Red Sox plan calls for Brayan Bello to make next start, but perhaps with aid of an opener

· Yahoo Sports

BOSTON — The Red Sox have listed Brayan Bello as their probable starter Tuesday in Detroit, ending, for now, speculation that Bello’s spot in the team’s starting rotation was in jeopardy.

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But interim manager Chad Tracy added that the team could conceivably use an opener before Bello serves as the bulk pitcher in the second game of the upcoming series with the Tigers.

“We are discussing the possibility of leveraging an opener in front of him,” said Tracy. “But a lot of that is contingent on how we use our bullpen the next couple of days (as we) try to get a couple of wins. It’s going to be Bello’s day to take down the bulk of the innings, but we’re going to discuss that.”

Tracy then explained the benefits of using an opener in front of Bello, who has a 9.12 ERA and has pitched into the fifth inning just twice in his first seven starts this season.

“If we do it, (the Tigers) tend to have some lefties up at the top (of the lineup),” said Tracy. “So they can change it around and get more righties into the lineup, possibly. But it also pushes him down to where when, third time through, maybe it’s in a section of the lineup we can push him through a little bit.

“The big thing, if we do that, is it for the benefit of the Red Sox and can we help get Bello on track? He’s aware; we’ve talked to him a little bit about the possibility. We also told him to be prepared to start if that comes up. But we haven’t made that call yet. It depends on how we go about the next couple of days.”

Tracy said Bello has been told of the contingency plan and is on-board with trying something different.

“I think he’s open right now to doing whatever to get himself on track,” said Tracy. “I think to doing whatever it takes to help our team win. He’s frustrated, too. But Brayan will be fine. If you watch and really look at the outing last time, there was 2.2 (inning) where it really looked like vintage Bello. It’s 96 mph and it’s sink. There’s a lot of quick outs and he’s looking good. A couple of guys get on and he lost the zone a little bit. So, I think I saw glimpses in that outing where he was very close to turning in a solid outing. But we have to get him over that hump.

“Seeing the velocity back up, the other day, that was encouraging to me. I was watching and there was a lot of 96 mph. If he’s got that sinker, he’s usually in good shape. But I still, again, think, there were glimpses where he takes down pockets of hitters fairly easily. We just have to get him over the hump. A lot of it the other day was maybe getting a little tentative with some people on base. If we can keep him on the attack, he’s still capable.”

Tracy dismissed any suggestion that Bello could be pitching to retain his spot in the rotation in his next start.

“We haven’t even discussed that right now,“ said Tracy. ”We’re trying to find ways right now to get Brayan Bello to be Brayan Bello, and right now, that’s all we’re focused on.”

The Sox are officially undecided about their starter for the final game of the series, but Sonny Gray, currently on the IL with a hamstring strain, remains an option.

“We’re looking at Sonny,” said Tracy, “but he still has a couple of boxes to check today. Also, he has a bullpen tomorrow and we’ll see how he comes out of that physically and then we’ll make our decision on that day as it gets closer.”

If Gray doesn’t make the start Wednesday, the Red Sox could turn to rookie lefty Jake Bennett, who made his major league debut last Friday.

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