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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 03: Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox walks in from the bullpen before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park on June 03, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Boston Red Sox needed something clean Friday night after another rough finish at Fenway Park. They arrived in Cleveland at 23-32, with another series loss behind them and another pitching plan in front of them.

The plan did not start well. Tyler Samaniego opened against the Cleveland Guardians and gave up four runs in the first inning, putting Boston in an immediate hole.

Brayan Bello entered and gave the Red Sox what they were looking for. It was not enough to change the final score.

Tracy Opens Up on Bello’s Role

Bello wants to start. Tracy knows that. The Red Sox know that. The complication is that Boston has gotten a much different version of Bello when he has worked behind an opener.

“The big picture, I won’t shy away from…I think Brayan Bello wants to start. And why wouldn’t he?” Tracy said.

Tracy pointed to Bello’s previous stretches as a starter, including last season, as evidence that the right-hander has shown he can handle that role when he is right. At the same time, he acknowledged the split between Bello’s two roles this season and said Boston has to do what keeps him on track for now.

The Red Sox are trying to find the version of him that can help them win games. For now, that version has come after an opener, even if the first-inning piece of the plan has become its own problem.

GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 29: Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox throws a pitch during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 29, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

Bello Delivers Another Strong Outing

Bello did his part Friday.

After Samaniego allowed four runs in the first inning, Bello took over in the second and shut Cleveland down. He threw seven scoreless innings, allowed four hits, struck out five, and did not walk a batter.

It was his sharpest outing of the year.

It was also another strange data point in a season that has become difficult to explain. Bello has a 9.68 ERA across seven starts. In four appearances behind an opener, that number has dropped to 0.71.

He looked calm. He looked aggressive. He looked like someone trying to make a point.

Bello said after the game that he wants to prove he can start and handle five or six-plus innings.

Red Sox Rally Falls Short in Cleveland

The problem was everything that happened before Bello entered.

Samaniego’s opener inning unraveled quickly. Cleveland strung together six consecutive singles, took a 4-0 lead, and put Boston behind before Bello threw his first pitch.

The Red Sox tried to climb back, driving in runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 4-3. Boston had chances after that, but the tying run was stranded in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings.

That is how another tight game slipped away.

The Red Sox lost 4-3, dropping to 23-33 on the season. They have now lost six of their last seven games and reached 10 games under .500 for the first time since 2020.

GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 29: Tyler Samaniego #78 of the Boston Red Sox throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 29, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

Final Word for the Red Sox

The Red Sox are in an interesting spot with Bello.

They know what he wants. Tracy said it clearly. Bello wants to start.

But Boston also has to deal with what this season has shown. Behind an opener, Bello has looked like a different pitcher. On Friday, he looked like the best version of himself.

Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins