The Boston Red Sox haven't had the greatest start to the 2026 MLB season. The team fired what seemed like everyone in house, including manager Alex Cora and five other coaches after starting the year with a 10-17 record.
Frustration has been building in the clubhouse. Despite many fans believing the Red Sox would compete for an AL East crown this year, the team has floundered, ranking outside the top 20 in team runs, home runs and OPS, while ranking exactly 20th in team strikeouts and ERA.
Starting pitcher Brayan Bello has struggled in particular, amounting a 9.00 ERA in 22 innings pitched prior to Wednesday's start against the Toronto Blue Jays. Then, he surrendered three earned runs (four before the inning was over) in just 3.2 innings pitched and only recorded two strikeouts. He was struggling, and interim manager Chad Tracy gave Bello the hook after just 63 pitches.
Very, very quick hook for Brayan Bello at just 63 pitches. Shook his head for several seconds as Tracy made his way out to take the ball. Yikes.His final line:3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 Ks pic.twitter.com/D5vpT00FKn
Greg Weissert replaced Bello and immediately surrendered a two-run shot. The Blue Jays would end up winning, 8-1.
No. Bello has had four outings where he threw fewer than 63 pitches. That said, only one of those outings saw Bello start the game: June 25, 2024 against (ironically) the Blue Jays. Bello pitched just 2.1 innings and was pulled after 52 pitches. He surrendered five hits and seven earned runs before being pulled.
Bello's frustration with Tracy comes just days after Bello experienced another rough outing against Baltimore. During that game, then-manager Alex Cora came to the mound after witnessing some very poor body language from Bello, who'd already given up four home runs to Orioles hitters.
Bello lasted just 2.1 innings in that game, and after getting pulled, he took out his frustrations by throwing his glove at a bubble gum container in the dugout.
When Brayan Bello got to the dugout, he spiked his glove off the bubble gum container a few times.Haven't seen him lose it like that in a while. Just horrendous vibes. pic.twitter.com/KK7nZGJ9VQ
Bello is currently undergoing one of the worst stretches of his career. The five-year vet has not made it through the fifth inning in any of his last three starts and has surrendered four, eight, and four runs respectively in those outings.
He currently boasts a 9.00 ERA and is recording the lowest K/9 rate of his career (6.1) and simultaneously the highest BB/9 of his career (5.3).
Coming into Wednesday's game, the 22 earned runs he'd surrendered this season were the most of any pitcher in the American League.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brayan Bello pulled after just 63 pitches, visibly unhappy