Rain, Relievers, and Regret: Red Sox Fumble in Minnesota
A walk-off meltdown caps a damp, dismal night in which Boston’s bullpen proves the trade deadline isn’t coming fast enough.
Well, that was fun. Nothing like a 90-minute rain delay followed by a bullpen implosion to remind us that hope is a dangerous thing. The Red Sox, fresh off a pair of wins against the Dodgers and clinging to the illusion of momentum, decided to gift-wrap a walk-off win for the Minnesota Twins on Monday night. Final score: 5–4. Final mood: somewhere between existential dread and mild indigestion.
Let’s break down the latest chapter in Boston’s ongoing saga of “How Not to Win Baseball Games.”
The Setup: A Game That Started With Promise
Richard Fitts, Boston’s rookie right-hander, took the mound with a 4.86 ERA and a prayer. He gave us four innings of “meh,” allowing two runs on a homer by DaShawn Keirsey Jr.—a guy who hadn’t started in 29 games and entered the night hitting .099. That’s not a typo. It’s a cry for help.
Fitts danced through danger in the fourth, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam with a strikeout and a double play. That was the high point. Everything after that was a slow descent into bullpen roulette.
The Offense: Bregman Goes Boom, Everyone Else Goes Quiet
Alex Bregman, who’s apparently decided to carry the team on his back until his spine gives out, launched a three-run bomb in the fifth inning off Simeon Woods Richardson. That gave Boston a 3–2 lead and a fleeting sense of competence.
Roman Anthony added an RBI single in the ninth to make it 4–3. He also had two hits and two walks, which means he’s officially too good for this team.
Wilyer Abreu chipped in with three hits and a stolen base, because someone had to pad the box score. Jarren Duran doubled and swiped a bag. And then… silence. The Red Sox left nine runners on base and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Classic.
The Bullpen: A Masterclass in Meltdown
Jordan Hicks, who entered the game with a an ERA over 6 and the confidence of a man who hadn’t yet met the ninth inning, was handed the ball after the rain delay. He promptly allowed a single, hit two batters, and gave up a two-run walk-off single to Brooks Lee. It was Lee’s third walk-off hit of the season, because of course it was.
Hicks is now 1–7. That’s not a record—it’s a cry for help. The Red Sox bullpen, which had been quietly competent for most of July, chose this moment to remind us that no lead is safe and no delay is long enough to fix bad pitching.
The Twins: Spoiler Season Begins
Minnesota entered the game with a 50–55 record and all the enthusiasm of a team waiting for the trade deadline to gut their roster. Byron Buxton was out with ribcage irritation, which sounds like something you get from watching too many Red Sox games.
And yet, the Twins managed to scrape together eight hits, five runs, and one very soggy celebration. Brooks Lee, Mickey Gasper, and Willi Castro played the role of unlikely heroes, proving once again that you don’t need stars to beat Boston—you just need a pulse and a bat.
The Trade Deadline: Tick Tock
With the deadline looming on Thursday, the Red Sox front office has some decisions to make. Do they buy, sell, or pretend they’re still evaluating? The team sits at 57–51, barely clinging to a wild card spot and showing all the consistency of a coin toss.
Rumors swirl around bullpen upgrades, a potential outfield bat, and whether Alex Cora will finally get a reliever who doesn’t treat the ninth inning like a haunted house. But after Monday’s performance, the real question is: does this team deserve reinforcements, or just a group therapy session?
What’s Next: Giolito and the Bounce-Back Fantasy
Lucas Giolito (6–2, 3.97 ERA) takes the mound Tuesday against a Twins bullpen game. If ever there was a time to bounce back, this is it. But if history is any guide, expect a tight game, a few questionable managerial decisions, and a bullpen appearance that feels like Russian roulette.
Final Thoughts: Red Sox Gonna Red Sox
This loss wasn’t just painful—it was textbook. A promising start, a clutch homer, a late lead, and then a bullpen collapse so predictable it should be sponsored by Dramamine. The Red Sox continue to flirt with contention while ghosting consistency.
So if you’re still emotionally invested, congratulations. You’re either a masochist or a true fan. Either way, you deserve better.
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