The Boston Red Sox have signed right-hander Brayan Bello to a six-year contract extension worth $55 million, sources said.
The deal also includes a seventh-year club option valued at $21 million, a $1 million signing bonus, and salary escalators.
Bello, known for his impressive changeup, had a successful first season in the Major League, posting a 4.24 ERA and recording 132 strikeouts in 157 innings.
Bello, armed with a mid-90s sinker, has been a standout player for the Red Sox with a strong ground-ball tendency.
The extension provides him with long-term security and cost certainty for his arbitration years.
The Boston Red Sox have secured their young pitcher, Brayan Bello, with a six-year contract extension worth $55 million. The deal includes a $21 million club option for a seventh year, a $1 million signing bonus, and salary escalators.… https://t.co/9BJ7QDVgtw
— QWIKET MLB (@qwiket_mlb) March 7, 2024
The Red Sox have struggled with developing starting pitchers in recent years, making Bello’s emergence a bright spot for the organization.
The team is expected to rely on Bello as a key member of their rotation for years to come.
While the Red Sox have a farm system filled with promising hitters, they have few rotation options.
Right-handers Wikelman Gonzalez, Luis Perales, and David Sandlin are considered potential future staples in the rotation.
In the short term, the Red Sox are likely to supplement their starting depth through free agency and trade.
Right-handers Nick Pivetta, Kutter Crawford, Garrett Whitlock, and Tanner Houck are frontrunners to join Bello in Boston’s rotation.
Bello’s breakthrough performance prompted the Red Sox to pursue a contract extension.
The team had a slow offseason, only signing Lucas Giolito, Liam Hendriks, and Cooper Criswell.
Despite Chairman Tom Werner’s promise of an active free agency period, the Red Sox missed out on Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, both of whom joined the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Free agents Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, whom the Red Sox have shown interest in, are still available.
