1 week Ago
CHICAGO — There’s a chance the Red Sox’ pitching staff will look much different in about a week’s time. Three significant pitchers — starters Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito and reliever Liam Hendriks — are all close to making their season debuts after starting the year on the injured list. The Red Sox haven’t decided, however, when exactly those pitchers will return.
Bello (starting Friday), Hendriks (pitching Sunday) and Giolito (starting Tuesday in Rochester) will each have at least one more rehab outing before the Red Sox decide what to do. The Sox could decide that they’ve seen enough in the minors and activate one or more of the righties after his next outing. Or, the club could decide that another Triple-A appearance or two is necessary.
“We don’t know yet. We have to wait and see, get the information and the data and see where we’re at,” said manager Alex Cora. “There’s no rush here.
We’re in a stretch where, of course, we want our guys here, but we don’t have to rush it. That’s the most important thing.” Hendriks might be activated first, because as a reliever, he needs the shortest build-up to be big-league ready.
The veteran, who started the year on the IL due to elbow inflammation (more specifically, a compressed nerve that required a cortisone shot on Opening Day), worked around a hit and struck out three batters in a scoreless inning in his first rehab outing Thursday in Worcester. Bello could be active very soon as well. He is no longer feeling the effects of the right shoulder strain that slowed the beginning of his spring training and Friday represented his third outing for the WooSox.
He got up to 3 1⁄3 innings and 56 pitches in his last outing Sunday in Jacksonville and on Friday, stretched out to 64 pitches over four innings. He allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out five batters against Columbus. Cora hopes to see a progression to about five innings before Bello is activated.
That could come as soon as late next week with Friday’s starter Sean Newcomb expected to be bumped from the rotation when Bello is ready. Giolito said Thursday that he thinks he only needs one more outing after tossing 64 pitches in 3 1⁄3 innings Thursday . But it seems more likely than not that his long-awaited Red Sox debut will come after two more rehab outings, putting it about 10 days away.
“They (both) went 3 1⁄3,” Cora said. “The up-and-downs (between innings) are very important. They’re still building up.
The stuff is good. He actually felt off, mechanics-wise, in the last one. We’ll see where we’re at and make decisions.
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