MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 13: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after giving up a walk against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of the game at Target Field on April 13, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images After the Red Sox finally got something resembling momentum going with back-to-back series victories against a very good Brewers team and a Cardinals team that has made anybody following MLB say “Hey they actually aren’t as bad as I thought they’d be,” they go out and lay eggs like that over the past week. That display during the first two games in Minnesota was brutal—more on that first game in just a bit—while I feel like I’d be able to buy SB Nation myself if I had a dollar for every time Boston failed to capitalize with runners in scoring position over the weekend against Detroit.They couldn’t even climb back to a .500 record for the week during Margaritaville Day on Sunday.

If the Sox can’t get up for Jimmy and his memory, maybe we really are doomed this season.I suppose being this far below .500 a few weeks into the season beats being 2-8, but only just barely. “Yeah, no shit Fitz,” I hear you clicking away at your keyboard, “that’s how numbers work.”That’s fair, but at least there had been some signs of life in recent days. Your ace getting his ass kicked to begin the week was awful, but six runs that night was nothing to sneeze at even if the game was completely gone.

Another crooked number in the finale against the Twins was nice, even if the offense was then sluggish the next few games. Ranger Suarez had himself a great night Friday, making it two quality starts in a row. My wife got one of those City Connect cooler cups on Friday, so that’s an improvement I guess.Jokes aside, while there were some positive-ish developments in recent days, I can’t shake the sense of disappointment thus far—and I’m sure you can’t either, dear reader.It’s Monday Morning Brushback time, y’all.I Don’t Even Have A Fun Pun For This SectionI don’t know how to properly start this section other than by simply asking: what in the world happened to Garrett Crochet on Monday?In less than two innings of work, he coughed up eleven runs (ten of which were earned; kinda funny to me that one of those runs was unearned but I digress) across nine hits.

One of the best strikeout pitchers in the game failed to retire anybody by way of the K in his abbreviated start, by far the worst one of his Red Sox tenure thus far. Let’s hope it remains as his worst start for Boston, I guess.Our very own Keagan Stiefel did a nice write-up on a not-so-nice appearance from our ace, so I’d suggest reading that if you want to dive a bit more into that disaster class. The headline you need to know after this stinker, though, is that the stuff was down across the board.

The velo specifically dropped by at least a full tick on all of his offerings in Minnesota.Garrett Crochet has given up 10 runs and gotten three outs against the Twins.His velocity is down across the board. pic.twitter.com/Sg0j3ENTOh— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) April 14, 2026For what it’s worth, both Crochet himself along with the coaching staff said there were no injury concerns after the game. Crochet was even surprised that there were dips in the velo.Alex Cora didn't have a reason for Garrett Crochet's diminished velocity, but nothing is physically wrong."He's healthy, so that's the most important thing." pic.twitter.com/FMy4OPUph4— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) April 14, 2026Garrett Crochet didn't seem to know his velocity was down after the game.

When he found it, he said it wasn't anything to fret about it."I don't really have anything to say, I'm just gonna flush it as best I can. Move on to the next one. They had a good approach." pic.twitter.com/3qS5DrGvMc— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) April 14, 2026A couple of things here.

First, I’m glad he’s seemingly healthy. A BBQ chicken alert for the ace of the pitching staff would be so deflating. Yet at the same time, I don’t know whether to express concern that no one seems to know what the hell happened against the Twins or to just laugh at that fact.

Your prized pig goes out and gets slaughtered and then you just throw your hands up and mumble “I dunno” in confusion—that’s just funny.Maybe it really was just a one-off, bad night that we can laugh about in the future……………….but is it almost as bad to just drop a complete, regular turd?—————- (EVERYTHING I WROTE BEFORE THIS POINT WAS ON SUNDAY MORNING; THE REST IS SUNDAY EVENING)I mean, I guess I’m a dumbass. I don’t have the energy (nor the time; I have a real life job I gotta be ready for) to dive into what the hell happened on Sunday. I can’t hit you with “WELL ACTUALLYYYYYYY” points when Crochet—the guy who is supposed to be the stopper—goes and does whatever the fuck that was on Sunday. No excuses for that; you’re a smarter reader than that, so I will not patronize you with the “bright side” aft