A Night to Forget for the Red Sox Ace
The Boston Red Sox faced a difficult reality on Monday as their star pitcher, Garrett Crochet, delivered the most challenging performance of his career. During the series opener against the Minnesota Twins, the two-time All-Star was replaced after just 1 2/3 innings, having surrendered 11 runs, 10 of which were earned.
Breaking Down the Rough Outing
Crochet, who was a finalist for the 2025 AL Cy Young award following a stellar 2.59 ERA season, struggled immensely on the mound. Throughout his brief appearance, the 26-year-old was unable to record a single strikeout against the 18 batters he faced. By the time he was pulled, he had allowed nine hits, issued three walks, and surrendered two home runs in the second inning alone.
The scoring began early, partly due to defensive struggles:
- An error by shortstop Trevor Story during a Brooks Lee RBI single allowed a run to cross the plate, helping Minnesota take an early 4-0 lead.
- The second inning proved even more disastrous, as Crochet surrendered seven runs, including home runs by Victor Caratini and Ryan Kreidler.
Ultimately, the Minnesota Twins cruised to a 13-4 victory.
Setting a New, Unwanted Career Record
This performance represents a significant departure from form for the pitcher, who entered the contest with a respectable 3.12 ERA. Prior to this outing, the highest number of earned runs Crochet had ever allowed in a single game was seven, a mark he had reached twice before in his career—once in April 2024 against the Chicago White Sox and again last September against the Cleveland Guardians.
Looking Ahead for Boston
The timing of this defeat is particularly unfortunate for the Red Sox. After struggling at the start of the season, the team had recently shown signs of life with a series win over the St. Louis Cardinals. However, this heavy loss casts a shadow over the remainder of the series in Minnesota, especially with a highly anticipated matchup against the New York Yankees looming next week.