Red Sox Get Rematch With Twins—This Time, They’re Ready

The Red Sox and Twins square off again, and this time Boston gets to play at home. That matters more than you’d think, because the first meeting in Minnesota left real scars—literally. Garrett Crochet’s brutal outing that resulted in an IL stint was a reminder that baseball can punish you in an instant, even when you’re sending your best arms to the mound.

But here’s what’s more important: that trip also produced a genuine breakout moment for Connelly Early. The young arm showed up when it counted, and now Early is part of a rotation that’s anchored by Brayan Bello, Payton Tolle, Ranger Suarez, and Sonny Gray. That’s a legitimately deep staff. Early’s emergence means the Red Sox aren’t banking everything on aging veterans or one dominant ace. They’re building something sustainable in the rotation—a rarity for this franchise in recent years.

The Twins are dangerous, no question. But the Red Sox lineup, with Willson Contreras behind the plate, Masataka Yoshida in the DH spot, and the speed of Ceddanne Rafaela in center field, can manufacture runs in multiple ways. Alex Cora’s teams thrive in these mid-May matchups where execution trumps talent. The bullpen, loaded with arms like Aroldis Chapman and depth options like Garrett Whitlock and Danny Coulombe, should keep games tight late.

What makes Round 2 different is context. Boston learned something in Minnesota about who they are and what they can survive. Crochet’s injury stung, but it didn’t derail them. Early’s performance proved they have answer-back arms ready. That’s championship-caliber resilience. The Twins are coming to Boston, not the other way around, and the Red Sox should be hungry to settle the score.