The Boston Red Sox have agreed to terms on a six-year, $55 million contract extension with 24-year-old pitcher Brayan Bello, according to Kiley McDaniel.
The deal comes on March 7, after the Red Sox were “deep in talks” with Bello on a long-term extension, according to the Boston Globe, on March 6. Bello is a candidate to start on opening day for the club in 2024, but now becomes a core piece of the team’s future.
Bello signed with the Red Sox in 2017, making his major league debut in 2022. The Red Sox have officially agreed to keep the homegrown starting pitcher in Boston through, potentially, the 2030 season.
Terms of Brayan Bello’s Contract Extension
Bello was not set to be a free agent until after the 2028 season. The extension will kick in this year, according to Chris Cotillo. This means that the team will now have Bello locked up for 2029, which would have been his first year to test free agency. Additionally, the contract includes a seventh-year club option valued at $21 million, according to McDaniel.
The Red Sox potentially have Bello secured through the 2030 season with this new deal. Bello will also receive a $1 million signing bonus along with escalators that can increase the total value of the deal, according to Cotillo.
The Red Sox avoid losing Bello in free agency after the 2028 season, but also avoid any potential arbitration hearings they would have needed.
Future of the Red Sox Rotation
In 2022 the Red Sox signed Garrett Whitlock to a four-year, $18.75 million extension. Now, they have also signed Bello to a long-term extension. Whitlock was a Rule 5 pick and has club options that could keep him with the club through 2028.
In 2023 Bello posted a 4.24 ERA and 107 ERA+. However, before the All-Star Game was 6-4 with a 2.56 ERA while the Red Sox were still in the mix to make the postseason. Whitlock posted a 5.15 ERA in 2023 but only made 10 starts.
However, free agent acquisition Lucas Giolito could potentially miss the 2024 season, according to ESPN. Whitlock could find himself making more starts in 2024 with the injury to Giolito.
While Whitlock has served more as a reliever he could be asked to make more contributions as a starter moving forward. Bello and Whitlock have both signed deals to keep them in Boston long-term, but Bello’s extension seems more significant.
Considering the market for starting pitchers in free agency the Red Sox needed to come to an agreement with Bello before he reached the open market. The Red Sox are not the only team to take this approach.
The Houston Astros signed Cristian Javier to a five-year, $64 million contract when he was 25 years old and the Milwaukee Brewers signed Aaron Ashby to a five-year, $20.5 million extension when he was 24 years old, according to Spotrac.
Bello has been in the majors since 2022. In that span, he has made 39 starts for the Red Sox and pitched 214.1 innings for the club in that span. In 2024 he could serve as the team’s Opening Day starter. With his new extension and talent, he could be the face of the Red Sox’s rotation for years to come,
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