Red Sox Downed 2-6: Is Panic On?

A Rocky Start for Garrett Crochet

Garrett Crochet faced a challenging game on Sunday, marking what could be the worst start of his career. He allowed five runs over five innings, raising questions about his performance. While it’s natural to worry, there are reasons to remain optimistic as well.

Crochet’s outing began with some difficulties. After recording two quick outs, he gave up back-to-back doubles that opened the scoring. As I was driving during the top of the first inning, I listened on the radio and couldn’t confirm if there were any immediate red flags. However, he managed to escape the situation with one run allowed and 25 pitches thrown. The Red Sox tied the game in the bottom of the first, giving Crochet a chance to regroup when he returned to the mound in the second inning.

From the second inning to the fifth, Crochet showed signs of his usual dominance. He maintained control of his sinker on the arm side, the cutter on the glove side, and used the four-seam fastball to split the difference. Although his sweeper command wasn’t quite where it should be, this wasn’t the main issue. In the fourth inning, he threw a few good pitches that resulted in strikeouts, indicating that his overall stuff is still strong. However, the sweeper has not been as effective early in the 2026 season, often staying up in the zone rather than landing on the glove side. This pitch will be something to monitor closely in the coming weeks.

In the fifth inning, Crochet struck out the first two batters, but things quickly unraveled. He left a sinker over the plate that was hit for a home run by Jahmai Jones. He then walked Gleyber Torres on four straight pitches and allowed Matt Vierling to hit a sweeper into left field. With two runners on in a 3-1 count, Crochet threw a four-seam fastball over the plate that Dillon Dingler hit into center field, ending his evening after five innings.

It’s worth noting that the game was being played in heavy rain during the fifth inning, which may have contributed to his struggles. While Framber Valdez and other pitchers handled the conditions well, the rain was a factor in Crochet’s poor performance. Despite this, it’s important to remember that one bad inning shouldn’t lead to complete panic. His velocity remains strong, and the shape of his pitches is consistent. If he can refine his sweeper command and incorporate more changeups for called strikes, his performance should improve. His next start in Baltimore is expected to be a better showing.

The Real Issue: The Offense

If Crochet isn’t the reason to worry, then the problem lies with the offense. The Red Sox have scored just three runs over the last three games. Regardless of how the rotation performs, it’s difficult to win games without a consistent offensive output. Framber Valdez dominated the lineup, throwing 19 first-pitch strikes to 23 batters he faced and maintaining control throughout most of the game.

Before the season, there was much discussion about projection models not expecting the Red Sox to have a single 20-home-run hitter on their roster. Through 21 games, the team has the fewest home runs in baseball. While Wilyer Abreu started the season hot and Willson Contreras has had a few power hits recently, including one today, Trevor Story is the only player with more than one home run. Although I don’t believe the offense is as bad as it currently appears, the projection models might have had a point. While home runs aren’t necessary to score runs, hitting at a high rate is crucial for building rallies.

Two Studs

Jack Anderson

He played a key role in saving the bullpen, which has needed frequent relief this early in the season.

Anyone who stayed for all nine innings

The game was extremely unpleasant, and credit is due to those who endured the Fenway Experience™, which justifies the high ticket prices.