Red Sox Could Shake Things Up Ahead Of Brayan Bello’s Next Start originally appeared on NESN.
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Despite Boston Red Sox hurler Brayan Bello’s struggles this season, the 27-year-old has excelled when the team has utilized an opener ahead of him.
Bello has posted a 9.68 ERA across seven starts this season, allowing 33 runs in 30 2/3 innings, but has performed drastically better when operating behind an opener, posting a blistering 0.98 ERA, allowing only two earned runs in his three bulk relief appearances.
The Red Sox have yet to decide on whether Bello will start Friday against the Cleveland Guardians or if the team will continue to use him in a relief role. Interim manager Chad Tracy emphasized that it all depends on how Thursday’s game goes, but teased that the team could shake things up and use a different pitcher to start instead of Jovani Morán.
“You don’t know what’s going to happen today and if you’re going to burn through a bunch of guys,” Tracy said on Thursday, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “So we’ll see how today goes and then make a decision after the game today. You can’t ignore how Bello has pitched behind an opener. You can’t ignore how Jovani (Morán) has fared.
“And you don’t want to mess with Jovani because he’s been so effective coming out of the bullpen later in the game. So you’ve got to factor that in. You also have to consider who’s actually opened before. Have they done it? Are they comfortable doing it? So there’s so many things we look at. In this case, Jovani’s done it before, but he’s given up some runs. So we’ll do the same thing tonight — like what’s the best way to do this based on what happens in the game today? I wouldn’t say I’m committed to it (using a lefty opener).”
Morán has been the opener in each of Bello’s bulk relief outings, but has struggled in those appearances, allowing one or more runs each time. Aside from his three starts, the 29-year-old reliever has not given up a single run this month out of the bullpen.
It would make sense for Boston to continue using an opener ahead of Bello, given how well he’s performed recently, but it’s unclear who the team would have start, depending on how Thursday’s game goes.
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