With the postseason on the horizon, the Boston Red Sox just suffered a potentially massive injury. Star first baseman Willson Contreras exited Boston’s game on Thursday against the Texas Rangers after getting hit by a pitch.
When Contreras got injured, the Red Sox were trailing 3-1 in the top of the eighth inning. With a runner on first, Jakob Junis of the Rangers missed his spot inside, hitting Contreras. To make matters worse, Contreras was seemingly checking his swing, making it so the ball got to his right hand.
Contreras stands very close to the plate and gets hit by pitches fairly often. He led MLB in hit-by-pitches in 2020, and this HBP was his 24th of the season. It ties a personal record for a single season. It’s part of his approach at the plate, and he is used to it. So, there is some obvious concern when the Red Sox took him out.
The Red Sox moved Nick Sogard to first base following the injury. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, meanwhile, pinch ran and took over for Sogard at second base. Trevor Story went on to hit a three-run home run and Boston won 4-3.
The Boston Red Sox Just Got Willson Contreras Back From Injury
The 2026 season has been a phenomenal one for Willson Contreras. He hits well at Fenway Park and has become an emotional leader on the Red Sox. However, he’s also been battling through a few different injuries.
The most prominent of those injuries was a recent hamstring injury. The Red Sox were forced to put Contreras on the IL and he wasn’t able to play from September 1st until September 13th.
In the four games that Contreras has been back with the Red Sox, he has been hitting well. He’s 4 for 12 at the plate with a pair of RBIs. On the bases, he’s also run well, making it seem like he had completely gotten over the hamstring issue.
“I had to. I don’t want to get booed again,” Contreras previously joked. “So I made sure my hamstring was 100%. I tested it last night in Portland. Went first to third. Felt good. And that’s why I decided to be activated today, because my leg felt great.”
Now, the Red Sox are going to need to find a new way to navigate Contreras’ health. Hopefully, it’s not a major issue that will force him to take another stint on the IL, but what’s most important is that he’s healthy for the postseason.
The Red Sox Need Willson Contreras for the Postseason
At this point, the Red Sox are focused on the postseason with their slot in the second Wild Card largely locked in. So, the focus has been on getting healthy and hitting their stride at the right time.
Amid all of that, the Red Sox have seen their lineup struggle. Losing Willson Contreras would only make that worse.
This season, Contreras is hitting .275 with a .386 OBP, .519 slugging percentage, and .906 OPS. He also has a career-high 27 home runs and 81 RBIs. It’s a bat that the Red Sox can’t afford to lose for the postseason.
There also isn’t a clear-cut replacement for Contreras if he’s going to miss a significant amount of time. That’s also going to hurt on the defensive end. So, hopefully, it’s nothing major.
Red Sox 1B Willson Contreras Exits Rangers Game With New Injury