Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet narrowly avoided a serious injury on Sunday after taking a line drive off the nose in the fourth inning of a 5–4 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park.

The incident occurred when Twins shortstop Carlos Correa hit a sharp comebacker that deflected off Crochet's glove and struck him in the face. Despite the impact, which left him briefly shaken and with a numb nose, Crochet remained in the game after a quick check by the medical staff. He even recorded an unusual assist on the play, as the ball ricocheted to second baseman Kristian Campbell, who threw out Correa at first base.

“It barely grazed me, honestly,” Crochet told reporters after the game. “Just more shaken up by the initial impact than anything.”

Crochet continued to pitch through the fifth inning, finishing with six strikeouts, two walks, and one earned run on four hits over 89 pitches. The only run he allowed came on the first pitch of the game, when Byron Buxton launched a solo home run.

While his velocity dipped slightly, his fastball averaged around 94 mph, down from his usual 95.9 mph, Crochet's resilience was evident. He now holds a 2.02 ERA with 56 strikeouts across 49 innings this season.

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Despite Crochet's strong outing, the Red Sox bullpen faltered again. Relievers Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten surrendered four runs over the final four innings, allowing the Twins to rally from a 3–1 deficit. Wilyer Abreu's solo homer in the eighth brought Boston within one, but Minnesota's Jhoan Duran closed the door in the ninth.

The loss dropped Boston to 19–17 on the season and marked their third blown lead in the past six games. Manager Alex Cora acknowledged the bullpen's struggles, stating, “We have to make sure we execute… There were a lot of two-out hits, two-strike hits, and we’ve just got to be better.”

Crochet, who signed a six-year, $170 million extension with the Red Sox earlier this season, continues to be a bright spot in the rotation. His ability to stay composed after a frightening moment underscores his value to the team.

The Red Sox will look to bounce back as they begin a new series against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.