Garrett Crochet’s Tough Night Against the Twins

On Monday night, Garrett Crochet faced a difficult outing against the Twins, marking a historic loss for the Red Sox. In an astonishingly short performance, he allowed 11 runs over just 1 2/3 innings.

During his time on the mound, he gave up nine hits, with 10 of the 11 runs going down as earned. He also recorded three walks and hit one batter, failing to strike anyone out. After throwing 55 pitches, Crochet exited the game, replaced by Giovani Moran, who didn’t fare much better, giving up two additional runs in the fifth inning, leading to a tough 13-0 defeat for Boston.

The Red Sox only managed to score their first run in the top of the sixth inning, leaving many fans scratching their heads. This outing raises some concerns; his four-seam fastball averaged 94.9 mph, a noticeable drop from the 96.1 mph he threw previously.

It’s notable that Crochet became the first Red Sox pitcher ever to allow more than 10 earned runs in under two innings. As per record-keeping, only ten games in MLB history feature starting pitchers giving up 11 or more runs before completing the second inning. The last similar instance occurred on May 7, 2024, involving Athletics pitcher Ross Stripling.

In the first inning alone, Crochet struggled with consecutive doubles followed by a single, leading to two runs. Although he managed to induce Trevor Story into a groundout, it allowed Brooks Lee to drive in runs, though Lee ended up throwing for a double play.

The second inning saw things spiral out of control. With the bases loaded and no outs, Ryan Jeffers capitalized with an RBI single. Josh Bell and Victor Caratini then followed suit, with Bell hitting a two-run double and Caratini blasting a three-run homer, pushing the Twins to a staggering 10-0 lead. It was at this moment that Red Sox manager Alex Cora decided it was time to make a change.