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Young Red Sox Pitcher on Track for Start of 2025 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mike Ostrowski | Last updated Mar 2, 2025 3:15 PM ET

A flurry of new Red Sox injury updates are coming out of spring camp, and this one is sure to excite fans for the start of the season.

Third-year starting pitcher Brayan Bello threw a productive bullpen session Friday, according to a report from multiple sources including MLB.com's Ian Browne.

Bello has been recovering from shoulder inflammation in his throwing arm - an issue he also dealt with briefly last spring.

Bello threw around 30 pitches, with Red Sox Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez watching. Martinez has been mentoring the former MLB Top-100 prospect.

“There’s no rush for him trying to kill it in the first bullpen," Martinez said. "Sometimes you want to show a little bit too much early."

Over the last two seasons, Bello has been one of the more consistent arms in Boston's rotation.

He started 30 games for the Sox last year, including Opening Day in Seattle, and sported a 4.49 ERA with 153 strikeouts in 162.1 innings pitched. In 2023, he had very similar numbers: a 4.24 ERA, 132 Ks, and 157.0 IP.

He's a big piece of the organization's future - something they emphasized by signing him to a six-year, $55 million contract extension last spring that locks him up through the 2030 season. The deal also includes a $21 million club option for 2031.

While Opening Day is only a "possibility" according to Bello, he expects to be back in the Red Sox rotation very early in the season. Ideally, he'll be on the 26-man roster from the beginning.

"The trainers are telling me I'm right on track as long as I keep doing my work," Bello said.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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