The Boston Red Sox needed clarity from Brayan Bello on Thursday. They did not get it. Boston entered its series finale against the Baltimore Orioles looking for a cleaner answer on a pitcher who has spent most of the season trapped between two versions of himself. Bello had dominated as a bulk reliever behind an opener. As a traditional starter, the results had become difficult to defend.
Thursday only made that split harder to ignore.
The Red Sox lost 8-2 at Fenway Park, and hours later, Bello was optioned to Triple-A Worcester. Now Boston needs a new answer for the rotation.
One candidate has moved to the front of that conversation.
Red Sox Have a New Rotation Question
Left-hander Jake Bennett is expected to be one of the top candidates to replace Bello in the Red Sox rotation next week.
Bello’s turn is due again Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, which lines up well for Bennett. The left-hander last pitched Tuesday for Worcester, meaning he would be working on extra rest if Boston turns to him.
Bennett has given Worcester steady rotation work this season, carrying a 1.60 ERA through nine Triple-A starts. He has also already made two starts for Boston this year, allowing five runs over 10 1/3 innings.
His recent stretch makes the case stronger. Since returning to Triple-A, Bennett has posted a 2.45 ERA across four starts with 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings. His walk rate has stayed manageable, and reports on his velocity and breaking balls have trended in the right direction.
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 07: Starting pitcher Jake Bennett #64 of the Boston Red Sox throws in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
Brayan Bello’s Starter Split Forced Red Sox Decision
The Red Sox did not reach this point because of one bad inning.
Thursday was the latest example of a problem that has followed Bello all season. He gave up six runs in the first inning against Baltimore, needed 40 pitches to escape the frame, and finished with eight runs allowed over five innings.
The bigger issue is the split.
Bello has been excellent in a bulk role this season, but his numbers as a starter have collapsed. His ERA in starts is over 10.00, while his work behind an opener has looked completely different.
That left the Red Sox with an uncomfortable question. Do they keep trying to force Bello into the role they want him to own, or do they send him down and try to reset the season before the damage grows? They chose the latter.
GettyStarting pitcher Brayan Bello received some harsh news from the team after Thursday’s defeat.
Boston Needs a Cleaner Rotation Answer
The opener plan gave Boston another way to manage Bello’s first-inning trouble, but it created its own problems. The idea made sense in theory. Protect Bello from the first inning, let him settle into bulk work, and use his best version while reducing the part that kept hurting the team.
For Bello individually, it worked.
For the Red Sox as a whole, it did not solve enough. The openers often put Boston behind before Bello entered, which meant the team was still playing from a deficit even when Bello pitched well.
Boston needs someone who can take the ball from the first inning, give the club a cleaner path through the early part of the game, and allow the bullpen to stay in more normal lanes.
GettyBoston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy admits he doesn’t know what to do about starting pitcher Brayan Bello.
Final Word for the Red Sox
Bello may still be able to pitch his way back. For now, the Red Sox needed to stop the cycle.
The first innings, the opener questions, the role debate and the uneven starts had all become too much to keep repeating. The next answer does not have to be perfect.
It just has to be steadier.
Red Sox Top Rotation Option Emerges After Brayan Bello Demotion