The Boston Red Sox are having “advanced” discussions with young right-hander Brayan Bello about a long-term contract extension that would buy out one or more of his free-agent years, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports.
Bello, who turns 25 in May, is coming off a 2023 season for the Sox in which he pitched to a 4.24 ERA and a 2.93 K/BB ratio in 28 starts and 157 innings. For his career, Bello has an ERA+ of 102 across parts of two big-league seasons with Boston. Armed with a mid-90s sinker, Bello has plus velocity and boasts strong ground-ball tendencies. After being signed out of his native Dominican Republic, Bello put up strong numbers coming up through the Red Sox’s farm system and has emerged as perhaps their most coveted young arm.
Bello isn’t slated for free agency until after the 2028 season, and the Red Sox are reportedly eyeing a commitment that will keep him in Boston beyond that point. An additional motivation for such deals from the club standpoint is achieving cost certainty through the player’s salary-arbitration years. For Bello, it would mean long-term security and certainty and life-changing money.
Given the possibly season-ending injury suffered by Lucas Giolito, Boston’s marquee offseason addition, Bello’s role in the 2024 rotation figures to become even more important.
In addition to Bello, the club may also be looking into long-term extensions for other members of their current young core. For now, though, a deal with Bello seems to have the most momentum.
