Red Sox-Garrett Crochet Update: Who's Fighting For Rotation Spot As Ace Recovers

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Interim manager Chad Tracy knows he will have a decision to make sooner rather than later. That's because ace Garrett Crochet is inching closer to returning to the rotation. Saying hello to the two-time All-Star means saying goodbye to someone else. That someone is looking more and more like Brayan Bello.

" A real scenario exists in which Bello is the odd man out of the mix for the first time in a while — and implosions like Sunday’s don’t help his case," Masslive.com's Chris Cotillo reports.

Bello gave up seven earned runs (and two home runs) in Sunday's 8-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Boston had hoped that back-to-back appearances as a reliever had helped Bello recapture his form as a starter.

"You wonder if the Sox will now shift Bello back to pitching behind an opener," MLB.com's Ian Browne reports. "His numbers in his seven starts this season (9.68 ERA, 10 homers allowed, 18 walks, 18 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings) are far from pretty."

In fact, it's not out of the question that the Red Sox demote Bello to Triple-A Worcester to work out his kinks.

"Bello does have Minor League options remaining. Without question, he is going to have to earn his stay on the big league roster," Browne adds.

" At full strength, the Red Sox would likely have removed Bello from their rotation in a more dramatic way, either by putting him in the bullpen to figure things out or sending him down to Triple-A for the first time since 2023," Cotillo notes.

For now, Bello is slated to start Saturday against the Minnesota Twins. But with the way Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early are throwing, it's quite easy to see the Red Sox demoting Bello when Crochet returns.

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