Boston Red Sox' Hurler to Do Something Not Done in Nearly Last 30 Years of Team History
On Tuesday morning, we learned that the Boston Red Sox plan to start 24-year-old Brayan Bello on Opening Day against the Seattle Mariners.
Our colleague Sam Connon did a great write-up on the decision and Bello, which you can read here.
By earning the Opening Day nod, Bello is set to do something that hasn't been done in nearly the last 30 years of Sox history.
Per Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe:
At 24 years, 10 months, 12 days, Bello would be the youngest Opening Day starter for the Sox since Aaron Sele (24 years, 10 months, 2 days) started the first game of the 1995 season.
Bello just signed a six-year contract extension with the Sox, so this could be the first of several Opening Day starts for him. The native of the Dominican Republic went 12-11 last year with a 4.24 ERA. He made his major league debut in 2024.
It's ironic that Bello is paired with Sele in this history, given that Sele also ended up pitching for the Mariners in his career. He was a 15-year veteran who pitched for the Red Sox, Texas Rangers, Mariners, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. He went 148-112 lifetime with a 4.61 ERA.
Sele won double-digit games in five different seasons, including 19 in 1998.
As for the current version of the Red Sox, they are projected to finish last in the American League East for the fourth time in five years.
Seattle will start Luis Castillo opposite Bello in the matchup.
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