Red Sox Option Nick Bello to Triple-A After Struggling Start

The Boston Red Sox are staring down a tough call with Brayan Bello, one of their more intriguing young pitchers. He’s reportedly heading to Triple-A Worcester after a string of rough starts.

That move says a lot. Bello, talented as he is, just hasn’t found his groove this year—especially in the early innings.

Bello’s Struggles: A Troubling Trend on the Mound

The news about right-hander Brayan Bello’s optioning to Triple-A Worcester really brings home how wild and unpredictable pro baseball can be. After his latest tough outing against the Orioles on Thursday—eight runs allowed, six of them in the very first inning—the Red Sox decided he needed a change of scenery.

His ERA has shot up to an uncomfortable 6.34, and he’s sitting on a 2-6 record. Just as jarring, he faced more batters in the first inning Thursday than any Red Sox pitcher has in the opening frame in the last *75 seasons*.

This isn’t just a blip. Bello’s first-inning struggles have become a recurring headache for him and the team.

The Stark Contrast in Performance

Bello’s numbers this season are… well, they’re all over the place, and it really highlights what’s going wrong.

* When he starts the game himself, his ERA is a painful 9.68 over 30 2/3 innings. That’s a lot of trouble shutting down hitters right out of the gate.
* But if the Sox use an “opener”—a reliever throws the first inning, then Bello comes in—his ERA drops to a ridiculous 0.71 over 25 1/3 innings. It’s such a dramatic split that you can’t help but wonder if it’s a mental block, a tactical issue, or maybe both.

Through his first eight starts, he’s given up 15 earned runs in the first inning alone. That’s the most for any Red Sox pitcher in that stretch since *1994*. It’s tough to watch, honestly.

Bello’s Perspective and Future Outlook

Even with all these ugly stats and the demotion news swirling, Brayan Bello isn’t backing down. Speaking through an interpreter, he made it clear he doesn’t see himself as a bullpen guy—he wants to keep starting.

He admitted he’s in a rough patch but remains confident he can pull himself out of it. That kind of self-belief matters, especially for a young player trying to survive the relentless grind of the majors.

And let’s not forget—Bello’s track record before this season gave Sox fans plenty of reasons to get excited. He had double-digit wins in each of the past three years. In *2025*, he posted a solid 3.35 ERA.

The team trusted him enough to start Game 2 of last October’s AL Wild Card Series against the Yankees. That says something about how highly they think of his potential.

Roster Implications and New Arrivals

The move of Bello to Triple-A opens up a spot on the Red Sox’s active roster. To fill that gap, the team plans to add left-hander Joe La Sorsa.

La Sorsa came over from trade-next-moves-and-outlook/”>the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday in a cash-only deal. It’s not exactly the kind of trade that gets fans buzzing, but it does show the front office is thinking ahead and trying to patch up the pitching staff.

*WBZ* first reported Bello’s optioning to Triple-A, so the news is making the rounds in trusted sports circles. Honestly, it’s just another chapter in the ongoing shuffle of player roles and team strategy that defines a long baseball season.
 
Here is the source article for this story: Reports: Red Sox optioning Bello after another poor start