Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn't shy away from honesty with his latest remarks about right-hander Brayan Bello.
Per MassLive's Christopher Smith, Cora said that Bello's changeup is looking different this year because it was a "bad sinker" last season, which lefties raked.
Alex Cora on Red Sox starter Brayan Bello's changeup: “The 91, 92 (mph) changeup last year was a bad sinker. And I think lefties took advantage of it. The velo right now is 87, 88. We’ll see what happens today. But he’s in a good spot."
— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) February 22, 2026
Bello has grown into a steady presence in the Red Sox rotation since debuting in 2022. Across four major-league seasons and 100 appearances (97 starts), the 26-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic holds a 39-36 record with a 4.09 ERA over 543.1 innings and 464 strikeouts.
In 2025, Bello turned in his best year to date. He went 11-9 with a 3.35 ERA in 29 games (28 starts), tossing a career-high 166.2 innings. The righty allowed 147 hits, 71 runs (62 earned), and 16 home runs while walking 59 and striking out 124 for a 1.24 WHIP.
After missing time early with right shoulder soreness and completing a short minor-league rehab, he delivered consistent outings through the summer before a tougher September stretch that saw a 5.40 ERA in five starts.
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