TORONTO -- A frustrating start to the season continued on Wednesday for Brayan Bello and the Red Sox.
Although interim manager Chad Tracy planned to be aggressive with his bullpen in the series finale north of the border, Bello wasn’t able to escape the fourth inning as the Red Sox fell, 8-1, to the Blue Jays.
Battling through a slow start to the year after a bounce-back 2025, Bello didn’t find the right mix in Toronto. He was charged with four runs over 3 2/3 innings -- three of which came during a messy third -- while striking out two and walking two.
Although he retired two of the first three batters of the third, the Blue Jays lined three consecutive singles against Bello to rally with two outs. The last of those came from Kazuma Okamoto, whose 108.2 mph single came with the bases loaded and scored two. Then, after a Bello walk filled the bases again, Yohendrick Pinango brought home another with a single of his own.
It was Roman Anthony who helped the Red Sox escape the frame on Pinango’s hit, tossing a strike to the plate to keep Okamoto from scoring on the play. It was Anthony’s second straight game with an outfield assist.
The fourth played out similarly, as Bello got two quick outs before walking Brandon Valenzuela -- Toronto’s No. 9 hitter -- prompting Tracy to make an early call to the bullpen after 63 pitches. Bello was visibly frustrated handing the ball over, shaking his head as Tracy made his way out to the mound.
To make matters worse, Greg Weissert surrendered a two-run homer just three pitches later.
It all compounded Bello’s run of early-season struggles with the Red Sox. He has completed five innings just once through six starts, pitching to a 9.12 ERA while striking out 17 hitters and walking 15.
The Red Sox are already in a tough position with their rotation after losing Garrett Crochet to the 15-day injured list earlier Wednesday, while already operating without injured starting options Sonny Gray, Patrick Sandoval, Kutter Crawford and Johan Oviedo.
They haven’t committed to a starter for Friday’s series opener at Fenway Park against the Astros.