Alex Cora Explains Not Using Red Sox Ace Brayan Bello Vs. Blue Jays

The Red Sox trailed the Blue Jays just two games for the final American League wild card spot heading into the three-game series between the two clubs at Fenway Park on Friday. With Toronto sweeping the series, Boston now sits five games out of the postseason.

Before the series, Red Sox manager Alex Cora made the decision to give starter Brayan Bello an extra day of rest and have two bullpen games back-to-back instead. If Bello had pitched in the series finale, Cora might have been able to rest a taxed bullpen.

“I think we’re gonna be able to do that,” Cora said of not having back-to-back bullpen games in the future on NESN’s postgame coverage. “But in this case we gotta take care of the other guys, right? Bello, he’s getting up there (in innings pitched) and I think it made sense for us to push him back.”

Cora added he didn’t want to risk burning out the 24-year-old right-handed pitcher regardless of the opponent the Red Sox were facing.

“It’s just his second year,” Cora explained. “This guy is very important, not only now but for the future, and whenever we have a chance to give him a breather, we will.”

Cora said Bello would get the start Monday in the opener of the four-game series with the Kansas City Royals as the homestand continues but still has to focus on the pitching staff going forward.

“The schedule is going to keep getting heavy,” Cora said. “That’s the thing and there’s a week that we can play seven in a row. I mean, 10 with the three we just played so hopefully, the guys coming back and we can do a few things. As far as the pitching staff it’s gonna be a challenge and still is going to be a challenge because they’re not going to go deep into games. We know that we have our restrictions and we gotta be smart about keeping them healthy, but we should be okay.”

The Red Sox have yet to face Kansas City this season, but the Royals, 36-77, are in last place in the AL Central and are only ahead of the Oakland Athletics for last place in the American League. That series is followed by three games against the Detroit Tigers, who the Red Sox swept in April.