Red Sox Considering Rotation Shakeup After Alex Cora Firing

The Boston Red Sox are certainly keeping their options open in the starting rotation.

Apr 18, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) pitches during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox's starting rotation could look different as soon as this upcoming weekend.

Boston sent Payton Tolle to the mound on Tuesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays and he allowed three earned runs across 4 2/3 innings pitched. Boston went on to lose, and snap its three-game winning streak, 3-0, against the Blue Jays.

The Red Sox are going to send Brayan Bello to the mound on Wednesday night, looking to earn a series win against the American League East rivals. Then, the Red Sox will have a day off on Thursday before kicking off a three-game set against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on Friday. When the Red Sox return to action on Friday, it's completely up in the air what the rotation will look like.

The Red Sox Could Make Rotation Changes

Apr 18, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) pitches during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Garrett Crochet would be scheduled to start on Friday. But again, everything is up in the air. So much so that Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reported that Jake Bennett is on standby and didn't pitch for Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday so the club could have another option, just in case.

"Jake Bennett isn’t pitching for Triple-A Worcester today because the Red Sox are keeping their rotation options open for beginning Friday, Chad Tracy said," Healey wrote. "Garrett Crochet’s turn comes around Friday, but Red Sox rotation is TBD, per Tracy."

Arguably, there's no reason to really shake up the rotation right now. Sure, the Red Sox haven't been great overall to kick off the season. Bello specifically has struggled. But he's a 26-year-old hurler who had a 3.35 ERA in 29 appearances last season. While he has struggled to kick off the season and has a 9.00 ERA through five starts, if he were on another team, he would be the exact type of hurler Boston fans would be clamoring for the club to try to acquire.

It's great to keep options open and Bennett has been excellent down in Triple-A. But despite a 0.86 ERA in five Triple-A starts, there's arguably no reason to make a change right now.

If Bello struggles on Wednesday night, maybe the club will feel otherwise. Hopefully, that doesn't end up being the case, though. In a perfect world, Bello will come out and shine on Wednesday and shut down any noise. Then, the Red Sox will have a much-needed day off on Thursday before facing the Astros.