April 16, 2025
Bello (shoulder) struck out seven and allowed four earned runs on six hits and one walk across 4.1 innings Wednesday in his rehab start with Double-A Portland on Wednesday. He also hit a batter and was charged with a pitch-clock violation.
ANALYSISBello got off to a rocky start in his fourth minor-league rehab appearance in allowing a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, but he settled down a bit over the following three-plus innings and concluded his night with three straight strikeouts. He spotted 51 of his 71 pitches for strikes and flashed a fastball that hovered in the 94 to 96 mile-per-hour range, roughly in line with his average velocity from the 2024 season (95.7 mph). According to
Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said earlier in the week that Wednesday's outing would likely be Bello's last on the farm, so the right-hander appears on track to return from the 15-day injured list early next week. With the Red Sox having confirmed their starters through Monday, Bello tentatively lines up to make his 2025 debut Tuesday at home versus the Mariners.