Rayan Bello was the Boston Red Sox’s Opening Day starter for the 2024 season, pitching five innings, allowing five hits and two runs, and securing a win in a 6-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
Although new ace Garrett Crochet is expected to take the mound for the Red Sox on March 27 against the Texas Rangers to start the 2025 season, meaning Bello wasn’t likely to get the Opening Day start again, it now seems that the 25-year-old’s availability for the beginning of the season is in doubt due to ongoing shoulder soreness. Manager Alex Cora provided an update on the situation Saturday morning.
“Bello increasingly looking unlikely ready for Opening Day. Cora: ‘He’s behind’ but still progressing well,” WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford shared on social media.
Bello has yet to participate in any of the Red Sox’s Spring Training games and may begin the season on the injured list.
This news follows Friday’s announcement that Gold Glove right fielder Wilyer Abreu is also expected to miss Opening Day.
Bello’s Inconsistent Start to His MLB Career
Bello, who signed with the Red Sox in July 2017 at 18 years old, made his MLB debut on July 6, 2022.
Standing at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds with an above-average changeup, the Dominican right-hander was often compared to Red Sox Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez as he progressed through the minors. However, his first two-plus seasons have shown inconsistency.
In 2022, Bello struggled with a 2-8 record, a 4.71 ERA, and a 1.77 WHIP over 13 games (11 starts). He made strides in 2023, improving to a 12-11 record with a 4.24 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP over 157 innings in 28 starts. Despite the progress, Bello still allowed 9.5 hits per nine innings and gave up a career-high 24 home runs (1.4 HR per nine innings).
In 2024, Bello was the team’s de facto ace and finished with a 14-8 record, a 1.36 WHIP, and 153 strikeouts over 162 1/2 innings in 30 starts. However, his ERA rose to 4.49, and although he reduced the number of home runs allowed (19), his control issues persisted, with 64 walks and 11 hit batsmen.
Potential Replacements for Bello in the Rotation
With Bello likely to miss the start of the season, Boston has options to fill his spot in the rotation.
According to MLB.com’s Ian Browne, candidates include 25-year-old Richard Fitts and 24-year-old Quinn Priester.
Fitts, drafted by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 2021 draft and traded to Boston in December 2023, made four starts in the majors last season. He posted an 0-1 record, allowing 19 hits and six runs (four earned) with seven walks and nine strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings.
Priester, a former first-round pick of the Pirates in 2019, appeared in 20 games for Pittsburgh between 2023 and 2024 before joining Boston last July. He went 3-6 with a 4.71 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 49 2/3 innings across 11 games (seven starts). He also won his lone start for the Red Sox in 2024, pitching five innings of one-run ball against the Tampa Bay Rays in the season finale.
If Bello is unavailable, either Fitts or Priester would likely slot in behind Garrett Crochet, 2024 All-Star Tanner Houck, two-time All-Star Walker Buehler, and one-time All-Star Lucas Giolito.
Leave a Reply