Red Sox’s Brayan Bello ‘Working On’ Issue That Has Defined Season

It’s been a trying season for Red Sox pitcher Brayan Bello, who just might have hit a low point in Tuesday night’s loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park.

Bello recorded just seven total outs, being charged with seven earned runs after things devolved into chaos in the third inning. He couldn’t quite get things back under control once he lost it, which seemed to be the latest example of the 25-year-old’s emotions getting the better of him.

“I’ve been working on that personally since the minors — controlling those emotions,” Bello said Tuesday, through interpreter Daveson Pérez. “… I think it’s something that year after year I’ve done a really good job at doing, but this year it hasn’t been that way. I think that’s a good point and something that I need to pay attention to.”

Bello’s emotional outbursts have certainly been more noticeable this season than years past, as things came to a head on June 8 when he slammed his glove after giving up a grand slam to Chicago White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets. He’s worked on being less reactive, and though Alex Cora believes the glove smash was “out of character” for his young pitcher, forgetting the bad times haven’t been his strong suit.

“I think as players, we’re emotional beings, and it’s okay to show your emotion,” Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey told Molly Burkhardt of MLB.com on Tuesday. “I think understanding sometimes what that looks like from the outside, even though it may not be what you’re thinking in a moment. He’s learning and growing. I think being able to control your emotions, or share them appropriately are big steps.”

It isn’t hard to find what hasn’t worked for Bello, either.

Bailey had him abandon the four-seam fastball, but opponents are crushing his sinker — batting .341 (43-for-126) with a .516 slugging percentage, four homers and 10 doubles. If he can reshuffle his pitch mix and find his groove, perhaps things could be looking up — which Boston certainly hopes after paying him this offseason.

“Hopefully, moving forward I don’t have a terrible outing like the one I just had,” Bello said.