Willson Contreras didn’t hold back after getting hit by a pitch from Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff during the Red Sox’s loss to Milwaukee on Monday night.
This encounter marked the 24th time Contreras has been hit by a pitch from the Brewers, with Woodruff being responsible for six of those incidents.
He remarked, “They always say, ‘I’m not going to hit you.’ That’s getting old. Next time they hit me, I’m gonna take one of them out. That’s the message.”
Contreras added, “I took exception to that. I knew my brother was behind me. It was like, ‘Okay, you hit me… let’s see what happens next.’ ”
The latest hit occurred in the third inning, where Woodruff accidentally clipped Contreras’s finger with a pitch, escalating tensions.
On his way to first base, Contreras took a swing at a Brewers pitcher, and soon enough, Woodruff responded as they neared each other. Fortunately, umpires, the Brewers catcher, and William Contreras, Willson’s younger brother, stepped in to break it up.
Yet, the heat between Contreras and the Brewers didn’t dissipate. Following Wylier Abreu’s ground out, Contreras slid into second base hard, catching Brewers shortstop David Hamilton, who needed some attention from a trainer.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy approached the umpires after the play, but Contreras could still be seen visibly upset from the dugout.
He expressed, “Nobody enjoys getting hit. But, like I said, this is my 24th time. They’re doing it on purpose. That’s just how it is with pitching. But if they hit me again, they’ll know: I’m coming after one of them.”
Contreras added, “I don’t think any other team has targeted me like they do. I don’t care what they call me, or what they think. My health is my priority. If they disregard that and hit me again, I’m definitely going to retaliate.”
