The Red Sox showed no improvement post-Alex Cora’s firing. They lost the series against the Blue Jays and could only manage 6 runs from 3 games. But the worst part was their starting rotation. While they looked good in the first game, the next two games exposed the Red Sox’s starting rotation, prompting the interim manager, Chad Tracy, to go hard.

Brayan Bello started the series decider on Wednesday, but continued his rough patch. Tracy was forced to pull him out by the fourth inning, leaving Bello unimpressed. And if his visual expression was any indication, fans should be concerned about the Red Sox’s clubhouse environment.

“Obviously, I was upset,” Bello said. “I haven’t been able to pitch well in the past few starts. I haven’t been able to pitch deep into the games. That’s what I want. And today, it went that way as well. So, obviously, I was upset to come out of the game.”

Wednesday went rough for Bello. He started well, putting scoreless innings in the first two, but blew it in the third. He gave up 3 runs in the third, forcing the Red Sox manager to pull him after 3.2 innings. Bello ended the night allowing 4 ERs from his 3.2 innings with 2 SOs. Just after Bello walked the No. 9 hitter to put a runner on first with two outs in a 3-1 game in his 62nd pitch, Tracy visited the mound.

Bello knew the reason, and he started shaking his head, showing discontent, only to leave the field, and reliever Greg Weissert took over. “I think wanting to keep the game there at 3-1 with a fully fresh bullpen was the way to go there,” pitching coach Andrew Bailey said after the game.

While Bello shared his discontent, the numbers are not on his side. Currently, he is standing with a 9.12 ERA from 25 innings. But the Red Sox should be more concerned about his diminishing velocity.

“Over the last two years, Bello’s fastball velocity has dipped from 95.7 mph to 93.6 to 91.7,” MLB insider Jeff Passan said. “In today’s game, a 92-mph fastball will be obliterated, and Bello learned that the hard way, with the w tagging him for five home runs among 13 hits he allowed two starts ago.”

So, more than anything, a sub-92 mph fastball off the $55 million arm is something to worry about for the Red Sox. Pulling him out of one game might not be the long-term solution. And considering how the Red Sox’s pitching currently looks, it’s very unlikely that Bello would prove dominant in his next start with such velocity.

The Red Sox’s pitching staff continues taking hits

Brayan Bello is struggling, but should the Red Sox be concerned about that? And should Bello be replaced with another arm? Well, for Boston, this is easier said than done.

Apart from Bello, the Red Sox’s bullpen also struggled. Greg Weissert took over from Bello in the 4th inning and gave up 2 ERs from his 0.2 innings with 1 SO. Jovani Moran and Garrett Whitlock also gave up 1 run each. So, while Bello had a rough start, the bullpen also failed to contain the situation. In the second game against the Blue Jays, the scene was the same.

Payton Tolle started the game and gave up 3 ERs from his 4.2 innings with 4 SOs. Hence, the starting rotation is looking battered for the Red Sox, and the one who led the pitching staff last year is now in the IL!

Garrett Crochet, although struggling this year with a 6.30 ERA, was at his best last year, going 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 255 SOs over 200 innings. He is now on a 15-day IL with left shoulder inflammation. Sonny Gray, the Red Sox’s 2026 inductee, is also sidelined with an injury. He is also on the 15-day injured list due to a right hamstring strain and is currently in rehab.

Hence, with an expanding injury list, the Red Sox might not have an immediate replacement for Bello. He will get pulled out after a brief start, but he will stay in the starting rotation for now. A few more blown-up games and the Red Sox front office will face the heat for their low-key offseason.