Brayan Bello may not have gotten the results he would have liked in his Red Sox debut, but he has gained valuable learning experience in his two Major League starts.
Boston fell short against the Rays, 10-5, on Monday, and Bello got the start against Tampa Bay again after his July 6 start at Fenway Park. The 23-year-old went four innings Monday and struck out five batters, but he also gave up seven hits, five earned runs and walked three.
However, manager Alex Cora has been by Bello’s side, telling the 23-year-old how proud he was after his first start, and he was pleased with the right-hander’s improvement Monday. Bello spoke after Monday’s game and reflected on his second Major League outing.
“I learned a little bit about the strike zone and about the heaters,” Bello said, through translator Carlos Villoria BenÃtez, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “Every at-bat, I tried to look for a specific pitch.”
Bello is the No. 1 pitching prospect for the Red Sox, according to MLB Pipeline. He quickly rose the ranks in the minors, and despite the results not being there, Boston fans have a lot to look forward to as the right-hander learns from his two outings and continues to grow as a starting pitcher.
“I learned it doesn’t matter how you start, it’s how you finish, and for me, it was really good for me to end on such a good note,” Bello said.
Cora has not committed to Bello getting a third start. Chris Sale will make his return Tuesday, and the Red Sox are hopeful Nathan Eovaldi can return as soon as Friday against the New York Yankees. Whether Bello returns to Worcester or not, the future is bright for the young pitcher as he got his first taste of the majors in 2022.
