Brayan Bello Reports to Spring Training with Lessons-and Fire-After Tough Playoff Exit
When Red Sox pitchers and catchers reported to Fort Myers on February 10, Brayan Bello was among the first to show up. No surprise there-Bello’s always been a grinder.
But this spring carries a different weight for the 26-year-old righty. The last time he took the mound, it was in a high-stakes Wild Card matchup against the Yankees, and things didn’t go his way.
That night back on October 1, Bello didn’t have his usual edge. He lasted just 2.1 innings, giving up a two-run homer to Ben Rice in the first, then a couple of singles and a fielder’s choice in the third.
It was enough for Alex Cora to make a tough call and pull him early-despite the Red Sox being thin on starting pitching. For a guy who had been a reliable presence all season, it was a tough pill to swallow.
Fast forward to his first live BP session of spring training on February 12, and Bello’s had time to process what happened. When he spoke to reporters afterward, he didn’t shy away from the moment.
“It was fast, too fast for my taste,” Bello admitted. “But at the same time, you can see the difference between a regular season start and the postseason. The adrenaline is completely different… now I know how it feels, and I know that it's not going to take too long before I'm out there again in a postseason game.”
That kind of self-awareness is exactly what you want to hear from a young starter trying to take the next step. Bello’s regular season numbers back up his potential-3.35 ERA over 166.2 innings, with an ERA+ of 123.
That’s more than solid. But October is a different animal.
And Bello knows it now.
This isn’t the first time Bello’s had to manage his emotions on the mound. Earlier in his career, he’d sometimes let frustration get the best of him.
But the last two seasons have been a turning point. He made 30 and 29 starts in 2024 and 2025, respectively, locking himself in as Boston’s No. 2 starter and showing the kind of consistency that teams build around.
Still, the offseason brought uncertainty. After Boston retooled its rotation-adding Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray, and Johan Oviedo-Bello's name started popping up in trade rumors.
That noise could’ve rattled a lesser pitcher, especially coming off a playoff outing that ended too soon. But Bello’s still here.
And now, he’s got something to prove.
The competition for rotation spots is real. Suárez, Gray, Oviedo, and Garrett Crochet are likely penciled in for four of the five.
That leaves one spot up for grabs, and Bello’s not the only one eyeing it. Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval, and Connelly Early are all in the mix.
But Bello’s not backing down. He’s got the experience.
He’s got the stuff-Sonny Gray called his sinker “disgusting,” and that’s not a word Gray throws around lightly. And now, he’s got that postseason lesson under his belt.
This spring isn’t just about getting loose and finding rhythm. For Bello, it’s about showing he belongs in the heart of a rotation that suddenly looks a lot deeper-and a lot more dangerous. The Red Sox are aiming for more than just a Wild Card appearance this year, and if Bello can channel what he learned last October, he might just be one of the arms that gets them there.