CLEVELAND — Another day, another significant Red Sox player heading to the injured list.
The Red Sox placed starter Brayan Bello on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 21) with right lat tightness, according to the team. In his place, reliever Zack Kelly was recalled from Triple-A Worcester.
Bello, who tossed six shutout innings and struck out seven Friday night in Pittsburgh, was supposed to start Thursday’s series finale against the Guardians. Instead, he’ll be out at least through May 7, which is the first day he can return from the IL. He said he first felt the discomfort two outings ago, when he threw 5⅔ innings against the Angels on April 14.
Bello’s hope is that he can return when he’s first eligible in two weeks.
“I don’t feel it’s that serious at all,” Bello said through interpreter Carlos Villoria Benítez. “It’s just tightness. I can still throw and all of that.”
The Red Sox are now down three-fifths of their starting rotation with Bello joining Nick Pivetta (flexor strain) and Garrett Whitlock (oblique strain) on the injured list. Both of those pitchers are expected to be ready to return in the coming weeks. Starter Lucas Giolito is lost for the season after undergoing internal brace surgery on his pitching elbow. Position players Trevor Story, Triston Casas and Vaughn Grissom are also on the IL.
Bello, in his third major league season, has been a big part of a Red Sox rotation that leads baseball with a 1.80 ERA through 24 games. In five starts, Bello owns a 3.04 ERA while striking out 26 batters in 26⅔ innings.
Kelly has yet to allow a run in nine innings at Triple-A Worcester this season.
