Brayan Bello, who starts for the Red Sox on Saturday against the Yankees in The Bronx, has fought resiliently in the second half of the season, posting a 6-2 record and striking out nine batters per nine innings since the start of July.
Part of why the 25-year-old’s pitching is trending upward in this time is his refining his changeup and slider usage.
These secondary pitches, behind his sinker, have drawn more whiffs — especially against left-handed batting.
Bello owns a 2.66 career ERA in seven career starts against the Yankees.
He’ll bring his heavy breaking ball deliveries that garner ground outs on 52 percent of batted balls into Saturday; the Yankees are tied for the seventh-highest ground ball rate this year.
The Yankees owe one to Gerrit Cole, who last week suffered a loss on his birthday despite giving up zero earned runs.
He is cruising into the postseason with a 1.58 ERA in the seven starts since the July 24 meltdown against the Mets.
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Neither bullpen has been trustworthy, but backing two starters who can pitch deep in a rivalry game takes precedence.
The play: Red Sox-Yankees Under 8.5 (FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
