Brayan Bello Has Emerged as the Homegrown Ace the Sox Desperately Need
In the realm of baseball, where young talent often arrives with the promise of greatness but carries the burden of uncertainty, the emergence of Brayan Bello has been nothing short of captivating. Hailed as the most promising young pitcher to grace the Red Sox system in over a decade, Bello has managed to draw comparisons to none other than the legendary Pedro Martinez himself, a weighty parallel that sets both expectations soaring and caution bells ringing. Red Sox nation hasn’t had a homegrown ace to root for since Jon Lester debuted in 2006. At 24 years of age, Bello’s trajectory has been nothing short of meteoric, with every start oozing more confidence, prompting us to ask whether the grand predictions might have actually underestimated his potential.
Living Up to the Hype
Yet, it’s one thing to be hyped and quite another to deliver on those grand promises. The young righty embarked on this season under a cloud of skepticism, with concerns echoing whether the bar was being elevated to unreasonable heights too soon. His first three career starts in 2022 only added to the arsenal of doubters as Bello gave up four earned in four innings in his debut against the Tamp Bay Rays. He followed that up with back-to-back outings against the Rays and Jays, allowing five earned in four innings pitched in each of those starts. But he wasn’t getting knocked all around the yard. He was producing weakly hit ground balls, creating poor contact, and getting a fair amount of swings and misses. He never looked overmatched. He gave up 16 hits in his first 16.1 innings pitched, but only three went for extra-base hits, and they all stayed within the ballpark. You could see that a very good Major League pitcher was in there.
His numbers at the end of 2022 were a bit underwhelming as he finished with 57.1 innings of work and a 2-8 record with a 4.71 ERA. But there was promise heading into 2023. Unfortunately, 2023 got off to an ugly start in a gross performance against the Angels in which Bello lasted just 2.2 innings, surrendering eight hits and five earned runs while giving up his first MLB bomb, providing more fuel for the doubters. But his following starts would prove more promising, and suddenly, he got rolling in May. Bello would finish May with five consecutive starts, allowing two earned runs or less in each. He would finish May with 27 strikeouts in 27 innings, a 2.67 ERA, and an ever-shrinking .243 BAA.
The Confidence of a Young Ace
You could see the shift in Bello. He looked more refined and more confident. He minimized damage in jams and never let an inning spiral into a disaster. He made big pitches in big spots and attacked hitters with a dazzling fastball/ changeup combo. And as impressive as May was following his slow start in the bigs, Bello was flat-out dominant in the Month of June. He was so good that he was most likely the runner-up to teammate James Paxton for the AL Pitcher of the Month. Bello posted a 2.14 ERA, a 2.55 FIP, and a 0.86 WHIP, along with a .210 wOBA against, and he saved his best outing for his final start in June. On June 29th, Bello displayed big-time ace stuff in an outing in which he held a potent Marlins lineup hitless into the eighth inning and gave up only one earned run on two hits.
With each outing, Bello solidifies his claim to a future of greatness and a present that oozes stardom. Through 21 starts in 2023, he’s etched a commendable 3.70 ERA over 119.1 innings. Astonishingly, his 3.2 wins above replacement place him seventh among American League pitchers.
Brayan Bello ponchó a Giancarlo Stanton
Ahora Stanton está 0-de-6 con 6 ponches enfrentando a Bello
— La Nación Red Sox (@lanacionboston) August 18, 2023
Resembling a Former Sox Ace
Much like a chorus, the baseball world has united in acknowledging Bello’s brilliance. Praises rained down on him from the Marlins following his stellar June performance, indicating that his reputation transcends mere local chatter. The comparisons to Pedro Martinez, which started a few years back, are no mere flattery. Bello, like Martinez, hails from the Dominican Republic, and their physical statures share an uncanny resemblance. However, it’s their changeup, the weapon that defined Pedro’s dominance, that sets the tone for these comparisons. In 2021, Peter Gammons quoted a team official’s awe, noting that Bello’s changeup is eerily reminiscent of Martinez’s prime. Bello’s reaction to this association is revealing – he not only welcomes it but has audaciously voiced his ambition to surpass the very legend he’s compared to.
While the comparison to Pedro is as flattering as it gets, Bello is crafting his identity on his own terms. His changeup is his signature, a pitch distinguishing him as a force to reckon with. Alongside a combination of fastballs, it forms a lethal arsenal that solidifies his role in the future of the Red Sox rotation.
Bello Must Continue to Grow
But as we celebrate Bello’s undeniable potential, we must also acknowledge the journey ahead. Despite his current brilliance, there are areas for growth. Bello’s development of a league-average range-breaking ball will be a pivotal addition to complement his potent fastball/ changeup combo. His pitch usage must align with his potential, a recalibration that could further catapult his performance. However, the foundation is strong, bolstered by his possession of a true go-to out pitch in his daffy duck changeup. Amidst this growth, a new addition to his repertoire – a cutter – has slowly turned into a weapon as of late but will need to continue to develop.
Yet, even as Bello continues to paint a picture of promise, it’s important to acknowledge the Red Sox’s history of nurturing starting pitching talent. Bello is a beacon of hope in a landscape that has often struggled to produce homegrown aces. The likes of Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez had their formative years in other organizations, as did Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, and even Pedro. It is, unfortunately, true that the emergence of a legit Red Sox-bred ace is a rare occurrence.
Brayan Bello’s ascent is a story of audacity and promise, a narrative that bridges past legends with the present. While bold, the comparison to Pedro Martinez is not unwarranted, as Bello’s changeup harks back to a similar era of dominance. His journey has just begun, and as he shapes his trajectory, the Red Sox may have finally found the ace they’ve been yearning for.
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