Brayan Bello started the season with the Portland Sea Dogs, going 4-2 with a 1.60 ERA in six starts. He is the No. 1 pitching prospect in the Red Sox organization. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer
BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox need a spot starter Wednesday and Manager Alex Cora named Triple-A pitcher Brayan Bello as a candidate.
“Right now, down there, Bello is one option,” Cora said Monday at Fenway Park. “Honestly I don’t know who else.”
The 23-year-old righty is the No. 1 pitching prospect in the Red Sox organization. Baseball America has him ranked No. 44 on its Top 100 list.
It would be Bello’s MLB debut. The right-hander is 6-2 with a 2.81 ERA at Worcester, striking out 72 batters in 51 1/3 innings. He started the season with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, going 4-2 with a 1.60 ERA in six starts.
Bello immediately had back-to-back 10-strikeout games after Boston promoted him to Worcester.
“The two-seam might be 98, 99 (mph), but when you’re seeing a changeup and slider every other pitch, the two-seam is going to look like 110,” Sea Dogs catcher Kole Cottam said of Bello. “So I think the deception in that and just the confidence is paramount.”
“The two-seam is special. The slider is special. The changeup might be one of the best.”
Bello was originally signed out of the Dominican Republic for $28,000 as an 18-year-old in 2017. But he’s shot up the prospect rankings over the last two years while slicing up minor league hitters with a high-90s fastball that he throws from a three-quarters arm slot.
Chris Sale, who is scheduled to make a rehab start in Worcester on Wednesday, is not a candidate to pitch that day for the Red Sox. Cora said Polar Park is already sold out.
“We were joking and I said, ‘Man, it’s sold out already. We can’t disappoint the people in Worcester,” Cora said.
Sale made a rehab start for the Sea Dogs at before a capacity crowd at Hadlock Field on Thursday night, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out seven and walking none in four innings.
WACHA SCRATCHED: The Red Sox scratched pitcher Michael Wacha from his start Monday because of a heavy, tired feeling in his arm.
“He didn’t recover well from the Toronto one so we’ll give him a few days,” Cora said. “He’s going to get checked out today just in case something is going on. We don’t believe it’s something structural there. It’s just kind of like dead arm, hit the wall. So hopefully we can push him back later in the week and go from there.”
Rich Hill, who Boston placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a left knee sprain, also was to be checked out Monday.
BOGAERTS SITS: Xander Bogaerts was not in the lineup Monday. He felt sore after getting spiked and needing seven stitches above his left knee Sunday.
“I always give Bogey … as long as possible to decide whether he can go,” Cora said. “He texted me early. He was my wake-up text. ‘I’m pretty sore.’ He has a big cut. Hopefully, he feels better tomorrow and we can use him.”
BULLPEN SESSIONS TUESDAY: Garrett Whitlock and Nathan Eovaldi will both throw up-and-down bullpen sessions Tuesday here at Fenway Park.
“After that, probably live BP and then we’ll decide what we’re going to do,” Cora said.
Whitlock is on the 15-day injured list with right hip inflammation (retroactive to June 9). Eovaldi is on the 15-day injured list with low back inflammation (retroactive to June 9).
Whitlock will be used as a multi-inning reliever when he returns.
HERNANDEZ NEARS REHAB: Kiké Hernandez, who is on the IL with a right hip flexor strain, is nearing a rehab assignment.
“Looking good, moving well,” Cora said. “Worked early on today. So if everything goes well, he feels like probably over the weekend he’ll go on a rehab assignment.”
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