The Red Sox are facing a challenging season, with their ace pitcher, Garrett Crochet, struggling to find his form. Crochet's recent performance has been a stark contrast to his impressive 2024 season, where he went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA and 255 strikeouts. This year, he has a 7.88 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP through five starts, with two sub-par outings and one utter catastrophe. His recent outing in Minnesota, where he gave up 11 runs in 1 ⅔ innings, was particularly concerning. Despite his talent and pedigree, Crochet's struggles have raised questions about his ability to perform at an elite level. The Red Sox's offense is also underperforming, ranking 25th in OPS and tied for dead last in baseball with 13 home runs. The team's rotation is also facing challenges, with Ranger Suárez and Brayan Bello struggling, and Sonny Gray leaving early with a hamstring injury. The Red Sox need Crochet to find his form, and he believes he knows the issue. He mentions that his mistakes are getting absolutely hammered when he's behind in the count, and he's willing to throw his four-seamer at the top zone at a high volume. Crochet's velocity is not a major concern, as it is in line with last season's results. However, his control may be an issue, as he has already hit four batters and has a higher walk rate. The Red Sox need Crochet to find his form, and they need several parts of the ballclub to play better. Crochet's struggles have raised concerns about his ability to perform at an elite level, and the Red Sox are facing a challenging season.
