The Boston Red Sox are rolling into Spring Training with a clear message: the rotation is deeper, more experienced, and ready to compete. With the additions of veterans Sonny Gray and Ranger Suárez, Boston is banking on a blend of savvy and upside to power their pitching staff in 2026.
Gray, now entering his 14th big league season at age 36, got his first live look at hitters during Thursday’s session in Fort Myers. And while it’s early, the veteran right-hander is already making his presence felt-not just with his own arm, but with his eyes and insight.
One of the biggest takeaways from Thursday’s action? Brayan Bello’s curveball. The young righty, coming off a 2025 season that saw both promise and growing pains, has added a new wrinkle to his arsenal-and Gray took notice.
“Watching [Bello] live, one of the first times I’ve gotten to watch from behind and see what he does, he’s gross,” Gray said with a grin. That’s high praise from a pitcher who’s seen a lot in his career.
Bello’s numbers last season were solid on paper: a 3.35 ERA over 166 2/3 innings. But the finish left something to be desired.
His final outing, a short-lived appearance against the Yankees in the Wild Card series, saw him pulled after just 2 1/3 innings. That performance clearly stuck with him, and he's coming into camp with something to prove-and a new pitch to help him do it.
But Bello isn’t the only one catching Gray’s attention. Garrett Crochet, who threw live BP on Wednesday, looks every bit the frontline starter Boston is counting on him to be. He’s penciled in to start Opening Day, and Gray didn’t hold back when asked about the lefty’s ceiling.
“I don’t think there’s a ceiling for [Crochet],” Gray said. “He can be, and has been, the best pitcher in baseball.”
That’s not just locker room talk. Crochet’s combination of velocity, movement, and mound presence has long made scouts and hitters alike take notice. And with Gray and Suárez helping to anchor the rotation, the Red Sox have the kind of 1-2-3 punch that can go toe-to-toe with just about anyone in the American League.
Behind that trio, the depth is quietly impressive. Bello is likely to slot into the fourth or fifth spot, depending on how camp shakes out.
He’ll be joined in that competition by a group that includes Johan Oviedo, Kutter Crawford, Payton Tolle, and Connelly Early. While Boston did deal from its pitching surplus this offseason, the cupboard is far from bare.
There’s still a healthy mix of major league-ready arms and high-upside depth.
For a team that’s looking to take the next step in a competitive AL East, the early signs from camp are encouraging. Gray’s leadership, Bello’s evolution, and Crochet’s continued rise could form the backbone of a staff that’s ready to surprise some people.
Spring Training is just getting started, but in Boston’s camp, the rotation is already starting to take shape-and it’s looking like a group with the potential to carry weight all season long.