A Red Sox Rebound Begins With A More Aggressive Brayan Bello

In terms of status, Brayan Bello has regressed from the Opening Day starter in 2024 to the fifth starter in 2026’s rotation, at least the first time through. Many projected him as the fourth starter for this season given that the Red Sox added Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez in a pair of deals this offseason to slide in behind staff ace Garrett Crochet. Even when you consider the talent added to the rotation since 2024, though, this slide feels like a bit of a challenge to Bello to prove what he can bring to the table this year and the subsequent four remaining seasons he is under contract in Boston. 

His first opportunity of the season came last Tuesday evening in Houston as he took the mound against the Astros. To put it lightly, it did not go well. 

A quick look at the box score gives some of the story; he surrendered one run in the first and two more in the third, with scoreless innings in the second and fourth. But then it all fell apart. Bello gave up three more runs in the fifth, putting the Red Sox in a 6-1 hole that they would not ultimately be able to climb out of. Ultimately, Bello threw 92 pitches across 4 ⅔ innings, striking out two batters and walking three. It is safe to say that it was a pretty inefficient outing. 

Of his 92 pitches, 58 of them were strikes. However, that's inflated thanks to an overly aggressive Astros lineup; only 38 of his pitches were actually thrown in the zone. Part of a pitcher's job is to generate swing and miss by getting batters to chase out of the zone, but if Bello is to turn things around in his second start, he should begin by attacking the zone more. 

It's really the telltale sign of a struggling pitcher when they produce elite chase and whiff numbers and still can't strike anyone out. Again, a lot of that of that has to do with his inability to locate his pitches properly, but even after whiffing on more than one-third of their collective swings, Astros hitters still pummeled Bello to the tune of a .470 wOBA. They came out with intention to swing early and often; the right-hander must respond in his next start by flashing the same aggressiveness back, challenging hitters in the zone with his best stuff.

Bello’s pitch mix also offers intrigue. Per Baseball Savant, he brought back a curveball not used since 2022. While he offered it up only six times, it will be interesting to see if he includes that in his arsenal consistently in 2026. Otherwise, he relied heavily on the sinker, cutter, and sweeper, with lighter use of his changeup and four-seamer offerings in a complementary role. His use of those five pitches closely mimicked the 2025 season, so fans should know what to expect. 

His next outing comes today as the Boston Red Sox host the Milwaukee Brewers, and the pressure is on. The Red Sox hold the league's worst record at 2-7 and the vibes might be even worse. Sunday was brutal, featuring an early lead blown en route to an 8-6 loss. Players and manager Alex Cora alike showed clear frustration in post game interviews. It's still very early in the season, but the Red Sox must turn it around soon and begin to perform to the level many expected of this talented roster. The responsibility will be Bello’s to help right the ship.