Another day, another important injury for the Boston Red Sox. The team can not catch a break right now, as it announced on Wednesday that Brayan Bello will head to the injured list with right lat tightness. In a corresponding move, Boston will call up right-hander Zack Kelly.
The #RedSox today placed RHP Brayan Bello on the 15-Day Injured List, retroactive to April 21, with right lat tightness.
To fill Bello’s spot on the active roster, the club recalled RHP Zack Kelly from Triple-A Worcester.
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 24, 2024
The Bello injury is the latest for the Red Sox to manage. The team lost first baseman Triston Casas this weekend with a rib fracture, Nick Pivetta with a right flexor strain, and Trevor Story with a shoulder injury. The team’s pitching depth is incredibly thin, but Boston has no choice but to figure it out for the next couple of weeks.
Brayan Bello Out with Right Lat Tightness
Bello is expected to be a mainstay atop the Red Sox rotation for years to come. The former top prospect pitched well in his rookie season last year and was rewarded with a contract extension this spring. The early results on the deal looked strong, as Bello performed well in 2024 before the injury.
Across five starts, Bello has tossed 26 2/3 innings with a 3.04 ERA. Though he has an around league-average strikeout rate, he is excelling at keeping the ball on the ground and limiting walks. Boston has made many headlines this month due to atrocious defense. With improved fielding, Bello’s numbers might look even better.
Feels like Zack Kelly might make a lot of sense if the Red Sox are going to shuffle the bullpen a bit.
9 IP – 6 Appearances
0.00 ERA
1 Hit
10 K
8 BB (3 in 1 outing, 2 in 2 other)
1 SVFits the Josh Winckowski role with him in the rotation for now.pic.twitter.com/kgZp4HpHdI
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) April 23, 2024
It’s not clear where the Red Sox will turn to with Bello on the injured list. Pivetta is working his way back and wasn’t expected to miss too much time. However, he likely won’t be ready to return before Bello’s next scheduled start.
Injuries Keep Piling up for Boston
No matter who they turn to, Kelly will join the active roster and provide a fresh bullpen arm. Kelly revamped his repertoire this winter, and the results are positive. He tweaked his slider and made it more of a cutter while pairing it with a new sweeper. Plus, a change to his changeup grip allowed the pitch to sink more. It pairs better with his fastball, which Triple-A hitters have swung and missed at over 47 percent of the time this year.
Perhaps the Red Sox will use bullpen games while Bello and Pivetta work their way back from the injured list. Kelly could play an important role on the staff if that’s the case. But no matter what they do, there’s no doubt that injuries keep biting the Red Sox.
At some point, it might cost them their season.
Main Photo: © David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
