Crochet — who dropped to 13-5 with a 2.48 ERA in 24 starts — typically goes heavy with his fastball the first time through the lineup. He altered his approach slightly because of Houston’s “aggressive tendencies” that he noticed during the scouting process. So he mixed in more secondary pitches early.

Crochet was pummeled for five runs in four innings, his shortest outing with the Red Sox, and neither Bregman's two-run homer, nor a four-run seventh-inning rally, were enough.

The Boston Red Sox are likely to keep their $170 million All-Star from accepting an invitation he would "love."