Brayan Bello has the stuff to be a highly effective Major League Baseball pitcher. The name of the game for the 23-year-old will be putting it all together.
The Red Sox received another mixed bag from Bello on Monday night at Tropicana Field. Facing the same team he squared off against in his big league debut last week, the young right-hander gave up five runs on seven hits over four innings with five strikeouts. Bello gave Boston a chance to win, but the bullpen doomed the visitors in their 10-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Alex Cora took some positive takeaways from Bello's second start with the Red Sox, specifically the adjustments he was able to make after struggling out of the gate. Boston's manager also highlighted a key element for Bello's success in the future.
"The pitch mix I think is going to help, and confidence, too," Cora told reporters, per MLB.com. "It's not that easy, but the talent is there. We know that. But he's still learning how to pitch, he's still learning how to use his fastball in certain spots. He has a good changeup, and in the two outings, he's been erratic with it. But you see the potential, and he's going to keep growing."
At this stage, it's uncertain when we will see Bello back on the mound for the Red Sox. But if he hones in on the areas Cora mentioned, the highly touted prospect should see more success the next time he takes a big league mound.
