Red Sox-Brayan Bello Blockbuster Would Be Mistake for Boston

The Boston Red Sox have a surplus of starting pitching, but that shouldn't lead to the organization doing anything hasty.

The talk of the last few weeks has been the idea of adding an infielder with the trade block specifically being talked about at length. Whether it has been Isaac Paredes, Nico Hoerner, or Brendan Donovan, the rumors have been swirling left and right. There was a time earlier in the offseason when Ketel Marte was a trade candidate, but the Arizona Diamondbacks took him off the block.

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The Red Sox do have a surplus of pitchers and outfielders and should be able to get some sort of deal done if they wanted to. Paredes, Hoerner, or Donovan all would help Boston, but aren't perfect fits. Outfielders have been thrown around, like Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu. When discussing pitching trade candidates, CBS Sports' Julian McWilliams mentioned Brayan Bello.

The Red Sox shouldn't consider a deal

Oct 1, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) throws a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

"[Craig Breslow] has yet to show he can land a true marquee free agent, at least on the position-player side," McWilliams wrote. "What has become clear is where his comfort level lies: evaluating pitching. Even when looking at trades, his lone blockbuster move was acquiring Crochet. The Sox do have the starting pitching depth to make a trade to help amplify their lineup. One that would likely begin with right-hander Brayan Bello, who has shown a mixed bag of results, pairing stretches of effectiveness with command lapses and uneven outings.

"Still, Bello won't turn 27 until May and teams might still see some upside in him following a season in which he made 29 appearances (28 starts) and posted a 3.35 ERA."

Any trade involving Bello arguably would be hasty. Look at the price of pitching around baseball. Boston just signed Ranger Suárez to a five-year, $130 million deal at 30 years old. Dylan Cease got $210 million at 30 years old. Michael King got $75 million over just three years. Framber Valdez is going to cash in at some point. The list goes on.

Bello is 26 years old and got a six-year, $55 million deal that has him under contract for the next four seasons plus a 2030 club option.

Suárez will make $130 million over the next five years after logging a 3.20 ERA in 2025. Bello will make a fraction of that over the next few years after logging a 3.35 ERA in 2025.

It's easy to get caught up in the hype of the offseason, but there is no reason to deal Bello at this moment.

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