Red Sox Sending Fan-Favorite To Minors After Rough Stretch

The Boston Red Sox's starting rotation is starting to come together.

Boston's rotation has done a good job staying above water this season so far with Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Walker Buehler, Sean Newcomb, Richard Fitts, and Hunter Dobbins. Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, and Kutter Crawford began the season on the Injured List.

The Red Sox are taking a step in the right direction on Tuesday as Bello is going to return to the mound for Boston and face off against the Seattle Mariners. To make room on the roster, the Red Sox are optioning flamethrower Zack Kelly to the minors, according to MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo and Christopher Smith.

"Sources tell me and Christopher Smith: Red Sox will activate Brayan Bello and option Zack Kelly today," Cotillo shared on social media.

Kelly made the big league roster out of Spring Training after logging a 2.35 ERA in seven outings. Things haven't gone as planned to kick off the 2025 season, though, for him. Kelly has appeared in nine games so far this season and has a 9.00 ERA. Kelly has an 11-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 10 innings pitched, but also has allowed 10 earned runs over that stretch.

Before being reportedly optioned on Tuesday, Kelly had allowed at least two earned runs in four straight appearances and at least one earned run in five straight appearances.

It wouldn't be a shock to see him back in the majors at some point this season, but now he will head to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox.