The Boston Red Sox began the 2025 season without two of their starting pitchers as Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito recover from spring training injuries.
Bello arrived at spring training with shoulder soreness that prevented him from appearing in any Grapefruit League games. Giolito finished his recovery from the internal brace procedure he underwent last year, but swiftly strained a hamstring in his first appearance since the surgery. Both hurlers have started their rehab assignments with Triple-A Worcester, and could be nearing their 2025 Red Sox debuts soon.
Bello made his second rehab start on April 6, and he let up one run on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk over 3.1 innings. It was a short outing of just 56 pitches for the righty, which suggests he has at least one, maybe two more rehab starts in his future before the Red Sox call him up.
Bello posted a 4.49 ERA over 162.1 innings in 2024, his age-25 season. His second half was much better than his first — he posted a 5.32 ERA before the All-Star break and a 3.47 ERA after — and Red Sox fans hope to see him continue his growth this year.
Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito through their second rehab starts as they near return to Red Sox roster
4 Ks today for Brayan Bello🔥 pic.twitter.com/nAiOyBtZks
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) April 6, 2025
Giolito's second rehab start was scheduled for April 8, but high winds and cold weather forced Worcester to postpone until the following day. He clocked three strikeouts over 3.1 innings of one-run ball. He finished with 64 pitches.
The Red Sox have anxiously awaited Giolito's return since season-ending elbow surgery rendered him unable to pitch last year. Boston signed him as a rehab candidate before the 2024 season, as he's shown flashes of elite talent, but his most recent years in the major leagues were tumultuous. In 2023, he posted a 4.88 ERA over 184.1 innings across three different teams. The Red Sox are banking on Giolito finding his 2019 All-Star-caliber stuff again this year.
Red Sox place Connor Wong on 10-day IL with fractured finger
One of the biggest concerns in the Sox's lineup is the team's lack of capable catching depth. The team has already had to turn to its backups after Connor Wong was pulled in the first inning of Boston's April 7 game against the Blue Jays.
As Wong reached forward to steal a strike for pitcher Richard Fitts, George Springer's bat clipped his hand just below his glove. Wong immediately rose from behind the plate in pain, and his hand quickly began to swell. After the game, the Red Sox announced he's been diagnosed with a fracture near his pinky and has been placed on the 10-day injured list.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora described Wong's injury as the "best-case scenario." The team will examine him on a week-to-week basis to determine when he's ready to return to the roster, which Cora said could happen sooner rather than later.
Red Sox reliever Liam Hendriks to begin rehab assignment with WooSox April 10
Red Sox reliever Liam Hendriks was placed on the 15-day IL on Opening Day due to elbow inflammation. Hendriks had Tommy John surgery on that elbow in 2023, and the repairs made are still structurally sound.
The longtime closer will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on April 10, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. There is no official timeline for his return to the Sox's bullpen, but he'll be a solid, high-leverage addition to the back end of the pitching staff and a potential option to close games if he gets hot.