FORT MYERS, Fla. -- As Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello produced career bests last season in ERA (3.35) and innings pitched (166 2/3) while serving as the club’s No. 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet, he was able to mask the fact that something wasn’t quite right.
What had long been Bello’s top weapon -- the changeup -- disappeared on him. Well, at least the effectiveness of the pitch went MIA.
After a winter of searching, Bello has found his “cambio” again, and that’s what had him smiling even after a Sunday pitching line (1 1/3 innings, four hits, four earned runs) during Boston's 11-10 win vs. the Blue Jays that would have made for a sleepless night had it been the regular season.
Now 26 and entering his fourth full season, Bello is at the stage in which Grapefruit League outings can be used to focus on a specific pitch rather than overall results.
“Just keep throwing the changeup,” Bello said. “Be more consistent with it. Today, I was very happy because I think I was very consistent with it, and it also had a lot of depth, a lot of movement. That’s one of the things I wanted to work on, and I’ve been working on the past few months, throwing [the changeup] to righties and lefties and at any count. I think today, we were able to take a step forward with that pitch.”
So how did Bello actually lose the feel for his best pitch last season?
“Last year, I was working on adding a cutter and a sweeper, so I lost the feeling for the changeup,” Bello said. “This year, I have both of those pitches locked in. And I was able to work on the changeup. So that’s what happened.”
And what could happen this season is that Bello has a chance to put it all together for the most complete season of his career.
With 543 1/3 innings under his belt, Bello had to grow up fast. Perhaps called up before he was ready for a last-place team in 2022, he then served as a headliner for the largely inexperienced pitching rotations the Red Sox had in the noncontending seasons of ’23 and ’24.
Crochet provided instant credibility as the ace last season, and Bello and current free agent Lucas Giolito supported the overpowering lefty, leading Boston back to the postseason for the first time since 2021.
But there is more help (and experience) this season. Sonny Gray and Ranger Suárez will be the No. 2-3 starters in whichever order. That means Bello is likely the No. 4 in what projects to be one of MLB’s best rotations.
Instead of just sticking with what has gotten him to this point, Bello has not only resurrected his changeup but added a curveball with some grip tutelage from Suárez.
“Last year I was battling with two, three pitches,” Bello said. “I was able to have the season that I had. But I feel like this year for me, coming into camp feeling healthy, adding in the curveball and having the changeup back -- which is one of my best pitches -- I feel like I’m going to have a better season. Also, I’m more experienced, more mature, so having that repertoire and adding that experience again is going to be a recipe for a good season.”
When Bello broke out his new bender on Sunday against Blue Jays outfielder Jesús Sánchez, he not only got a swing and miss but also a laugh.
“Yeah, I threw the curveball today to Sánchez. It was a very good one, and he laughed at the pitch,” Bello said. “But yes, I’ve been throwing it. I’m going to start throwing it more often. Today, I felt comfortable throwing it with two strikes and also got a swing-and-miss. I think that from now on, that’s a pitch I’m going to rely on because I’m able to command it as well."
And just as Bello will increase his reliance on his arsenal, the Red Sox will be able to rely on him.
“He’s in a good spot. Just let him be,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “He's a guy that we can rely on. He can give us innings. He's really good at what he does.”