MINNEAPOLIS – The Twins can’t hit lefties. You know this. They know this. Everyone knows it.
But what if everyone was wrong? It’s early, but so far in 2026, Minnesota is making a habit not just of beating left-handers, but of absolutely taking it to the best lefties in the American League.
The latest victim was Red Sox star and mega-contract recipient Garrett Crochet, who allowed more than twice as many runs (11) as he recorded outs in a 13-6 Minnesota win at Target Field. The Twins have won five straight home games, seven of eight overall, and their last five games against left-handed starting pitchers.
Less than a week after chasing the Tigers' Tarik Skubal in the fifth inning and blasting Framber Valdez for six runs in the first, Minnesota hammered Crochet on Monday, dropping 11 runs on the Red Sox star in the first two innings.
It was a steady drip for the Twins against Crochet in the first, with two doubles, a single, a walk, a hit batter and a single adding up to four runs. But in the second, they brought the thunder.
With the bases loaded and one run in, Josh Bell hit a two-run double high off the wall in right field. Victor Caratini followed with a massive homer into the second deck in left field, making it 10-0. Ryan Kreidler added his first homer of the year to finish the onslaught, making it 11-0 and chasing Crochet after five outs.