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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 6:43:33 GMT -5
Red Sox can’t let another AL East series slip away
By Nick Friar WEEI 93.7 2 hours ago
Maybe Brayan Bello is just what the Red Sox need to secure their first series win against an AL East opponent in 2022. Because this is getting ridiculous.
With Tuesday’s 8-4 loss, the Red Sox now have a sub-.500 record against every AL East team, yet they’re still the No. 2 team in the division. A win on Wednesday would put Boston at 3-3 with the Rays, but they’ll still only be 11-16 against the AL East. Even with a Wednesday win, things are more likely to get worse for the Red Sox in the near future with the Yankees coming to town this weekend.
The Red Sox might be able to skate to the postseason with miserable numbers against AL East opponents, but it’s going to be a problem at some point. If the regular season ended right now, four AL East teams would make the postseason. Things like failing to plate at least one run when there are runners on second and third with no outs cannot happen (like it did on Tuesday). If anything, the AL East is doing the Red Sox a favor by letting them know they need to do a lot more than they have against quality opponents.
The Red Sox need to finish this series off. If not to quiet the chatter surrounding their struggles against the AL East, then to give them some confidence for when baseball’s best team comes to Boston. The Red Sox need every advantage they can get vs. the Yankees — otherwise, we could be looking at much worse than a series loss come Sunday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 6:47:55 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb · 57m For the first time in Red Sox history, it's Brayan Bello day.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 7:15:14 GMT -5
Brayan Bello to make MLB debut for Red Sox vs. Rays FLM
Highly touted pitching prospect Brayan Bello will make his major league debut for the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in the finale of a three-game series.
With starter Rich Hill on the 15-day injured list with a knee sprain, the call went to the 23-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic. He has piled up 114 strikeouts over 85 innings in the minors this season.
Bello was 6-2 with a 2.81 ERA in nine games for Triple-A Worcester, the last of which was on Friday. In the Boston system since 2018, he was the 2021 Red Sox Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year.
"I'm 100 percent excited," Bello told MassLive.com through translator and Triple-A teammate Yolmer Sanchez. "I just want to work hard and have a good game."
Injuries have shuffled Boston's pitching staff in recent days. Hill was placed on the injured list Saturday, sidelining him alongside fellow starters Garrett Whitlock (right hip inflammation since June 9) and Nathan Eovaldi (low back inflammation since June 12).
Whitlock, whom manager Alex Cora said would return to action as a reliever, and Eovaldi both threw two innings in a simulated game prior to Tuesday's 8-4 Rays win.
Additionally, Michael Wacha was scratched from his Monday start due to "dead arm," Cora said.
Chris Sale (right rib stress fracture) could make the final step on his journey back to Boston as his rehab assignment moves to Triple-A, where he will pitch in front of a sold-out crowd on Wednesday. His return to the Red Sox rotation could follow.
"I talked to him a little bit. He's ready to go," Cora said. "If it's up to him, he'll pitch (at Fenway on Wednesday), but I think one more, maybe two, down there. Go compete on Wednesday and we'll decide what we do next."
Offensively, the Red Sox will look for better results with runners in scoring position after going 2-for-12 and stranding 11 on Tuesday. Xander Bogaerts and Trevor Story both homered.
For the Rays, two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber (3-5, 3.91 ERA) will oppose Bello. Kluber has gone 0-3 in four starts since his most recent win on June 8 against St. Louis.
Most recently, Kluber gave up five runs on seven hits in a three-inning Friday outing at Toronto, a 9-2 loss.
"They hit some pretty decent pitches. They laid off some pitches just out of the zone and took advantage when I did make mistakes," Kluber said of his the start, which ended with an 11-batter third inning.
Kluber will be making his 12th career start against the Red Sox, a team that he had not faced since 2018 until earlier this season. He allowed 11 hits and four runs in a five-inning start back on April 22, a 4-3 Boston win.
Kluber has a 3-5 record and 4.63 ERA in his career against Boston.
The Rays bounced back from being shut out 4-0 in the series opener on Monday by posting the eight runs on 11 hits in Tuesday's win, their fourth in five games.
"It was encouraging," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "(Boston starter Nick) Pivetta's tough. ... They got back in the ballgame, but we added back. I'm very encouraged with how we swung the bats."
Yandy Diaz and Wander Franco have hit streaks of 10 and eight games, respectively.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 10:12:24 GMT -5
Mazz: What Pedro Martinez is saying (or texting) about Brayan Bello Tony Massarotti 10 minutes ago
Purely for the sake of perspective, let me tell you this: Pedro Martinez doesn’t answer my texts most times. During and after Martinez’ playing career, my relationship with him has always been good. Occasionally, I’ll drop him a quick note with a comment or a question – and he’ll reply if he feels like it.
Yesterday, at 1:36 p.m., I sent Martinez the following text:
You have a quick second to tell me about Brayan Bello?
At 5:58 p.m., he replied with two short messages.
Super unique set of talent and heart. (Heart emoji.)
And the most important one. Brain. (Brain emoji.)
That was it.
So why am I telling you this? Because Brayan Bello will make his major league debut for the Red Sox tonight at Fenway Park against the Tampa Bay Rays and because the Red Sox haven’t had a pitching prospect with this kind of hype in a long time. Bello is 23. He’s right-handed. He throws in the mid-to-high 90s with a changeup (that Pedro worked on with him) and a slider. The stuff is legit. The numbers are eye-opening.
In 15 combined outings (14 starts) this year at Double-A and Triple-A, Bello is 10-4 with a 2.33 ERA in 85 innings. He has 114 strikeouts (an average 12.1 per nine innings) and 33 walks (3.5 per nine). He has allowed just 55 hits. He’s 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds – tall and thin, a little like Pedro’s older brother, Ramon – and he is still on the raw side. But there’s a lot there to like.
Now I’ll tell you what really makes him different for me.
Pedro.
Look, we all know the reality here. Most prospects get overhyped. But something about Bello feels different. And knowing Pedro Martinez like we do, well, he’s not about to describe someone as super unique just for the hell of it. He’s liked young pitchers before. But the way he answered about Bello tells me that Pedro thinks there’s a real chance that Bello could be for real, no matter what happens on the mound tonight.
So what is the plan for Bello this year? Good question. He’s never pitched more than 117.2 innings in any season. It’s unlikely the Red Sox intend to drop him into their rotation now, for good, and ride him into September or October. But what is possible is a baptismal appearance at Fenway tonight followed by a role in the Red Sox bullpen come August, September or beyond.
Could Bello be a bust? Of course. There’s always that chance with most any player. But if Pedro Martinez is signing the young man’s birth certificate, I’m all ears.
And tonight – like you should be – I’ll be all eyes, too.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 10:14:03 GMT -5
It’s been a long time since a pitching prospect as exciting as Brayan Bello has debuted for Red Sox
By Scott McLaughlin WEEI 93.7 33 minutes ago
Chris Sale is making what could be his final rehab start before his much-anticipated return Wednesday night in Worcester. Normally, that’s the kind of thing that might draw some eyeballs away from Fenway Park for a night.
In this case, however, the pitching performance taking place at Fenway Wednesday night is even more exciting. Brayan Bello, Boston’s top pitching prospect, will be making his Major League debut when he walks out to the mound to face the Tampa Bay Rays.
By definition, teams have a “top pitching prospect” every year. But there is good reason to be more excited about Bello than many of the other top prospects that have come through the Red Sox’ system in recent years… or maybe even in recent decades.
Finding comparisons for Bello (pronounced BAY-oh) isn’t easy. Just ask the voice of the Worcester Red Sox, Tyler Murray, who joined The Greg Hill Show on Wednesday and said he has tried to do exactly that. WooSox voice Tyler Murray breaks down Brayan Bello
“I’ve asked every smart baseball person I know: When was the last time you saw someone who was 23, had this stuff, this polish, and this poise?,” Murray said. “And the answer is, I quote, ‘Uhh… well… uhh…’ No one has an answer, because this is that rare.
“At the risk of overhyping -- he’s not gonna throw a no-hitter tonight, you’re not gonna define his career by this game -- but it’s been tough to find someone who can come up with an answer for somebody this exciting. People go back to Clay Buchholz in the Red Sox system, but I have to put Bello’s ceiling way, way higher, with all due respect to Clay. So the excitement’s definitely there.”
It has been a pretty rapid ascent for Bello, a native of the Dominican Republic who was actually passed over by all 30 teams for two years before the Red Sox signed him at the age of 18 in 2017.
A strong first season in the Red Sox system in 2018 was followed by some struggles at Single-A Greenville in 2019 (5.43 ERA in 117 innings). But his work during the 2020 COVID season -- which didn’t even include an actual minor league season -- paid off in 2021 with a promotion to Double-A Portland.
Bello’s fastball velocity has increased from the low-90s when he was signed to the high-90s now, and late in 2021 he added a sinker to his already-impressive fastball and changeup that has taken his repertoire to another level.
A 1.60 ERA through six Double-A starts this season led to a quick promotion to Triple-A Worcester. In nine games (eight starts) there, Bello has gone 6-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings. Some of the deeper-dive stats are extremely impressive, like this one:
Murray said Bello has completely overmatched Triple-A hitters, and that the hype for his debut is warranted.
“He just turned 23 years old, and it feels like he’s a 10-year big league veteran,” Murray said. “It may sound like overhype, but I have seen the future, and it is Brayan Bello. These guys don’t grow on trees, but Red Sox fans, he’s grown in your backyard. This is the one you want. He’s only getting better year after year.
“His fastball and changeup combination, fans are gonna love. Sinker, which he just started throwing at the end of last year, is 96-97. And his changeup is about 8-10 mph slower, and it just has Triple-A hitters tied in knots. It’s really impressive. Fans are gonna have a lot of fun watching him.”
Bello has drawn some comparisons to his idol and fellow Dominican Pedro Martinez, with whom he has worked. If it seems like the hype and expectations may be going overboard, Bello himself has not shied away from them, saying at one point that he wants to be even better than Martinez.
Murray sees a player who is quietly (or sometimes not-so-quietly) confident, and who won’t be fazed by the pressure or the bigger stage of MLB and Fenway Park.
“If any 23-year-old can [handle it], it is Brayan Bello,” Murray said. “This is the thing that guys consistently say about him -- even going back to spring training, Dave Bush, Red Sox pitching coach -- ‘Great stuff, but most impressed with his demeanor and his calmness on the mound.’ Keep an eye on it tonight, if you’re listening on EEI.
“If things do go a little awry, what’s the response like? In Triple-A, it’s been, all right, I’m attacking, I’m using my high-90s fastball, I’m getting strikeouts, let’s get settled back in. That’s what’s got him here so quickly, is that demeanor on the mound. Pedro’s one of his idols. You’ve been hearing a ton of comparisons to Pedro Martinez. I think that’s one of his best skills, is his demeanor out there.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 13:16:07 GMT -5
5 things to know about Red Sox pitching prospect Brayan Bello Pedro Martinez, one of Bello's idols, thinks the young pitcher's talent is "off the charts."
By Hayden Bird July 6, 2022 | 12:12 PM
Brayan Bello is set to make his Major League debut on Wednesday against the Rays, marking the latest career progression for the top pitching prospect in the Red Sox system.
Bello, 23, has already pitched at two minor league levels in 2022. Having posted a combined 10-4 record with a 2.33 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 85 innings for Boston’s Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, Bello will now get his chance on the main stage at Fenway Park.
Currently, Bello is ranked third overall on the Red Sox prospect list and 46th on MLB.com’s league-wide analysis of the top 100 prospects.
Needless to say, his first career start for Boston has been an anticipated event for some time.
Here are a few things to know about Bello prior to Wednesday’s game: What scouts say about Bello
Over time, Bello has added speed to his fastball, which is now consistently “parking at 95-97 [miles per hour] and pushing triple digits,” according to an MLB.com scouting report.
His changeup is described as having “started as a work in progress, but is now his best secondary pitch,” per Sox Prospects.
Bello also possesses a slider with “short, 10-to-4 shape.” And while Sox Prospects also pointed out that his command of the pitch is still “inconsistent,” Bello will utilize the pitch “often and in any count.”
Arguably Bello’s best pitch is his sinker, something that was added more recently (late in 2021).
“In short order, that pitch became a jaw-dropper, an offering at 95-98 miles per hour that Bello leaned on in Triple-A Worcester this year at roughly a 35 percent rate,” wrote Boston Globe Red Sox reporter Alex Speier. “He became relentless with the sinker, unafraid to throw it in the strike zone, where its tremendous, late life resulted in swings-and-misses as well as a grass-cutting succession of groundballs — a formula for dominance.” He wasn’t originally seen as a top level prospect.
Bello, according to virtually any scouting report that’s chronicled his career since becoming a professional, has added velocity to his fastball in the last few years.
After originally topping out around 91-93 miles per hour, Bello now consistently touches the mid-to-upper 90s. That, together with his addition of secondary pitches, has helped to pave the way for his quick rise in 2022.
In a larger sense, Bello has grown both physically — he has recalled weighing just 130 pounds as a 6-foot tall 18-year-old when he signed with the Red Sox in 2017 — and mentally, adapting well to the perpetual cat-and-mouse game between pitcher and batter.
“Bello has gone from getting passed over in the 2015 and 2016 international signing periods to turning pro for a mere $28,000 in 2017 to ranking as Boston’s top pitching prospect five years later,” concluded MLB.com’s scouting report. He learned his changeup from a former All-Star.
In 2021, longtime baseball insider Peter Gammons noted that Bello was seen by the Red Sox as the “fastest rising pitcher in [the] organization.”
Additionally, Gammons quoted a Red Sox front office official who claimed that Bello had “the best changeup I ever seen, at least since Pedro [Martinez].”
The backstory behind Bello’s changeup is that he originally learned it from longtime relief pitcher and three-time All-Star Fernando Rodney.
“He taught me how to grip it and then he taught me how to throw it,” Bello told MassLive’s Christopher Smith in 2021. “When I first signed, the guy who signed me also signed Fernando Rodney.
“So whenever I go back to train, I go train with him,” Bello added.
The changeup has since become one of Bello’s best weapons on the mound.
“Can really pull the string on it and the pitch will fall off the table late,” Sox Prospects’ writeup said of Bello’s changeup. “True major league-quality, swing-and-miss pitch at its best.” Pedro Martinez says Bello has ‘off the charts’ talent.
Given both his style as an aggressive pitcher and his country of origin (the Dominican Republic), Bello has inevitably drawn comparisons to Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez.
Bello has said in the past that he views Martinez as one of his idols, and has spoken to him on several occasions.
Martinez, for his part, holds Bello in high regard, but knows he has a long journey ahead of him to realize his full potential.
“I think his talent is off the charts,” Martinez said in a recent interview with Boston.com. “But to start talking about his talent alone is a waste of time.
“I just hope he continues to learn every day and then he can let the talent take over,” Martinez concluded. He’s a strikeout pitcher.
Due to his increased velocity and his development of secondary pitches, Bello has established himself as a potentially dominant pitcher who can rack up strikeouts.
In his very first start for Worcester at the Triple-A level, Bello struck out 10 over six innings in a 5-2 win. He later became the first pitcher in the International League to record multiple double-digit strikeout games in 2022.
And testament to his recent rise, Bello has averaged close to 12 strikeouts per nine innings at every minor league level he’s pitched at since 2021
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 13:27:58 GMT -5
Game 82: Rays at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated July 6, 2022, 10:49 a.m. It’s Brayan Bello day! Yes, the Red Sox lost to the Rays Tuesday night 8-4 in a slog of a game that lasted 3:39 and felt even longer, but all eyes will be on Bello Wednesday night. The most anticipated Red Sox prospect in years will make his major league debut after going 10-4 with a 2.33 ERA between Double A Portland and Triple A Worcester this season. The Sox will be looking to take the rubber match of the series against Tampa Bay before the Yankees come to Fenway for a four-game series. Here is a preview. Lineups RAYS (44-37): 1. Josh Lowe (L) RF 2. Yandy Diaz (R) DH 3. Wander Franco (S) SS 4. Ji-Man Choi (L) 1B 5. Randy Arozarena (R) LF 6. Taylor Walls (S) 3B 7. Kevin Kiermaier (L) CF 8. Francisco Mejia (S) C 9. Vidal Brujan (S) 2B Pitching: RHP Corey Kluber (3-5, 3.91 ERA) RED SOX (45-36):1. Jarren Duran (L) CF 2. Christian Vazquez (R) C 3. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 5. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 6. Trevor Story (R) 2B 7. Franchy Cordero (L) 1B 8. Christian Arroyo (R) 3B 9. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) RF Pitching: RHP Brayan Bello (major league debut) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Rays vs. Bello: Has not faced any Tampa Bay batters Red Sox vs. Kluber: Xander Bogaerts 5-20, Jackie Bradley Jr. 6-18, Bobby Dalbec 0-3, Rafael Devers 1-6, J.D. Martinez 9-31, Kevin Plawecki 2-3, Rob Refsnyder 0-3, Trevor Story 1-6, Alex Verdugo 2-3, Christian Vázquez 1-8 Stat of the day: Jarren Duran has reached base safely in 19 of his 36 plate appearances leading off an inning this season (.469 AVG, 15-for-32, 4 walks). Notes: Bello has recorded 114 strikeouts over 85 innings in the minors this season. He was 6-2 with a 2.81 ERA in nine games for Triple-A Worcester. … Kluber has a 3-5 record and 4.63 ERA in 11 starts against the Red Sox. He allowed 11 hits and four runs in a five-inning start on April 22, a 4-3 Boston win. … Duran is batting .419 with five extra base hits in his last seven games. He is 5-for-6 in stolen base attempts this season. … Story leads the Sox in RBI (54) and stolen bases (10-for-10), and ranks second in home runs (14). … Martinez and Devers are tied for the team lead in doubles (27). Song of the Day: The Eagles - New Kid In Town www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUaPBOUm-oY
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 14:37:45 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 17m
No Devers tonight. So apparently something is up.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 14:39:03 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 5m For the four game series that starts against the Yankees tomorrow, the Red Sox currently list Winckowski, TBD, TBD, and Pivetta. Wacha could go Friday depending on how today goes.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 14:42:26 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 56m Cora tells @mfmonweei that when Whitlock comes back he'll pitch 2 innings out of the pen, then be off for 2 days, or he'll pitch 3 innings out of the pen, then get three days off, etc.
Says Raffy's out again today, slight right hammy and lower back soreness.
Also, not concerned with JDM and Bogey and driving in runners, but says they are talking about getting back to basics, not expanding trying to do too much. They need to get a pitch to drive or lay off.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 14:43:01 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 29m Tampa Bay loads up with 7 lefties in their lineup to counter Bello tonight.
This year, RHH have a .419 OPS and 39% K% against Bello, LHH .713 and 27%.
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Post by Kimmi on Jul 6, 2022 16:19:29 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb · 57m For the first time in Red Sox history, it's Brayan Bello day. Exciting times for Red Sox fans. Hopefully, he pitches well and the Sox win. I'd really like to win this series.
Also, I have to give a shout out to Davis and especially Crawford on the well-pitched game on Monday. Schreiber too.
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Post by Kimmi on Jul 6, 2022 16:20:23 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 17m
No Devers tonight. So apparently something is up. Ut oh.
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Post by Kimmi on Jul 6, 2022 16:21:52 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 5m For the four game series that starts against the Yankees tomorrow, the Red Sox currently list Winckowski, TBD, TBD, and Pivetta. Wacha could go Friday depending on how today goes. Our rotation, compared to the Opening Day projected rotation, is in shambles. And yet, our starters are mostly continuing to pitch pretty well.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 6, 2022 16:35:50 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 44m Devers has a sore back and hamstring but Cora says he’s available to pinch-hit tonight.
Wacha should pitch Friday. Kiké, Eovaldi and Whitlock should be on rehab stints soon. Sale and Taylor pitching for WooSox tonight.
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