Brayan Bello interested in contract extension with the Red Sox
Could Bello's team use Spencer Strider's contract extension with the Braves as a comp for the young ace?
Brayan Bello has been a bright spot for the Red Sox this season as he’s turned himself from a top prospect into the ace of the staff. As the right-hander continues to dominate on the mound, the conversation on whether Chaim Bloom should extend his young hurler has begun to surface.
Assistant general manager Eddie Romero hinted that the Sox will speak with Bello “at some point.”
“It’s all case-by-case, there’s no guidebook for it, but I think Brayan is a special case and we’ll make efforts to talk to him and his group,” Romero told The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey. “He’s basically done what he needs to do and what we would want of a young starting pitcher in this organization and he’s gone about it the right way, he’s a great teammate and he’s improved the quality of his repertoire, he’s a very hard worker, and he’s earned the respect of everybody here so he’s the kind we want to stick around obviously.”
The 24-year-old finished the first half of the season with a 3.04 ERA. He nearly almost tossed a no-hitter against the Marlins from Fenway Park. Bello was brilliant over seven innings but lost the no-hit bid in the eighth inning.
Bello has told reporters he wants to stay with the Red Sox longterm, but has also said that he intends to focus on this season before worrying about a contract.
“I want to focus on finishing my season good so that good things can happen for me,” said Bello.
If Boston does extend Bello, he will likely command a bigger payday than what the team gave Garrett Whitlock. His deal was a four-year, $18.75 million extension that can max out to $44.5 million over six seasons.
There can be an argument made that Bello could command a deal similar to Braves righty Spencer Strider. Atlanta signed their young hurler to a six-year, $75 million pact last October.
The six-year guarantee buys out Strider’s final two pre-arbitration seasons, all three arbitration years and what would have been his first free-agent season.
Strider skyrocketed through the Braves system after he was drafted in 2020. He was dominant for the Braves last season reaching 200 strike outs in 130 innings, faster than any pitcher in AL/NL history.
At the time of Strider’s deal there were no comps, the largest deal for a pitcher with just one-year of service time was given to Madison Bumgarner back in 2012. The southpaw signed a five-year, $35 million extension with the Giants that included two club options.
Strider’s deal is front-loaded and Bello’s team could look for something similar. Based off how Bloom and company operate, an extension is on the table for the young ace and he has Strider to thank as a close comp.
Bello is 7-5 with a 3.14 ERA, 75-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .245 batting average against, 1.20 WHIP and 148 ERA+ in 86 innings across 15 starts.
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