The Boston Red Sox are scrambling to fix their rotation after the sudden injury to pitcher Lucas Giolito.
The team still doesn't know when the 29-year-old will be able to return, but one thing is definite: He will not be there for the opening day.
Enter Brayan Bello.
The Red Sox has tapped the 24-year-old Dominicano as a long-term investment.
Bello gave a good account of himself last year, even though he was in and out of the lineup due to injuries. In his 28 starts in 23, he went 12-11 with a 4.24 ERA employing a four-seam fastball, averaging 95.5 mph. His fastest throw had a 97.7 mph velocity.
He has been with the team since 2017 and earned his first major call-up in 2022.
Brayan Bello contract details
The 6'1 right-handed pitcher signed a six-year $55 million extension.
The deal can grow to $75 million if the Red Sox exercise a $21 million team option for 2030 with a $1 million buyout to reach a seventh season.
The extension was signed a year before the player reaches arbitration eligibility by 2025, at which point he could have negotiated the terms of his contract. He was set to become a free agent by 2028.
Bello earned $729,500 last year and would have received just $750,000 this season.
Talks of Bello becoming a cornerstone for the Red Sox have been around since last season.
Bello has a very diverse throwing arsenal. He can throw a two-seamer, four-seamer, changeup, and a slider.
"Somebody his age could have very easily gotten distracted," former Boston Red Sox utility player Kike Hernández told reporters last year.
"But he didn't lose focus...he just kept pitching."
Red Sox officials are also all praise for Bello, most notably manager Alex Cora, who is proud of the work they put in for the young man.
"You look at certain organizations, and that's what they have been able to do the last few years," Cora said.
"It sets up not only the player but the organization to be able to be flexible and aggressive as far as signing guys and using the money for free agents. Brayan, he's a homegrown talent, he's a really good one. I know we've been working hard over the last two years to make sure this kid is a Red Sox for life. We'll see what the future holds."
Bello will join a rotation with Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, Nick Pivetta, and Garrett Whitlock.
Lucas Giolito's uncertainty
Bello will have huge shoes to fill this season after the injury to Giolito.
The veteran, who was signed to a $38.5 million, two-year contract, suffered a partially torn UCL and flexor strain.
Giolito first felt the discomfort during their spring training game with the Minnesota Twins.
Right now, the team continues to seek a second opinion on his injury. The team traveled to Alabama for further testing, although manager Cora anticipates that he will need surgery, which will necessitate more recovery time.
As the Red Sox navigates through these challenges, the spotlight intensifies on Bello's performance and its potential ripple effects on the team's strategy and roster dynamics. Such developments inevitably influence the Reds MLB Odds, as enthusiasts and analysts assess how Giolito's absence and Bello's emergence could sway the team's fortunes.
Amidst this backdrop, the Red Sox's decision to invest in Bello underscores their commitment to nurturing homegrown talent, with the hopes that such moves will not only fill the void left by injuries but also enhance their competitiveness in the fiercely contested MLB landscape.
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