Connelly Early has been on Boston’s 15-day injured list since July 1 due to inflammation in his throwing elbow, and Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) on Friday that a follow-up appointment with Dr. Keith Meister revealed no structural elbow damage.  In another update yesterday, Cotillo wrote that there isn’t yet a timetable for Early to resume throwing, as he is still waiting for the discomfort to subside.

While Early went on the IL before Boston’s ongoing nine-game winning streak, the rookie left-hander’s solid work has been a big reason why the bottom didn’t completely fall out on the Red Sox before the team got back in the playoff hunt.  Early has a 3.44 ERA, 23.8% strikeout rate, and 8.7% walk rate over 91 2/3 innings this season, as he has teamed with fellow rookies Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett to carry a Boston rotation hampered by Garrett Crochet‘s injury absence and Brayan Bello‘s struggles.  The Sox have kept rolling even with Ranger Suarez now also on the 15-day IL, so assuming that Suarez and Early can get back relatively soon, it certainly seems possible that the Red Sox can continue their resurgence.

More from around the AL East…

• Max Scherzer looks to be nearing another return from the Blue Jays‘ 15-day injured list, as Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling was among those to report that Scherzer is slated to throw a rehab start with the Jays’ FCL team on Tuesday.  This outing comes on the heels of two other minor league rehab starts that saw Scherzer allow six earned runs over seven total innings, but if all goes well on Tuesday, the Blue Jays seem set to activate Scherzer once the second half begins.  The future Hall-of-Famer has a 10.23 ERA over 22 innings in six big league starts this season, while twice spending time on the IL.  Scherzer returned from his first IL stint to make one start on June 10 before back spasms sidelined him again.  It is anyone’s guess at this point what Scherzer may be able to contribute or if he can even stay healthy for any length of time, so the Jays figure to have swingman Spencer Miles lined up as a secondary option whenever Scherzer is able to get back on the mound.
• Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times) that Jake Fraley is again dealing with some problems related to his recent hernia surgery, and Fraley’s minor league rehab assignment has been halted so he can visit a specialist.  Fraley underwent the procedure in mid-May and was expected to miss 6-8 weeks, and he played in five games during his rehab assignment before this setback.  Though Fraley was hitting only .232/.300/.390 in 90 plate appearances before going on the IL, his continued absence only makes the Rays more likely to pursue outfield help at the trade deadline.