The Boston Red Sox are turning to a 29-year-old rookie pitcher for their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, making an unusual change to the starting rotation.
Boston’s surprising choice comes at an important point in the season, after losing their third straight series when they fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, but the circumstances behind the decision help explain why the Red Sox are turning to the unlikely starter.
Left-hander Alec Gamboa will open Monday’s game at Fenway Park, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. ET, before handing things off to right-hander Brayan Bello for bulk relief work.
The plan traces back to a pitcher who isn’t even in the game. That would be another rookie, left-hander Jake Bennett. Interim manager Chad Tracy is trying to buy his struggling young starter extra rest before a different assignment later this week.
Alec Gamboa’s Path to His First Big-League Start
GettyMonday’s “opener” for the Boston Red Sox, Alec Gamboa.
Gamboa, a 29-year-old left-hander out of Madera, California, will make the first big-league start of his career Monday, though it is likely to last no longer than a single inning. He pitched at Fresno City College after transferring from Fresno State following 2016 Tommy John surgery, and the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in the ninth round of the 2019 draft, according to his official MLB.com page.
The Dodgers released him in May 2025. He signed with the KBO League’s Lotte Giants, went 7-8 with a 3.58 ERA over 19 starts and won a league Player of the Month award before Boston signed him that December.
The Red Sox called him up in early May and he debuted May 5, finishing up a win over Detroit. Across nine relief outings this season, Gamboa carries a 1.59 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 12 strikeouts in 17 innings. He threw three innings Friday against Pittsburgh, capping him at one or two frames before Bello takes over.
Brayan Bello and the Rest of the Boston Bullpen
GettyBrayan Bello of the Boston Red Sox.
Bello, 27, has spent his entire pro career in Boston’s organization since signing as an international free agent in July 2017, debuting in 2022 and later inking a six-year, $55 million extension. He’s been disastrous as a starter this season but dominant in relief, posting a 0.75 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over 48 innings. He last pitched August 9 and is fully rested.
The bullpen game exists because of Bennett. The rookie carried a 2.35 ERA through his first nine starts before crumbling to a 5.67 mark over his last five, and he’s already logged roughly 120 innings between Boston and Triple-A Worcester, a career-high workload following his own return from Tommy John surgery. The plan “pushes Bennett back” to next week’s series against San Francisco, buying him eight or nine days off, Tracy said, as quoted by MassLive reporter Chris Cotillo.
The relief corps has been reshuffled, as well as the rotation. Boston lost both Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock to the injured list with elbow inflammation over the past week, prompting call-ups of Greg Weissert and Raymond Burgos. Whoever follows Bello will depend on matchups.
The rotation resets after Monday. Ranger Suárez goes on Tuesday, Payton Tolle on Wednesday, an off day Thursday, then Sonny Gray and possibly Patrick Sandoval against San Francisco, with Bennett rejoining that group after his extended rest.
Why Are the Red Sox Starting 29-Year-Old Rookie Pitcher in Diamondbacks Game?