June 22. Then, in a follow-up standout against the Yankees, he threw 6 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and one run while walking two and striking out three.

The underlying performance has also checked out in Boston’s internal evaluation. MLB noted that Bennett’s expected ERA entering Wednesday was 2.64, which it described as ranking in the 94th percentile among qualifying pitchers. That gap between expected and actual outcomes was connected, per MLB, to Bennett limiting hard contact and featuring a 5.4% walk rate that ranked in the 92nd percentile.

Bennett’s effectiveness is not limited to the majors. MLB said he posted a 1.60 ERA in nine Triple-A starts for Worcester in 2026, including five appearances before his callup and four more after returning to the rotation on June 10. At the time of his May 1 promotion, he was listed as Boston’s No. 6 prospect.

With Crochet’s absence and Early’s injury, Bennett’s role is likely to remain central to how the Red Sox manage innings in the coming weeks. The immediate watch point is whether he can translate recent success into another clean start, while the longer view is whether his performance suggests a durable answer from Boston’s own development pipeline rather than a short-lived hot streak.