Red Sox – Hamstring trouble is leaving Aroldis Chapman pitching through discomfort, while Garrett Whitlock is set for another rehab appearance and remains in a 60-day IL window. Meanwhile, Boston optioned Brayan Bello to Worcester and may reshuffle the rotation in time
When the Red Sox finished Friday night’s win and turned their attention toward the Yankees in the Bronx, the victory didn’t erase the uneasy details that surfaced from the bullpen.
Aroldis Chapman has been limping off the mound in recent appearances, his hamstring injury showing more clearly after Friday. His velocity was slightly down, but he still took the ball late and shut the door on the Yankees in the ninth.
Interim manager Chad Tracy called it “a good thing” whenever Chapman is in the game.
MLB teams have been gauging Boston’s willingness to trade Chapman. along with Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten. but Boston is reportedly not looking to move any of the three relievers at this time. The message inside the organization appears to be simple: deal or no deal. Chapman’s role still matters—even if it has come with a physical cost.
Garrett Whitlock, meanwhile, isn’t anywhere near ready to return to the majors. He is on a 60-day injured list with his injury. and Boston has made room for new reliever Joe La Sorsa. Whitlock’s rehab is moving without setbacks, and he is scheduled to make a rehab appearance for Worcester on Saturday. He is eligible to return to the Red Sox as soon as June 9. but it’s unclear whether that will require more than one rehab outing. Saturday’s stint may determine how quickly he can get back.
That means Whitlock is not expected to be available for the series in the Bronx.
The shake-up that could shape the weekend’s plans is tied to Brayan Bello. Boston sent Bello to Worcester and, according to the WooSox schedule, he will be working as a starter there rather than out of the bullpen. The goal is to help him find his form again and get him back into the rotation.
The decision comes after a difficult 2026: Bello has a 6.34 ERA this season. He’s been described as tremendous in bulk relief situations but abysmal as a starter, and even with Crochet’s absence he remained an odd man out in the rotation—until now.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow addressed the move on Friday. describing it as “really tough” and rooted in what would help Bello reset. Breslow said Bello had been struggling to find the consistency they saw for a long stretch last year. and that the pressure was building—“We have a lot of belief in Brayan as a major league starter. but felt like he was putting a ton of pressure on himself. ” Breslow said. “This was no longer the best place for him to reset and work through the struggles.”.
Now Boston is also balancing another injury wrinkle: Jovani Moran has been placed on the 15-day injured list, and as a corresponding move, the Red Sox called up Alec Gamboa from Worcester on Saturday. Gamboa has seen time as a starter in Worcester, but could also be used in relief.
Those roster moves feed directly into the question of who starts in the rotation next. Jake Bennett is reportedly unlikely to make his scheduled start in Worcester on Sunday. With Bello demoted and the Red Sox needing a fifth starter to fill his spot, Bennett is considered the logical call-up.
Bennett’s path hasn’t been smooth, but it has been close enough to keep him in the mix. He pitched well in Worcester and had a decent Red Sox debut at the beginning of May. called up for his first time on May 1. Against the Astros, Bennett pitched five innings of 1-run ball, finishing with three strikeouts in Boston’s win.
His next start came against the Rays, and that outing didn’t hold together—he gave up four runs, all earned, and recorded two walks compared with one strikeout. Bennett was sent back down after that start, and since then he’s been working to earn another shot in the rotation.
All signs point to Bennett getting the call in place of Bello, with him potentially lined up to start Sunday in the Bronx.
Red Sox Boston Red Sox Yankees Bronx Aroldis Chapman hamstring injury Garrett Whitlock 60-day IL Worcester Brayan Bello Craig Breslow Jovani Moran Alec Gamboa Joe La Sorsa Jake Bennett rotation update
Chapman limping?? That sounds like bad news for sure.
So they beat the Yankees but the bullpen was still a mess? Classic Red Sox stuff, look fine on the scoreboard and then someone’s hamstring is acting up. Chad Tracy saying it’s a “good thing” Chapman’s in there is kinda wild.
Wait, Whitlock rehab again like he’s just taking classes in Worcester or what? June 9 eligibility doesn’t mean he’ll be ready though, unless they magically don’t care about the rehab timeline. Also if they’re trading Chapman or “not looking to move any” then why are teams “gauging” them? Sounds like they might as well trade him later.
I don’t even know what a 60-day IL window is but isn’t that like forever? And they optioned Bello like that fixes everything. If Chapman is limping and velocity is down, aren’t they basically one pitch away from blowing it in the Bronx? Yankees always get the lucky bounce anyway, so Boston better not pretend this is fine.