The Boston Red Sox are shaking things up with their pitching rotation this week, and it all starts with an unconventional plan for Brayan Bello.
When the Red Sox take on the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, don't expect the usual starter-to-reliever flow. Interim manager Chad Tracy announced that left-handed reliever Jovani Morán will serve as the opener, with right-hander Brayan Bello following in relief. It's a strategic pivot aimed at helping Bello rediscover his form after a rough start to the season—he currently carries a 9.12 ERA.
"Right now, it's anything we can do to get him going," Tracy explained. "His responsibility tomorrow is still gonna be to take down the bulk of the innings."
Morán, who has been sharp this year with a 2.33 ERA over 19⅓ innings and has proven effective against both lefties and righties, will likely pitch one or two frames before handing the ball to Bello. The idea is to complicate Detroit's lineup decisions, potentially pushing Bello to face the Tigers' best hitters less frequently and giving him a cleaner path to build confidence.
"Most times when people use openers, sometimes there's a left-handed pocket that maybe you can switch the lineup up and also, it pushes him in the bottom part of the order," Tracy added. "So when it flips back a third time, hopefully you can push him through and get him through five innings."
Tuesday's game will mark Morán's first major league start—a notable milestone for the reliever who has been a reliable bullpen arm.
As for the rest of the week, the Red Sox are taking a wait-and-see approach. Wednesday's starter in Detroit hasn't been named yet, but all signs point to Sonny Gray being activated from the 15-day injured list. Gray, who has been sidelined with a right hamstring strain, felt good after a three-inning live batting practice session at Fenway Park on Friday. Meanwhile, Ranger Suárez was pulled from Sunday's game with a hamstring issue, adding another layer of uncertainty to the rotation.
For now, the Red Sox are focused on getting Bello back to his best—one creative bullpen plan at a time.