The Boston Red Sox are changing their pitching approach for Monday's matchup with the Arizona Diamondbacks, turning to Alec Gamboa as an opener before Brayan Bello takes over for the bulk of the game.
MassLive's Chris Cotillo reported the plan after Boston's 8-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Gamboa is scheduled to make the first start of his major league career, while Bello will follow him in a bulk relief role.
Gamboa was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Aug. 12 and has worked primarily as a reliever this season. The left-hander has a 1.59 ERA across 17 innings, with 12 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP in nine appearances.
His workload will be limited Monday. Gamboa threw three innings and 36 pitches Friday against Pittsburgh, leaving Boston with a short-rest opener rather than a traditional starting pitcher.
Bello, meanwhile, has not pitched since Aug. 9 and is rested enough to handle the bulk of the innings. The right-hander owns a 4.84 ERA across 83 2/3 innings this season, but his recent work in relief has given Boston reason to trust the unconventional arrangement.
The Red Sox enter Monday at 66-58, sitting third in the American League East and 8.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. With the postseason race tightening, Boston is looking for ways to maximize its pitching depth without overextending its arms.
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The tandem plan also gives Bello an opportunity to continue working in the role that has produced better results since his return from Triple-A. Rather than immediately returning him to a conventional rotation assignment, Boston can use his length behind Gamboa and preserve his recent relief routine.
Monday's game will therefore provide an important test of whether the two-pitcher setup can give Boston enough coverage to navigate the Diamondbacks while keeping its pitching staff fresh for the stretch run.
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