Red Sox Baseball

Starting pitcher Brayan Bello and the Red Sox agreed to a six-year, $55 million contract, plus a $21 million team option for 2030. Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

Young right-hander Brayan Bello and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a $55 million, six-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

Bello’s agreement includes a $21 million team option for 2030 with a $1 million buyout that if exercised would make the agreement worth $75 million over seven seasons, the person said.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal had not been announced.

His agreement was first reported by MLB.com.

Bello turns 25 in May and was signed by the Red Sox from the Dominican Republic in 2017 for $28,000.

He would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2025 season and for free agency following the 2028 season. He had a $729,500 salary last year, and absent the long-term deal likely would have received about $750,000 this season.

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He was 12-11 with a 4.24 ERA in 28 starts last year for the last-place Red Sox, averaging 95.5 mph with his four-seam fastball. His fastball velocity was 97.7 mph in 2022, when he went 2-8 with a 4.71 ERA in 11 starts and two relief appearances.

He is part of a projected rotation that includes Nick Pivetta, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock.

Boston signed free agent Lucas Giolito to a $38.5 million, two-year contract, but the 29-year-old right-hander likely will need Tommy John surgery for the second time.

NICK PIVETTA allowed two runs on three hits in three innings in Boston’s 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida.

Pivetta struck out four and walked one in his second start this spring. He allowed a two-run home run in the second inning to Jordan Luplow.

Masataka Yoshida hit a solo home run in the first inning and Rob Refsnyder hit an RBI single in the eighth inning for Boston.

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Bryce Elder pitched 31/3 innings for the Braves, allowing one run on two hits, with six strikeouts and two walks. Michael Harris hit a solo home run for Atlanta.

The Red Sox scratched Trevor Story from their lineup for precautionary reasons because of neck stiffness. He initially was scheduled to play shortstop and bat third. David Hamilton replaced him at shortstop and hit ninth.

THE RED SOX reassigned prospects Chase Meidroth and Corey Rosier as well as minor league free-agent signee Joe Dunand to minor league camp. Fifty-six players remain on Boston’s major league spring training roster.

Meidroth, a 2022 fourth-round draft pick, led all Red Sox minor leaguers in on-base percentage (minimum 290 plate appearances) last season. He posted a .408 OBP in 493 plate appearances. The 22-year-old infielder had 80 walks and 98 strikeouts (16.2% walk percentage, 19.9% strikeout percentage) in 111 games between High-A Greenville (20 games) and Double-A Portland (91 games).

The 24-year-old Rosier, who Boston acquired from the Padres with Eric Hosmer at the 2022 deadline, was second among Red Sox minor leaguers in steals (49) last season. The outfielder posted a .351 on-base percentage in 116 games between Portland (104 games) and Triple-A Worcester (12 games).

Boston signed the 28-year-old Dunand, Alex Rodriguez’s nephew, to a minor league contract Feb. 1. Dunand, 28, was a second-round draft pick (51st overall) in 2017 out of North Carolina State. The Miami native batted .268 with a .362 on-base percentage, .481 slugging percentage, .844 OPS, 17 homers, 19 doubles, two triples, 49 runs, 52 RBI, 45 walks and 107 strikeouts in 95 games (403 plate appearances) for Triple-A Gwinnett last year.

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