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Willson Contreras has been named the Red Sox’s X-Factor for their Wild Card series against the Yankees
The Boston Red Sox have officially completed their miraculous midseason turnaround that saw them go from being one of the worst teams in the majors to one of the biggest playoff threats in the American League. After earning the No. 2 wild card seed in the American League, the Sox will hit the road for a three-game series against their hated rival, the New York Yankees.
This is the second straight year Boston and New York will square off in the wild card round, and after losing in three games last season, the Red Sox will be highly motivated to exact some revenge. In order to book a date with the Tampa Bay Rays in the divisional round, though, they are going to need star slugger Willson Contreras to step up and deliver the goods at the plate.
Willson Contreras Labeled Red Sox’s X-Factor for Yankees Series
Over the offseason, Contreras was picked up in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals to come in and add some pop to Boston’s lineup. He ended up being the team’s biggest addition at the plate, which was the subject of disappointment among fans when considering how Alex Bregman departed in free agency and guys like Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso signed elsewhere.
And yet, Contreras ended up turning in the best season of his career at the ripe age of 34. In 130 games, Contreras hit .275 while posting career highs in home runs (27) and RBIs (81). Those numbers helped him earn the fourth All-Star selection of his career, and if it weren’t for a couple of untimely injuries, he could have had an even bigger year.
One of those ailments is a hand injury that has been bugging Contreras over the past couple of weeks after he was hit by a pitch at the plate. After initially expressing doubt that he’d be able to play in the postseason, Contreras returned to the lineup for the team’s season finale on Sunday and will be on the roster for the wild card series. Now that he is good to go, MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today believes that Contreras will be Boston’s X-Factor against New York.
“He has been their best hitter all season, hitting .276 with 27 homers and 81 RBI, but missed eight consecutive games after being hit on the right hand with a pitch Sept. 17,” Nightengale wrote. “He returned Sunday as their DH and is expected to be fine for the postseason where he’s badly needed as their biggest offensive weapon.”
GettyBoston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy revealed that star 1B Willson Contreras should be available for the postseason.
Boston will go as far as its lineup takes it in the postseason, and for much of the year, Contreras has been the guy powering this group forward. With the team scuffling a bit as it enters the playoffs, Contreras is going to have to step up and find his form again after banging up his hand, or else this could be another short postseason run for the Sox.
Contreras won’t be alone in the lineup, as guys like Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela should be able to help lighten the burden on his shoulders against a tough Yankees pitching staff. When the Red Sox need a big hit, though, Contreras is going to be the guy they turn to, which makes him an extremely important player in this upcoming series.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is an Email Newsletter Editor & Breaking News Writer at Heavy Sports. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, NESN Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli