The Red Sox may not need to go far to solve the Sonny Gray question in 2027.
Gray was everything Boston could have asked for in 2026, delivering one of the finest seasons of his career at 36. He went 18-5 with a 2.72 ERA in 29 starts, throwing 169 innings and stepping in as Boston’s de facto ace with Garrett Crochet unavailable.
But Gray’s future in Boston is unsettled, and that leaves chief baseball officer Craig Breslow with a decision to make. He can explore the market for a right-hander to balance a rotation that skews left-handed, or he can lean into the internal answer already on the roster: Brayan Bello.
That idea will probably make some fans pause. Bello’s 2026 season was messy, and early on it was ugly.
He had a brutal stretch marked by first-inning issues and opened the year with a 7.18 ERA across his first 11 starts. Boston eventually had enough and sent him to Triple-A Worcester in early June.
At first, Bello did not handle the setback especially well. His interviews were short, and he came off as someone trying to avoid responsibility.
The fan base was frustrated, and plenty were fine with the demotion. It looked like the kind of moment that could send a pitcher spiraling.
Instead, he found his footing.
Bello eventually embraced a bulk-innings role and made real use of it. After returning to Boston in mid-July, he posted a 1.98 ERA with 50 strikeouts and only 12 walks over 15 relief appearances.
That run earned him another look in the rotation, and he rewarded the Red Sox with an eight-inning, one-run, 11-strikeout outing against the Tampa Bay Rays in September. Redemptive stuff.
The season he had, rough as it was, may have done him some good. Bello came out of the demotion looking mentally tougher and more efficient, especially after he returned in July. He seemed less rattled when a pitch or two didn’t go his way, and that matters for a young starter trying to stick.
There’s also reason to believe he still has room to grow physically. At 27, Bello does not look like a finished product. Put his arm strength and stuff together with the more mature approach he showed after the reset, and there’s a path to him becoming a strong starter.
He isn’t Gray, and he doesn’t need to be. The bigger point is simpler: why send out assets to find a right-hander when Bello is already there?
The Red Sox should at least let him take the ball every fifth day to open 2027. If it doesn’t stick, they can always make a move later.
And if they do hand him that job, they shouldn’t hedge it. Bello’s best chance to keep building on what he found in 2026 is to know the role is his. Trust him, and let the version of Bello forged by last season’s struggles take it from there.
In Other News...
Red Sox May Have One Bold Answer To Their Roster Crunch
The Red Sox enter the offseason with the kind of roster squeeze that forces creative thinking. Their 40-man is full, the payroll room is limited, and with few free agents in play, Boston may have to look beyond the usual paths if it wants to change the shape of the roster in a meaningful way. In that kind of environment, even a bold, far-reaching trade idea can start to feel less like a fantasy and more like a pressure-release valve.
One speculative route would send the conversation into star territory, with Ronald Acua Jr. of the Braves as the centerpiece. Even with recent injury concerns, Acua still carries the profile of a difference-maker and a contract that would make him even more appealing if Boston were willing to pay the prospect and player cost. Whether a deal of that magnitude is realistic is another matter entirely, but the fact it can even be considered shows how aggressive the Red Sox may need to be as they try to solve their roster and payroll puzzle. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Have An Obvious Backup Catcher Upgrade Worth Watching
Gary Snchez keeps surfacing as the kind of low-risk catching option teams can circle when they want a little more offense behind the plate, and Boston fits that conversation. He is a free agent now, and the appeal is obvious for a Red Sox club that has relied on Connor Wong as the backup catcher while looking for more impact throughout the lineup.
Snchez brings the kind of power-hitting profile that can change a game in one swing, along with some playoff experience that can matter over the grind of a full season. Nothing is in motion yet, and there has been no confirmation of any move, but he is exactly the sort of veteran upgrade worth monitoring if Boston decides it wants more thump from its catching depth. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Just Sent Another Rising Coach Up Their Development Ladder
The Red Sox continued reshaping their minor league coaching tree on Oct. 21, promoting Liam Carroll from High-A Greenville to manager of the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. The move came as Chad Epperson was elevated to manager of Triple-A Worcester, opening the door for Carroll to take the next step in a system that values continuity as much as results.
Carroll has spent four seasons managing inside Bostons minor league ranks and has already had a hand in the development of several players. Now he moves into a more demanding spot at Portland, where the jump in competition usually brings a sharper test of instruction, adaptation and how quickly a coach can help prospects handle the final stretch before Triple-A. [Read more 🡒]