After the Purple Sox lastly received one thing resembling momentum going with back-to-back sequence victories towards an excellent Brewers workforce and a Cardinals workforce that has made anyone following MLB say “Hey they really aren’t as dangerous as I assumed they’d be,” they exit and lay eggs like that over the previous week. That show through the first two video games in Minnesota was brutal—extra on that first recreation in only a bit—whereas I really feel like I’d be capable to purchase SB Nation myself if I had a greenback for each time Boston did not capitalize with runners in scoring place over the weekend towards Detroit.
They couldn’t even climb again to a .500 file for the week throughout Margaritaville Day on Sunday. If the Sox can’t stand up for Jimmy and his reminiscence, possibly we actually are doomed this season.
I suppose being this far beneath .500 just a few weeks into the season beats being 2-8, however solely simply barely. “Yeah, no shit Fitz,” I hear you clicking away at your keyboard, “that’s how numbers work.”
That’s honest, however at the least there had been some indicators of life in current days. Your ace getting his ass kicked to start the week was terrible, however six runs that night time was nothing to sneeze at even when the sport was utterly gone. One other crooked quantity within the finale towards the Twins was good, even when the offense was then sluggish the following few video games. Ranger Suarez had himself an incredible night time Friday, making it two high quality begins in a row. My spouse received a type of Metropolis Join cooler cups on Friday, in order that’s an enchancment I suppose.
Jokes apart, whereas there have been some positive-ish developments in current days, I can’t shake the sense of disappointment to this point—and I’m positive you possibly can’t both, pricey reader.
It’s Monday Morning Brushback time, y’all.
I Don’t Even Have A Enjoyable Pun For This Part
I don’t know tips on how to correctly begin this part aside from by merely asking: what on this planet occurred to Garrett Crochet on Monday?
In lower than two innings of labor, he coughed up eleven runs (ten of which have been earned; kinda humorous to me that a type of runs was unearned however I digress) throughout 9 hits. Top-of-the-line strikeout pitchers within the recreation did not retire anyone by the use of the Okay in his abbreviated begin, by far the worst certainly one of his Purple Sox tenure to this point. Let’s hope it stays as his worst begin for Boston, I suppose.
Our very personal Keagan Stiefel did a nice write-up on a not-so-nice look from our ace, so I’d recommend studying that if you wish to dive a bit extra into that catastrophe class. The headline it’s good to know after this stinker, although, is that the stuff was down throughout the board. The velo particularly dropped by at the least a full tick on all of his choices in Minnesota.
For what it’s value, each Crochet himself together with the teaching workers stated there have been no harm issues after the sport. Crochet was even shocked that there have been dips within the velo.
A few issues right here. First, I’m glad he’s seemingly wholesome. A BBQ chicken alert for the ace of the pitching workers can be so deflating. But on the identical time, I don’t know whether or not to specific concern that nobody appears to know what the hell occurred towards the Twins or to simply snicker at that truth. Your prized pig goes out and will get slaughtered and you then simply throw your fingers up and mumble “I dunno” in confusion—that’s simply humorous.
Perhaps it actually was only a one-off, dangerous night time that we are able to snicker about sooner or later………
……….however is it virtually as dangerous to simply drop an entire, common turd?
—————- (EVERYTHING I WROTE BEFORE THIS POINT WAS ON SUNDAY MORNING; THE REST IS SUNDAY EVENING)
I imply, I suppose I’m a dumbass. I don’t have the power (nor the time; I’ve an actual life job I gotta be prepared for) to dive into what the hell occurred on Sunday. I can’t hit you with “WELL ACTUALLYYYYYYY” factors when Crochet—the man who is meant to be the stopper—goes and does regardless of the fuck that was on Sunday. No excuses for that; you’re a better reader than that, so I can’t patronize you with the “vibrant aspect” after that show.
To his credit score, Crochet is going through the music.
Both manner, dude, come the fuck on.
I dunno man. I’m pissed. I’m drained. Let’s transfer on; I don’t wanna take into consideration this dangerous efficiency anymore. What’s gonna occur? Am I gonna complain about one other pitc———
Have you ever seen how usually Purple Sox pitchers, particularly Purple Sox starters, have been throwing cutters this yr?
After that includes it as a secondary pitch in yr’s previous, Sonny Gray has made it his major providing by throwing it 22% of the time. The cutter had overtaken the four-seam fastball as Crochet’s most-thrown pitch to this point in 2026 (previous to Sunday’s begin, for full transparency). Ranger Suarez has thrown it 20% of the time, which might be a profession excessive if that utilization retains up.
It looks like we’re constructing a lot of the airplane out of cutters. In a vacuum, maybe that concept has some benefit. The chew of a cutter might be deadly in both prolong the zone to get guys to chase, or to tie batters up with one thing on their fingers, all whereas retaining batters sincere with some velo to go together with the motion. Mixing the glove-side motion of a cutter together with, say, any arm-side motion you would get with a sinker is a stable combo. When executed properly, it’s a rattling good sort of fastball.
That’s the factor, although: it’s not all the time executed properly. Not everybody has a Mariano Rivera-y cutter.
The minimize fastball for Mr. Grey, for instance, has labored for him thus far. Opposing batters have solely slugged .263 when hacking at Sonny’s cutter, and that pitch’s anticipated slugging proportion is barely at .327. It’s not like he’s getting barreled up on that pitch (possibly on different pitches, however that’s one other story). Whereas the Minnesota recreation may need thrown a wrench into Crochet’s 2026 pattern, the cutter labored very well for him final yr; hitters going through Garrett in 2025 slugged south of .400 and had an xwOBA (translate to “high quality of contact” for these of you who like plain English; can’t blame ya, appears like there are new analytical stats invented on daily basis!) slightly below .300 when going through his cutter.
However take into account somebody like Brayan Bello, who’s cutter utilization has jumped from 16% final yr to 26% this yr. It’s overtaken his sweeper as his major glove-side providing in 2026.
My query about that change is straightforward: Why? Why are we doing that? I perceive I’m doing an armchair pitching coach factor right here, however whenever you take a look at the numbers right here it’s a little bit of a head scratcher. Bello’s cutter has, by and huge, not been a invaluable pitch.
He launched a cutter into his arsenal (1-2 to Man Metropolis, uggh) in 2023—and he solely threw it 38 instances that yr, so I acknowledge that it’s not a major sufficient a pattern to base a complete thesis on—to the tune of a 1.083 slugging proportion and a .665 xSLG. Perhaps that’s why he didn’t throw it rather a lot in 2023; actually, he shelved it utterly in 2024. After a fallow yr, Bello threw his minimize fastball 423 instances in 2025, although the outcomes have been nonetheless not superb: .437 slugging proportion, however a .506 xSLG.
I don’t learn about you, however after I take a look at these numbers I don’t see a pitch that’s screaming to turn into the second-most deployed providing and the first pitch to throw when you’re searching for any glove-side motion. With that in thoughts, possibly you perceive why I’m confused about an uptick of ten proportion factors for this minimize fastball from Bello. You may additionally not be shocked to be taught that after 94 cutters thrown in 2026, Bello’s slugging proportion surrendered on that pitch is .471 (so, worse than final yr) on a .541 xSLG (once more, worse that final yr). Bello is throwing a not-great pitch extra usually this season and getting not-great outcomes.
The one factor I’ll say in protection of his cutter is that he’s getting a ton of swings-and-misses on it thus far this yr (57.4% whiff price, rattling), however forgive me if that put away potential isn’t shifting me a ton contemplating that he’s did not make it by 5 innings in three of his first 4 appearances this yr.
The dude had a 3.35 ERA final yr! The FIP was north of 4.00 in 2025, positive, however there’s a stable starter in there that doesn’t have to have his repertoire scrambled to succeed. I’m all for attempting new issues on the mound to see if it really works, and maybe we’re nonetheless within the tinkering part. Not all experiments work, although, and I’m curious to see if/when the Sox pull the plug on a cutter-dominant strategy for Bello in 2026.
Happily for you, pricey reader, I come bearing nice information: I’ve secured two water cooler cups from Fenway Park.
I like consuming. Consuming—particularly at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts—is my favourite exercise on this planet.
And isn’t that crucial issue of the final two dwelling serieseseseseseses? The truth that I’m nonetheless consuming? The truth that that why we play at Fenway? Every thing is nice! I like baseball! Every thing guidelines! Nothing is dangerous! It’s unlawful to say that issues are dangerous! We’re good! Baseball! Sports activities!
Music of the Week: “Electrical Zoo” by SpongeBob I Suppose???? I Dunno Right here’s A ten Hour Model
Be good to one another and go sports activities!
