Browsing: Garrett

The New York Jets looked lost on offense for much of Sunday’s 13-11 defeat to the Denver Broncos, and one of the most notable moments came when star receiver Garrett Wilson appeared to have something of a heated exchange with head coach Aaron Glenn when the team wasn’t aggressive at the end of the first half.

He explained his mindset in the aftermath.

“I just didn’t know exactly what the plan was. Once I figured it out, I was disappointed. I’ll just say that,” Wilson told reporters.

“I didn’t know exactly what the plan was. Once we converted the fourth down, I just thought we were going for the, trying to make the play. Obviously, we get to another fourth down and it’s a tough spot to be in. In hindsight, I get why they did that, but in the moment, I was just like, ‘man…’. I don’t know. Yeah.”

New York started its possession with three minutes and 22 seconds remaining until halftime and used 10 plays to move 31 yards. It even ran a fake punt during that sequence and was near midfield in the final seconds.

Rather than attempt a Hail Mary with little to lose with intermission looming, the Jets decided to let the clock run out as they stood around on the field.

Wilson’s frustration was understandable, as the strategy made little sense. Even if Justin Fields threw an interception in the end zone, it would mean the end of the half and the same score assuming New York didn’t allow a 100-yard return.

It was part of an ugly day for the Jets.

Fields was sacked nine times, and the offense as a whole managed 82 total yards. New York still had an opportunity to win when it took the lead with a safety in the third quarter, but it didn’t score another point and fell behind for good with a Will Lutz field goal in the fourth quarter.

Denver wasn’t much better on offense itself in a game many fans would likely want to forget, but the Jets have far bigger problems with an 0-6 start to the campaign.

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Even though the Cleveland Browns couldn’t hang on for a win in Dillon Gabriel’s first career start, Myles Garrett praised the effort of the rookie quarterback in Sunday’s 21-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Garrett said Gabriel was “composed” throughout and gave them a chance to win.

“[Gabriel] looked like he usually does. Composed, making the plays that we know he can make,” Garrett said. “He put us in position to win. We’ve got to help ourselves out.”

One of the reasons that the Browns made the change at quarterback to Gabriel from Joe Flacco was turnovers. Flacco was tied for the NFL lead with eight turnovers (six interceptions) through the first four weeks.

Gabriel solved that problem, for at least one game, with no turnovers. He finished 19-of-30 for 190 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first time a Browns quarterback had multiple touchdown passes without a turnover since Jameis Winston in Week 11 last season.

The Browns took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter on Gabriel’s nine-yard touchdown pass to David Njoku. They held that advantage for most of the fourth quarter before the Vikings engineered an 80-yard drive that was capped off by a Jordan Addison touchdown catch with 25 seconds remaining.

Even though the Browns failed to reach the 20-point threshold for the fifth consecutive game to start this season, this was the first time their offense really looked like a competent NFL operation.

The combination of Gabriel and Quinshon Judkins, who ran for 110 yards on 23 carries, has given fans in Cleveland something to hold their hat on going forward.

Gabriel will lead the Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Week 6 looking for his first victory as a starter in the NFL.

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In the end, the Red Sox werenâ€t good enough.

There were, along the way, illusions to the contrary. Take, for instance, a scintillating performance from ace Garrett Crochet in the AL wild-card opener that put Boston in the driver’s seat. Still, it proved to be false hope. The Red Sox faltered late in a goose-bumping Game 2 before being absolutely dominated by rookie hurler Cam Schlittler in an all-deciding Game 3.

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Why exactly Bostonâ€s topsy-turvy 2025 season ended early can be chalk-talked into oblivion. A series of unfortunate, late-season injuries to star rookie Roman Anthony and No. 2 starter Lucas Giolito undoubtedly played a role in the teamâ€s downfall. So did a string of critical mistakes in Game 2 that tipped the scales toward the Yankees, namely a failed bunt attempt by Ceddanne Rafaela, a botched diving catch by Jarren Duran and an overly passive baserunning decision by third-base coach Kyle Hudson on what would’ve been the go-ahead run. And sure, maybe manager Alex Cora left rookie southpaw Connelly Early out to dry a little too long in Game 3.

But overanalyzing such minutiae is a waste of time.

The 2025 Red Sox were simply not capable of winning a World Series. They didnâ€t have the arms, they didnâ€t have the bats, and they didn’t have the gloves. The roster, all along, was too flawed to overcome. Against the Yankees, the Sox were effectively rolling out a lineup of Alex Bregman, Trevor Story, a defensive specialist in Rafaela, a solid catcher in Carlos Narváez and five platoon players. Crucially, nobody in the lineup except for Story instilled anything resembling fear in the hearts and minds of Yankees pitchers.

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I wonder if Rafael Devers watched the wild-card series.

[Get more Red Sox news: Boston team feed]

And while the rotation showed admirably in the wild-card round, it was unavoidably obvious that even with Giolitoâ€s unexpected absence, the staff was an arm or two short. That void on the roster shines a spotlight on the clubâ€s underwhelming trade deadline. Yes, the teamâ€s premier acquisition, starter Dustin May, spent the series on the IL, but he was far from the game-changing, needle-moving force that might have swung the thing in Bostonâ€s favor.

So where do the Red Sox go from here? Are there encouraging conclusions to draw from this most tumultuous season? Or are the Sox paper tigers in a division that remains an unforgiving jungle?

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Letâ€s start with the good.

Garrett Crochet proved to be a foundational piece to build a team around. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

(Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox via Getty Images)

Anthonyâ€s emergence was the most important development of Bostonâ€s season. Anybody, fan or professional ball-knower, who saw the 21-year-old in person this year knows that he is a difference-making hitter. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who has earned criticism for some of his maneuvers since taking over in the fall of 2023, deserves kudos for signing the powerful outfielder to a long-term deal. Anthony will make a ton of All-Star Games and serve as the centerpiece of Bostonâ€s lineup for years to come.

The arrivals and successes of a pair of young southpaws, Early and the mustached Payton Tolle, also provide reason for optimism. Both hurlers should compete for rotation spots next season, evidence that Bostonâ€s pitching development apparatus has taken a nice step forward. Storyâ€s offensive bounce-back, even though heâ€s under contract through only 2027, makes the near-term outlook rosier than it might have been. Bregman was a great fit as well, despite the seven-week quad injury that derailed his season.

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But there are reasons for concern as well.

Kristian Campbell made the big-league club out of camp and showed flashes at the plate in April before falling off a cliff in May. He was demoted on June 20 and never reappeared in the bigs. Campbell is currently a defensive liability without a real position, which gives him a shorter leash to find consistency with the bat. Getting him back on track is crucial. The same is true for fellow big-name prospect Marcelo Mayer, whose 2025 ended early due to a wrist injury. Mayerâ€s inability to hit left-handed pitching is a real worry spot, as is his inability to stay on the field. He needs a healthy 2026 to get back on track.

Bostonâ€s offensive position-player group still resembles a puzzle with no edge pieces. The Red Sox probably need to trade one of their two lefty-hitting outfielders, but both Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran took massive steps back this season, hurting their trade value. Players such as Nick Sogard, Nate Eaton and David Hamilton were helpful at times but are not impactful enough to form the backbone of a World Series contender. Masataka Yoshida finished the year hot but isn’t a particularly valuable player as a DH with no power who struggles against same-sided pitching.

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Oh, and Bregman is a sure bet to activate his opt-out and retest free agency. Even if the Sox re-sign him, the lineup feels at least two bats short.

And while the club has more financial flexibility after dealing away the Devers contract, there is legitimate skepticism that Breslow and the ownership will be aggressive enough in free agency to add the necessary pieces. That dynamic, plus the disappointing seasons from Campbell, Mayer, Duran, Abreu and Yoshida, calls into question whether this core is talented enough to compete for a championship.

Thatâ€s unfortunate, given just how magnificent of a win the Crochet trade and extension have proven to be. The southpaw is an aceâ€s ace, the type of pitcher strong enough to carry the hopes and expectations of a city as demanding as Boston. But as weâ€ve seen with Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh and Tarik Skubal in Detroit, one Cy Young cannot singlehandedly win a title.

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As such, Bostonâ€s front office needs to be more proactive in taking advantage of this window. Simply employing an arm such as Crochet makes the Red Sox a force to be reckoned with, but itâ€s reasonable to doubt that they will make other necessary moves on the margins, as their half-measure approach at this yearâ€s deadline showcased.

Thereâ€s an enticing foundation here, but whether the building gets built remains an open question.

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Sep 14, 2025, 11:57 PM ETBOSTON — The Boston Red Sox went out and picked up Garrett Crochet for a…

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BOSTON – The Red Sox hoped for some semblance of momentum as they wrapped up an already lost rivalry series against the Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball.

What they got was a surge of electricity from Garrett Crochet on the mound, and some much-needed, early bolts of lightning from the offense in a 6-4 win.

No sooner had Crochet mowed down the Yankees with a swift opening frame that included two strikeouts had Bostonâ€s first five batters — Jarren Duran, Alex Bregman, Trevor Story, Nathaniel Lowe and Romy Gonzalez — produced hits to pace a six-run bottom of the first.

The hope is that the burst — which included a 12-strikeout performance from Crochet over six innings — will set the tone for the final two weeks of the regular season.

“He sets the tone for us,†said Story. “And like I’ve said, that’s what the big boys do. They go out there in the game that you really need to win, and he posted for us. Thatâ€s what heâ€s been doing all year.â€

Through 30 starts, Crochet is 16-5 with a 2.63 ERA.

With 12 games to go, the Red Sox are 1 1/2 games behind their rivals (Boston owns the tiebreaker) for the top American League Wild Card spot while leading the Astros (currently in the third spot) by a game. The Sox also own the tiebreaker against Houston.

“If you told me in Fort Myers, weâ€d be in a playoff spot with two weeks left, I would have taken it. I know people here would have taken it, too,†said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Weâ€re not perfect, like I always say. But itâ€s a good baseball team. Be ready for Tuesday.â€

Mondayâ€s off-day will now be more enjoyable for the Red Sox after a fruitful Sunday.

The six-run first wound up being a key to the game. Boston didnâ€t score again, as it turned out. And the Yankees got home runs from Amed Rosario, Aaron Judge and José Caballero to tighten it to a two-run game by the top of the seventh.

Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman, Bostonâ€s top 1-2 punch all season, got the final six outs to preserve the important win.

As Chapman reached back to end the game with a 101.5-mph heater that Caballero swung through, the announced Fenway crowd of 35,437 had the type of deep-throated roar you could hear again in October, if Boston can get there for the first time since 2021.

“The energy out there, it was amazing,†said Chapman. “The fans were going crazy. It was very good, and the crowd had very good energy with the game close. It felt good to pitch in that atmosphere.â€

Of late — or more specifically, since the Sept. 2 left oblique injury to Roman Anthony that has placed the remainder of the star rookieâ€s season in question — Boston had appeared flat, going 3-6 before Sundayâ€s rebound effort.

There have been several swings of momentum already in this season for the Red Sox, and now they need one final one in their direction for this final stretch run.

Underrated right fielder Wilyer Abreu, second behind Story on the team in home runs, should be back at some point this week.

Each start by Crochet will be crucial the rest of the way, and the lefty looks primed to lead the Red Sox to October should they get there.

He joined Chris Sale and Pedro Martinez as the only pitchers in club history with 230+ strikeouts and fewer than 60 runs allowed in at least one 30-outing span.

At some point, Crochet might look at numbers like that and be honored by the company he’s in. But right now, heâ€s caught in the moment.

“Really trying hard to avoid the sweep today against a really good ball club,†Crochet said. “We’ve had some tough series of late. Obviously this one up until today was going in the wrong direction. So just trying to right the ship. The offense came out in a big way early and I was just trying my best to maintain that lead for as long as my outing lasted.â€

As the Red Sox and Yankees bid adieu after a season series in which Boston won nine of the 13 games, there was a sense the sides could meet again for a best-of-three Wild Card series that would start Sept. 30.

“That’s way too far ahead for us to even think or talk about,†said Story. “Obviously, there’s a lot of baseball to be played, and the standings are going to shake out how they do, but yeah, two good teams, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see [them] in the playoffs.â€

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