MLB rumors: White Sox injury’s impact, Red Sox extension, Astros draft strategy

MLB Rumors: Could Brayan Bello be a Boston Red Sox extension candidate?

There is little doubt that Brayan Bello has been a bright spot for the Red Sox this season, going 6-5 with a 3.04 ERA/3.78 FIP/1.188 WHIP over 14 starts (80.0 innings). The 24-year-old right-hander isn’t scheduled to be a free agent until the 2029 campaign, so there’s no reason for the Red Sox to rush to sign him to an extension.

However, in this article from NESN.com, there are some good arguments for exactly why Boston could pursue something with Bello and why now is an excellent time to make it happen.

Recalling that the Atlanta Braves locked up Spencer Strider (six years, $75 million) and the Cincinnati Reds did the same with Hunter Greene (six years, $53 million), there are some frameworks in place on exactly what it would cost Boston to make a Bello extension happen.

It’s certainly a gamble as Bello (or any other pitcher) could endure an injury that would make an extension a sunk investment. However, if Boston believes Bello is a big part of their future on the mound, coming to an agreement now would also erase any arbitration issues that could come up in the future between the two sides.

As Mike Cole writes in the NESN article, “Perhaps the conversation is still a little premature, but the Sox only have $149 million committed to next year’s roster and less than $95 million in 2025. There’s certainly financial flexibility to get something done, and if Bello continues on this track, a new deal could look like an even bigger bargain when it’s all said and done.”