Brayan Bello is not pushing the panic button yet. However, with opening day less than four weeks away, Bello’s availability remains a huge concern. He was briefly shut down due to a shoulder soreness issue. However, the Boston Red Sox right-hander did turn up for a light bullpen session on Friday, throwing at around 70-75% effort.

“They told me to stay within 80-90 mph…So just a very light session,” said Bello. Now Boston is hoping that their $55 million starter will be up and ready for the mound on opening day. But time may not be in their favor.

Alex Cora recently admitted, “He’s behind. But I think he’s been itching to throw for a while, so we took care of him, and hopefully doing that, he can actually not catch up, but be available early in the season. We’re still shooting for him to be on the Opening Day roster, but obviously it’s March 2 now.” So things right now are not looking hopeful.

Now Bello is set to appear for another bullpen session on Monday. And even though he still has weeks to be ready, his buildup has to be spot on. If he misses the opener, the Boston Red Sox would need him on full throttle when he does make a return. Bello, though, has confidence in his health, saying, “The body’s good. The shoulders are good. The mechanics are good. Just taking it day by day, but I felt good today,” after the first session.

However, the team is tiptoeing their way, and they don’t want to rush and make last-minute errors. Red Sox legend and Bello’s mentor Pedro Martinez mentioned that for a pitcher, patience is key. “I don’t want any setbacks. That was my main concern. I told him, ‘You can’t afford another one.’ Sometimes young guys want to show too much early. And I don’t blame him—he’s young and energetic. But tomorrow is right there for them too.” Brayan Bello made 30 starts last season and posted a 14-8 record. He struck out 153 batters in 162 1/3 innings.

Right now with Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler already added in the bullpen, they don’t need Bello to shoulder all the pressure. So they can afford to give him the time he needs. If everything goes well, then he might just have a shot at opening day. And as far as starters are concerned, Boston’s Lucas Giolito is back!

Lucas Giolito making a long-awaited return for the Boston Red Sox

It’s been a long road for Lucas Giolito; however, the wait is almost over. The right-hander is all geared up to make his spring training debut for the Red Sox on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays, as per Ian Browne of MLB. It will be his first time on the diamond since March of 2024. It all happened quickly. He had a brief outing, and then he had to go get elbow surgery 11 days later. A season-ending surgery!

For Boston, this was a gamble gone wrong. They signed him last season even though he was struggling with his gameplay. He had a 6.96 ERA in 12 starts after bouncing from the White Sox, Angels, and Guardians. But the Red Sox had hoped he would be the same star he was in 2019-2021. But now his return comes at a fruitful time.

The Boston Red Sox have some rotation concerns because, apart from Bello, even Kutter Crawford’s status is not certain, and Patrick Sandoval is also out until midseason. But that being said, the bullpen still looks strong with Giolito joining Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, and Walker Buehler. Do you think he will perform well? All eyes will be on Dunedin, where Giolito will take the ball on Thursday. That’s because let’s be honest, it’s been a long time coming.

Do you think he will put his best foot forward? Let us know in the comments.