Willson Contreras Leaves Red Sox Game After HBP, Raising Offensive Concerns

In the first inning of a Sunday home game versus the Tampa Bay Rays, Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras was struck on the right hand by a 94.2 mph sinker (some outlets called it a fastball) from pitcher Nick Martinez. He winced, limped to first, and was examined by interim manager Chad Tracy and a trainer. He stayed in the lineup, but Andruw Monasterio replaced him at first base for the second inning. The injury was classified as a right-hand contusion.

ESPNRed Sox first baseman Contreras leaves game with bruised hand after getting hit by pitchWillson Contreras Leaves Red Sox Game Following Hit By PitchHeavyFanSidedWillson Contreras leaves game as Red Sox wait for answers after HBP scareRed Sox 1B Willson Contreras forced to leave game after getting drilled in hand

Contreras arrived in Boston in December via a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, bringing a five-year, $87.5 million contract through 2027 with a 2028 option. The trade aimed to shore up a lineup lacking power.

Heavy

Through 38 games, Contreras posts a .259/.376/.467 line, .842 OPS (OPS+ 139), eight homers, 23 RBIs, 1.5 WAR and is tied for the MLB lead with eight HBPs. Defensively he records four runs saved and a 98th-percentile rating. Boston’s OPS sits at .668, making his production vital to a struggling offense.

Heavy

Interim manager Chad Tracy said quick scans of Contreras’s hand were negative but he was sore, and the team will re-evaluate him Monday and Tuesday after X-ray imaging. Boston also monitors injuries to Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet.

Red Sox first baseman Contreras leaves game with bruised hand after getting hit by pitch

Analysts point to Contreras’s habit of crowding the plate—carried over from his catching days—as a trait that boosts on-base chances but raises HBP and injury risk.

Willson Contreras leaves game as Red Sox wait for answers after HBP scare

Sources differ on whether the pitch was a fastball or sinker and on the wording of medical clearance (“quick scans” vs. “initial tests”). Some note prior left-hand discomfort. His slash line is reported as .259/.376/.467 in some reports and .259/.380/.467 in others.

FanSided

The Red Sox will X-ray Contreras’s right hand Monday, reassess Tuesday, and decide his status for the three-game series against the Phillies.

Heavy

• “The quick scans that we do here came back negative, which is good,” — Chad Tracy, interim manager, Boston Red Sox

Red Sox first baseman Contreras leaves game with bruised hand after getting hit by pitch

• “Sore. That’s all we know at this point. ... We’ll kind of re-evaluate him (Monday) and the next day and see how he feels.” — Chad Tracy, interim manager, Boston Red Sox

Red Sox first baseman Contreras leaves game with bruised hand after getting hit by pitch

• “He and Wilyer Abreu have carried the Boston offense while so many others have struggled, and Contreras has also continued to elevate his defense at first base,” — Tim Britton, senior writer, The Athletic

Heavy

• “Contreras tends to crowd the plate, which he also did as a catcher — it'll help him get on base by being plunked every once in a while, but the risk of injury is also high.” — Bosox Injection analysis

Willson Contreras leaves game as Red Sox wait for answers after HBP scare