Brayan Bello's Struggles Return As Red Sox Opt To Not Utilize Opener
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The Boston Red Sox went down early in their rubber match against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday and never managed to bounce back in an 8-1 loss.
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Brayan Bello took the mound for the Red Sox, but after utilizing an opener in his last two appearances, the 27-year-old started. Despite back-to-back successful outings with an opener, allowing just two runs in 13 1/3 innings pitched, Bello's struggles returned in his start against the Braves.
The struggling right-handed pitcher gave up a three-run home run in the first inning and would go on to give up another four runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out only one batter.
"Celebrating his 27th birthday and coming off two stellar performances in bulk relief, Brayan Bello was looking for a coming-of-age moment in his return to the rotation on Sunday," MLB.com's Ian Browne wrote Sunday. "Instead, he experienced another setback in what has been his most wobbly season to date. The righty’s trend of first-inning trouble continued when Austin Riley swatted a three-run homer against him just after the Red Sox narrowly missed completing an inning-ending double play.
"It was interesting that, after Bello held the Tigers and Phillies to a combined eight hits and two runs over 13 1/3 innings with two walks and 12 strikeouts in those two prolonged relief outings, the Sox didn’t stay the course. But with the team’s lefty opener options (Tyler Samaniego and Jovani Morán) thrust into frequent action of late, interim manager Chad Tracy and his staff decided to put Bello back in the traditional starting role. You wonder if the Sox will now shift Bello back to pitching behind an opener."
Bello has played a major role in Boston's starting rotation for the past four seasons, but has struggled this season. Utilizing an opener clearly was beneficial for the 27-year-old, who had brought his ERA back down to 6.46 before his start against Atlanta.
The Red Sox's other starters (Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early and Sonny Gray) have been putting in impressive performances lately. It will be interesting to see how Boston will elect to use Bello moving forward, especially when Garrett Crochet returns to the starting rotation.
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