Red Sox Infielder Andruw Monasterio Just Made the Worst ABS Challenge of 2026 and the Opposing Catcher Couldn't Hide His Disgust

Okay, so here's the thing about fair coverage: if you're going to call out bad umpire calls all season long, you gotta own it when a player makes an absolute clown decision with the ABS Challenge system. And buddy, Andruw Monasterio just gave us the most painful example of the year.

Top of the 6th inning, Red Sox trailing the Twins 5-0, runner on first, one out, 2-2 count. The pitch? Basically right down the middle. Like, no debate. This thing was a strike and everyone in the stadium knew it. But Monasterio challenged it anyway. I get it. You're down five runs, you want to spark something, you want to manufacture a rally. But this wasn't manufactured. This was just bad.

The Catcher's Reaction Says It All

Here's the part that's going to stick with you: Victor Caratini, the opposing catcher, literally shook his head at the umpire. And it looked like he was shaking it at Monasterio too. That's the kind of moment that tells you everything. When the other team's defensive player is visibly disappointed in your challenge, you've messed up. The disgust was almost palpable.

The Red Sox Have No Clue What They're Doing

This isn't an isolated thing either. The Red Sox came into Tuesday's game having used the fewest challenges in all of baseball. So either they're being super conservative, or they just don't understand how to use this tool. Given what we just saw, I'm leaning toward the second one. And yeah, Monasterio rocking the sport glasses didn't help the optics here.

The Red Sox lost the game, dropping to 6-11. They might actually stink. But at least Monasterio's terrible challenge gave us something to laugh about. Small wins, right?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.