Bello pumped after breakthrough 7-K outing in bulk relief debut
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DETROIT -- In a different role, even if it was just for a day, Brayan Bello got his groove back on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.
After a season-long slump, Bello took a 9.12 ERA over six starts to the hill against the Tigers as he tried something new -- being a bulk-innings reliever behind opener Jovani Morán.
So this wound up as the night Bello achieved a season high in innings (seven) and strikeouts (seven), while also producing 2026 season bests in runs allowed (one) and hits allowed (four), while earning the win in his team’s 10-3 series-clinching rout.
“There’s still a lot of season remaining. For me, the season starts today,” Bello said.
And why not?
At a time ace Garrett Crochet is on the 15-day injured list and Ranger Suarez is in limbo with a right hamstring injury, the Red Sox need Bello to be the mostly-reliable righty they came to expect the previous three seasons.
“It's amazing to see him be who he is again, and I'm happy for him,” center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela said.
What did Bello do to change the narrative? He went into attack mode and had the location to back his approach.
“I stayed focused with every batter and with every pitch,” Bello said. “And also, I was able to throw every pitch for a strike and to command every pitch.”
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said it’s too early to know if Bello will go back to the rotation next time out or reprise his bulk-innings role.
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Either way, Bello will take the mound in a much better frame of mind.
“I think in his mind, he wanted to start. But he had a job to do,” Tracy said. “And he went out there and did it very, very well. And we needed it once again for our bullpen, and it was just an outstanding performance.”
It was one Bello was ready to enjoy for at least a few starts before he gets ready for his next outing.
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“I’ll go back to my room right now, try to relax and talk to myself that the season starts today,” Bello said. “And like I always say, there's a lot of season remaining, four or five months. It's not how you start, it's how you finish.”