Brayan Bello delivered seven scoreless innings to back the Red Sox’ 1-0 win over the Yankees on Friday, improving to 10-6 on the season with a 3.07 ERA—the eighth-best mark in the American League.
Manager Alex Cora has watched Bello’s arc from spring training struggles to a steady, reliable rotation option. “He started behind. He wasn’t ready in spring training, was able to build up a little bit. Threw the ball OK, but he wasn’t efficient,” Cora said. “He got better. Now, every five days, it feels like [Garrett] Crochet. It’s Brayan’s night and we’re gonna be OK.”
Bello’s current run of strong outings has become more of a trend. Since June 1, he’s posted a 2.75 ERA, the 10th-best in baseball, while delivering high-volume, quality work. In that span, he has 12 quality starts (at least six innings pitched and three or fewer earned runs). He’s gone at least six innings in all but two of his last 14 starts.
In total innings since June 1, Bello has thrown 95 frames, second-most in baseball in that span, trailing only Christopher Sanchez. He’s also maintained a manageable workload, continuing to go deep into games with only a handful of exceptions.
Offensively, Bello’s recent run has not been about overpowering hitters on strikeouts. He’s posted a 6.92 strikeouts per nine innings since June 1, but his groundball rate sits at 47.8%, ranking 15th in that window. His contact profiles have helped him keep barrels down (5.4% since June 1, fourth-best in baseball) and hard-hit percentage against at 37.3% (16th-best in the period).
Friday’s start was notable for its Bronx setting. It marked the second time this season Bello has pitched seven scoreless innings at Yankee Stadium, making him the first Red Sox pitcher to accomplish that in a game at the venue since Luis Tiant in 1974. In the Live Ball era, Bello owns a 1.95 ERA in The Bronx, the best mark among pitchers with at least 10 starts there.
Beyond the Yankees, Bello has held his own against teams with winning records, posting a 3.00 ERA since June 1.
The performance has drawn high praise from Cora, who reiterated Bello’s growth and reliability as a core piece of the rotation. Bello’s ongoing progress provides the Red Sox with a steady presence behind the ace-level talents, and it gives the team reasons to feel optimistic about the rotation’s balance down the stretch.
Summary: Bello has transformed into a dependable frontline starter for Boston, delivering frequent length, low-scoring outings, and improved efficiency that has earned him key wins and praise from the dugout. His engagement with the strike zone, groundball efficiency, and success at challenging venues like Yankee Stadium underscore a positive, hopeful trajectory for Boston’s pitching staff.
Additional notes for readers:
– Bello’s strong June-to-July stretch reinforces the value of a youthful, durable pitcher in a competitive league.
– Keep an eye on his pitch usage and efficiency, which appear to be central to his continued effectiveness.
– As the season progresses, Bello’s ability to maintain this level of productivity could influence roster decisions and the team’s approach to the rotation depth.