Red Sox shut down Brayan Bello with forearm soreness, but Alex Cora says it's not alarming

BOSTON -- Entering what is expected to be his first full season in the big leagues, Brayan Bello has suffered a setback early in camp.

The 23-year-old right-hander was shut down on Friday, after experienced soreness in his forearm.

Despite the ominous sound, Red Sox manager Alex Cora did not express much worry at all about the matter.

"We shut down Bello until Monday. After his last bullpen, he felt soreness on his forearm," Cora said. "Nothing to alarm, but obviously he is so important to the organization, he's important for us, he's important for what we're trying to accomplish. So he'll be back on his throwing program on Monday."

Bello pitched in 13 games last year, starting 11. He went 2-8 with a 4.71 ERA and a 1.779 WHIP in his first taste of the big leagues, after going 6-2 with a 2.76 ERA in Triple-A. The Dominican Republic native signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent at the age of 18. He's expected to be a member of the starting rotation in Boston this season.

Elsewhere in that rotation, Nick Pivetta -- last year's innings leader for Boston -- walked off the field with a trainer on Friday. Cora said that is related to Pivetta getting COVID recently, leaving the right-hander still building back his strength.