Bello believes big league taste will make him better

Aug. 18—PITTSBURGH — Brayan Bello's big league debut didn't go as planned.

Arguably the most hyped Red Sox pitching prospect since Clay Buchholz 15 years ago, the 23-year-old righty arrived with great fanfare in early July but crashed down to Earth in his first run with the MLB club. In five games Bello went 0-3 with an 8.47 ERA while averaging nearly 2.3 walks and hits per inning pitched, and on Aug. 3 he left after just 0.2 innings with a groin injury that has landed him on the injured list ever since.

Bello is currently in Pittsburgh traveling with the team, but with the Red Sox starting rotation back to nearly full health it's unclear what the rookie's role might be upon his activation.

Whether he remains with the big club or finishes the year in the minors, one thing everyone agrees is Bello's future is bright and his recent experience will help prepare him for the next time his number is called.

"It's been a very good experience for me," Bello said via translator Carlos Villoria Benítez. "I've learned a lot through my time here."

One of the biggest positives from Bello's first stint in the majors was he got better as time went on. After three tough starts Bello enjoyed his best outing on July 29 against Milwaukee, when he came on in the third inning in relief of opener Austin Davis and proceeded to hold the Brewers to two runs over 4.1 innings. He pitched into the seventh and gave the Red Sox a chance to win, and may have had a chance to do something similar the next time against Houston before he got hurt after recording two strikeouts.

Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush said getting comfortable is one of the toughest and most important parts of any player's transition to the bigs, and it goes a lot deeper than just figuring out how to adjust to the higher level of competition.

"Getting to the big leagues for the first time is tough," Bush said. "There's a lot of things you have to learn about how to compete, how your stuff plays, how to carry yourself on the field, how to do it off the field, navigating the clubhouse and all these things where you're around people you're not used to, you're in situations you're not used to, you're competing against players and at a level you're not used to.

"All that stuff takes some adjustments but Brayan's done a really good job of learning from each outing and getting better in his side sessions, asking his teammates questions and learning the game," Bush continued. "The results have still been hit or miss but I think he's made a lot of progress, aside from the surface level stats we've seen a lot of things get better and I'm excited to see him pitch again soon."

One thing that has helped make the transition smoother is the presence of older veterans who know what it takes after years of pitching in the majors. Bello has no shortage of vets to lean on, and he said one teammate in particular has taken him under his wing.

"Nate Eovaldi has been the one who lately has shown me how to prepare for games, how to manage the game and how to make a routine for yourself," Bello said. "He's been a huge help for me these past few weeks."

Eovaldi said he's mostly tried to help Bello control the little things that help slow the game down and focus on things like throwing first-pitch strikes, working ahead in the count and pitching to his strengths. He added that the different routine and the emotion of pitching in a big league atmosphere for the first time can be a lot, especially when you don't enjoy immediate success.

"Everybody takes failure a little differently," Eovaldi said. "He's still learning on the fly, so just trying to point things out for him and help him out the best I can."

That being said, Eovaldi said everyone can see the talent that has Bello ranked as the sport's No. 22 prospect according to Baseball America.

"His fastball is electric, he's got that heavy sinker, he's got a good slider and a changeup and as a starter you need to be able to command at least three pitches and he can do that," Eovaldi said, adding that Bello's bullpen sessions frequently turned heads throughout spring training. "To me he's got what it takes to be a starter and compete up here."

Bello's plan for the rest of the season will likely be determined in the coming days, but regardless of his role over the final six weeks this season should go down as a valuable learning experience, one he and the Red Sox hope will help him realize his immense potential and become a mainstay of the Red Sox starting rotation for years to come.

"Each time you check off some of those adjustments then the next time it happens it's not the first time and you're better equipped to handle it and you're ready for it," Bush said. "So my hope is no matter what happens the rest of this year that he's learned a lot and whenever he's in the big leagues next year or in the future that he's ready for the challenges and ready to be himself and succeed."

"I've tried to put all my energy into this year, but thinking about it with all the experience I've learned this year, next year is going to be very important for me to take my game to the next level," Bello said. "Knowing my way around and having been here is going to be a huge help."

Email: mcerullo@northofboston.com. Twitter: @MacCerullo.