When the Boston Red Sox signed Brayan Bello to a 6-year, $55 million extension before the 2024 season, it was a clear sign of belief that the pitcher would continue on his solid start to his career, and eventually blossom into a bona fide ace.
Bello didn't have a terrible 2024, going 14-8 in 30 starts, but an ERA of 4.49 and issues getting deep into starts posed more questions in Bello than answers.
The front office settled Boston's ace question with the Garrett Crochet trade, but there was still the matter of figuring out what to do with Bello. The rotation is still very much a work in progress due to working in Lucas Giolito and Walker Buehler going on the injured list, but Bello came into his first start of his 2025 season against the Mariners knowing he needed to prove that he deserves to be a lock in this rotation. Through his first three starts this year, Bello has done more than enough.
Bello has gone 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA, striking out 12 batters in 17 2/3 innings. Are the numbers out of this world? Not by any means. But the key is that Bello is improving start over start. Bello pitched into the seventh inning of his May 2 outing against the Twins, and only gave up one run with five strikeouts and one free pass — his best command of the young season.
Brayan Bello is thriving without the pressure of being the Red Sox's 'ace'
Bello keeps rolling. 👊 pic.twitter.com/GaZhhYaODt
— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 3, 2025
Is there still a chance that Bello continues to develop and could reach the level of being an ace, giving the Red Sox their own version of the Verlander-Scherzer Tigers rotations from the mid-2010s? It's definitely possible. Bello is still young and if he can keep himself healthy, then his confidence and skill can continue to grow.
The biggest thing for Bello has been moving out of that ace role he was thrown into last year after he was named the Opening Day starter. It was clear Bello was not quite ready to be at the top of the rotation at 25 years old, but putting him in more of a mid-rotation role seems to be the perfect spot as he develops. Keep Bello as the No. 3 or No. 4 in the rotation, and El Niño will flourish.