BOSTON — Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras delivered a stern message to the Milwaukee Brewers following Monday night’s game after being struck by yet another pitch from the team that has hit him more than any other in his career.
“They always say, ‘I’m not trying to hit you,’” Contreras stated after Milwaukee defeated Boston 8-6 at Fenway Park. “That gets old. So, next time they hit me again, I’m going to take one of them out. That’s a message.”
Throughout his major league career, Contreras has been struck by pitches 131 times, with the Brewers accounting for 24 of those incidents — significantly more than any other team he’s faced. His contentious relationship with Milwaukee pitcher Brandon Woodruff runs particularly deep, as Woodruff has hit Contreras six separate times.
Following Monday’s beaning, Contreras shouted at Woodruff while standing on first base. Later in the game, during a force play situation, Contreras made an aggressive slide into second base, making contact with shortstop David Hamilton’s left knee with his cleats and ripping Hamilton’s uniform pants.
“I mean, we’ve been through that. It’s been like nine years for me. It seems like every year,” Woodruff responded. “He’s trying to play a game and he’s trying to get his side fired up, which is fine. Once I knew what was going on, I wasn’t going to let it affect me.”
Prior to joining Boston through an offseason trade, Contreras spent his entire 10-year major league career in the National League Central division, facing Milwaukee frequently while playing for both the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.
The Monday night incident occurred when Woodruff’s fastball struck Contreras on his left hand, barely grazing his fingers. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy disputed the hit-by-pitch ruling and requested a replay review, but the original call stood.
“I thought it wasn’t a hit by pitch,” Murphy explained. “That’s why we challenged it. Those are really hard to get overturned.”
Adding an interesting family dynamic to the situation, Contreras’ younger brother William served as Milwaukee’s catcher during Monday’s contest.
When asked if he attempted to defuse his older brother’s anger as they walked toward first base together, William replied simply: “I tried. He plays like that.”
Despite the tension, Willson Contreras had a productive offensive night, launching a solo home run in the ninth inning and reaching base five times total. He celebrated emphatically by flipping his bat after both the homer and a first-inning walk.
In a professional moment during the game, William Contreras challenged a 2-0 pitch to his brother that was ruled a ball, though the call was confirmed by the automated ball-strike system.
“I was going to check it whether it was my bother at the plate or not,” William Contreras said through a translator. “I saw it a little closer than it was.”
The two teams will complete their three-game series with two remaining matchups.
