The Boston Red Sox have announced that right-handed pitcher Brayan Bello has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 21, due to right lat tightness. This unfortunate news has dealt a blow both to Bello and the Red Sox organization.

Bello established himself as a key member of the Red Sox rotation last year, impressing with his performance in 28 starts, where he pitched 157 innings and recorded a respectable 4.24 earned run average. While his strikeout rate of 19.8% was somewhat subpar, Bello showcased excellent control by walking only 6.7% of batters while inducing a ground ball rate of 56.2%.

The Red Sox management has shown great faith in Bello's potential, as evidenced by the $55 million contract extension they offered him earlier in March. The team likely anticipated further growth for the young pitcher, given his stronger strikeout numbers in the minor leagues.

In the early stages of the 2024 season, Bello displayed signs of progress, striking out 23.6% of batters faced in his first five starts. Unfortunately, his development will now pause as he joins a growing list of injured Boston players. Lucas Giolito underwent season-ending surgery in the offseason, and pitchers such as Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, Bryan Mata, and Chris Murphy have also found themselves on the injured list.

With Bello's addition to the list, the Red Sox rotation has been significantly depleted. Presently, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Cooper Criswell, and Josh Winckowski remain as the team's available starters. The Red Sox will need to determine who will step up in Bello's absence.

Veteran Chase Anderson, who has been pitching multiple innings out of the bullpen, could be considered for a starting role. Naoyuki Uwasawa, who is currently on optional assignment, and recently acquired Vladimir Gutierrez may also be evaluated as potential options.

The Red Sox starters have been exceptional this season, collectively delivering a remarkable 1.80 earned run average, which currently ranks best in the majors. However, the mounting injuries pose a significant challenge to the team's ability to maintain such outstanding performance going forward.

As of now, the Red Sox have not provided a timetable for Bello's return. More information regarding his recovery is expected to be disclosed in the coming days. The Red Sox organization will undoubtedly be monitoring the situation closely as they navigate through this unfortunate setback in their pitching rotation.