Red Sox Roster Moves
Red Sox Option Brayan Bello to Triple-A, Move Crochet to Injured List
The Boston Red Sox optioned right-hander Brayan Bello to Triple-A Worcester on June 5, ending a disastrous stretch that saw him post a 6.34 ERA and a 2-6 record in 12 appearances this season. The move came one day after Bello allowed eight runs against the Baltimore Orioles, dropping the Red Sox to 26-35 — last place in the AL East, according to FanGraphs.
The team also transferred ace Garrett Crochet to the 60-day injured list and added left-handed reliever Joe La Sorsa, acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow said the goal is to let Bello "fall in love with baseball all over again," per AP News.
Bello's Numbers Tell a Story of Two Pitchers
Bello's 2026 season has a bizarre split. In eight traditional starts, he owns a 10.35 ERA. But in four appearances where the Red Sox used an "opener" before handing him the ball, he posted a 0.71 ERA over 25.1 innings, according to MLB Trade Rumors. His first-inning ERA this season stands at a staggering 16.87.
Against Baltimore on June 4, Bello threw 40 pitches in the first inning alone and gave up six runs before the game was two innings old. Interim manager Chad Tracy called it "probably his worst strike-throwing inning," per MassLive. Bello's WHIP sits at 1.67, and his strikeout rate of 15.6% is a career low.
Bello Pushes Back, Breslow Calls It a Mental Reset
After the loss, Bello made his feelings clear through an interpreter. "Just stop talking about bullpen and starting games. I've always been a starter," he said, according to The Athletic. "Now that I'm having a bad season, everybody wants to talk crap about it. I'm a big league starting pitcher, and I'll make my adjustments here."
Breslow framed the demotion differently. He said Bello had been "putting a ton of pressure on himself" and that the team needed to help him rediscover his love of the game. In Worcester, Bello is expected to work on his first-inning approach and his cutter usage, which has been inconsistent all season.
Crochet's Lat Strain Clouds the Rotation Further
Crochet, the team's projected ace and 2025 AL Cy Young runner-up, has been on the IL since April 26 with shoulder inflammation. A throwing session on May 28 revealed a low-grade lat strain, per MassLive. His 60-day IL designation — retroactive to April 26 — means his earliest possible return is June 25, though mid-July is more realistic, according to RotoBaller.
His transfer to the 60-day IL was partly procedural — it cleared a 40-man roster spot for La Sorsa. But it confirms the Red Sox will be without their two most important starters for the foreseeable future. Left-hander Jake Bennett, the team's No. 6 prospect with a 2.45 ERA in Triple-A, is expected to fill Bello's rotation spot as early as next week, per Yardbarker.
A $55 Million Bet That Has Yet to Pay Off
Bello signed a six-year, $55 million extension in March 2024 — the flagship homegrown pitching deal of the current front office regime, according to Baseball Reference. He is owed $6 million in 2026, with his salary climbing to $19 million by 2029. His struggles put the return on that investment in serious question.
Media critics have not been kind. Analysts at 98.5 The Sports Hub argued the team exposed "fundamental roster construction" flaws by relying on an opener to manage a $55 million pitcher's psychological issues. With the Red Sox 11 games back of the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays, the window for a turnaround is shrinking fast.
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