Everyone gets their moment in a baseball season. Andruw Monasterio has had his moments. Tony Seagulls, too. Nick Sogard. Mickey Gasper has had so many moments that they ceased to be moments and just became what Mickey Gasper does. It’s one of the things that makes the sport great, that no season concludes without special contributions from everyone.
Brayan Bello was hunting for his moment tonight.
The man who, as a young pitcher was all too often and all to unfairly compared to Pedro, has had one of the strangest seasons I can ever remember a starting pitcher having. He started the season as one of the longest-tenured Red Sox players. He quickly became a starting pitcher who forgot how to start baseball games. He then transformed into one of the best relievers in the game, albeit in a highly specialized role that barely made him a reliever at all.
Tonight he was dominant. He needed just 55 pitches to cruise through 5 innings. He struck out 11. He took the Sox into the 9th inning having allowed a single run, this one via the only homer he’s allowed since July 12. But Brayan Bello did not get his moment. Three 9th inning singles off Garrett Whitlock cost the Sox the game and the chance to clinch a playoff spot.
Brayan Bello will be on the postseason roster in some capacity, but this was probably the last meaningful start he’ll make in 2026 and his postseason role is unclear at this stage. Baseball is great and baseball is cruel like that. But hopefully his moment will be waiting for him in October.
Brayan Bello: 8 IP, 11 K, 5 H, 0 BB, 1 HR, 1 ER. Love you, Brayan.
Roman Anthony: After leading off yesterday’s game with a homer, he once again got the Sox on the board with an RBI double. He’s not exactly tearing things up, but he’s productive after a long layoff.
Caleb Durbin: It was Durbin who Anthony drove in, and Durbin was one of only two hitters in the Sox lineup to collect multiple hits.
Garrett Whitlock: The bullpen is in a weird spot right now, and Whitlock was called on to make the save in lieu of the injured Aroldis Chapman. He… did not make the save. Hopefully he’s getting this out of his system before the playoffs.
