Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t hold back when assessing Brayan Bello’s latest outing, admitting the young right-hander struggled with his command in Thursday’s loss to the Oakland Athletics.
Bello, making his 27th start of the 2025 season, was tasked with setting the tone as Boston tried to secure a series win. Instead, he endured one of his tougher nights of the year. The 25-year-old lasted only four innings, allowing three runs on five hits and issuing two walks. He threw 70 pitches before Cora turned to the bullpen, and the Red Sox ultimately dropped the contest 5-3.
“Yeah, it was tough,” Cora said after the game. “Command was off. Didn’t finish pitches. They put some good swings on him. He kind of found it in the fourth, but at that time, we knew we had Payton, so we went to him.”
Cora’s decision underscored the trust Boston has in its bullpen depth down the stretch, but Bello’s short start still stung. Entering the outing, Bello had been one of the most reliable arms in the rotation, and the Red Sox were counting on him to carry that consistency into the final weeks of the playoff chase. Instead, the Athletics capitalized on his lack of sharpness early, forcing Boston into an uphill climb.
With the loss, Bello’s season record moved to 11-8 with a 3.34 ERA across 28 appearances (including one relief outing). For a pitcher in just his second full major league season, his numbers remain encouraging, but Thursday was a reminder of the growing pains that still surface.
The defeat also had bigger implications for Boston’s playoff hopes. Now sitting at 83-70, the Red Sox hold only a 1.5-game edge over the surging Cleveland Guardians for the final American League Wild Card spot. The series loss to Oakland—one of the AL’s weaker clubs—was a missed opportunity to pad their cushion in a heated postseason race.
Still, Cora emphasized optimism and urgency in his postgame comments. “We control our own destiny,” the manager said. “So go to Tampa, win a series. That’s the way I see it.”
Boston will now hit the road for a pivotal three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays, a team they could very well see again if they hang on to a playoff berth. With just over a week remaining in the regular season, every game carries outsized importance.
The Red Sox have not reached the postseason since 2021, and while this year’s roster has shown flashes of promise, they will need to find consistency—especially from their rotation—to avoid another October spent at home. Bello’s bounce-back in his next start could play a key role in whether Boston’s playoff drought finally comes to an end.
