Red Sox reliever who was disrespected on Opening Day is now star of the bullpen

After a series against the Milwaukee Brewers that ended with the Red Sox getting fired up to salvage the final game, it was off to Baltimore for a series with a division rival in the Orioles.

The pitching staff blew up in a lopsided 11-3 game one loss, which kept the Boston Red Sox looking for their first win over the Orioles in 2024. They picked it up in a big way — the offense returned to its early-season form and Brayan Bello did just enough to knot up the series.

The offense jumped on Grayson Rodriguez for four runs in the first two innings, but a big reason the Red Sox were able to hold on was the performance of Brennan Bernardino.

He entered the game in the sixth inning with two runners on and no outs. He loaded the bases with a walk, then made a play at the plate and fanned two batters to get out of the jam without allowing a run to score. Alex Cora sent Bernardino back out for the seventh and he struck out two more in a clean inning to bail Bello and the Sox out when they needed it most.

Brennan Bernardino has been quietly elite for the Red Sox

It came as a shock to much of Red Sox Nation when Bernardino was left off the Opening Day roster in favor of Joely Rodríguez. Bernardino got his callup after Nick Pivetta went on the injured list in early April, and the decision has paid off in spades.

Prior to the beginning of the Orioles series, Bernardino held opponents to a .179 slugging percentage against him, the best mark in baseball. He's allowed just two earned runs in 23 innings, giving him a pristine 0.78 ERA in 20 appearances. He's also struck out 23 hitters and has a 0.83 WHIP.

If that isn't enough to prove his dominance, Bernardino is also elite with runners in scoring position. The last 33 batters to face him with runners in scoring position are 0-for-27 with five walks and a sac fly. That's right — 0-for-27.

Even though plenty of players are making noise for the Red Sox right now, what Bernardino is doing cannot be ignored. He's become Cora's best fireman in the bullpen, able to wiggle the team out of any jam they face when he's on the mound. He's a vital part of the team's success right now, and it's time the league puts some respect on his name.

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