The Red Sox have a playoff roster call looming, but one name should be easier to settle than the rest: Brayan Bello or Patrick Sandoval.
A rival National League scout didn’t leave much room for debate when asked about the choice for Boston’s American League Wild Card bullpen.
"It's not a decision," the scout said. "It's definitely Bello. Sandoval looked horrific in Tampa."
That blunt assessment comes after Sandoval’s latest outing, when he allowed five runs over seven innings against the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s carrying a 6.97 ERA in September across five appearances, four of them starts. On Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians, he worked one scoreless inning in relief and gave up one hit, which served as something of an audition for how Boston might use him if he makes the roster.
Bello, meanwhile, has done far more to earn the spot. After an early-season run as a starter that sent him to the minors, he returned in relief and has been far more effective, posting a 1.98 ERA out of the bullpen this season. He has a 2.55 ERA in September and most recently threw eight innings of one-run ball in a start against the Rays.
The scout acknowledged the wrinkle that could complicate Boston’s thinking.
"Bello has been nails, but I guess (the Red Sox) are light on left-handed relievers so I can see why that could be tough," the scout continued.
That left-handed depth is part of the calculation. Boston already has Aroldis Chapman, Erik Miller and Jovani Morán in the bullpen as lefty options. The Red Sox also have left-handed starters Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett, any of whom could potentially fill a relief role in a three-game series if right-hander Sonny Gray gets the start.
Sandoval’s case may ultimately depend on what happens with Garrett Crochet. Tim Healey reported that Crochet is flying to Fort Myers on Friday to throw an inning of live batting practice on Saturday, steering clear of Boston’s bad weather this weekend. The playoff roster decision will follow that session.
Crochet has not pitched since April because of a shoulder injury, but he has been working toward a return. If he’s ready to come back as a reliever, Bello looks like the obvious choice over Sandoval. If Crochet is not part of the playoff plan, Boston could have a reason to lean toward Sandoval as another left-handed arm.
Still, based on what’s happened on the mound, Bello has been the better pitcher. And that’s why he should be the one on the Wild Card roster.
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