{"id":668360,"date":"2026-04-07T13:04:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/668360\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T13:04:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:04:19","slug":"red-sox-willson-contreras-will-take-one-of-them-out-if-brewers-hit-him-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/668360\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Sox\u2019 Willson Contreras will \u2018take one of them out\u2019 if Brewers hit him again"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three hours after the Brewers hit him with another pitch, Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras remained furious late Monday night, promising to \u201ctake one of them out\u201d if it happens again \u2014 and making that promise repeatedly.<\/p>\n

Milwaukee righthander Brandon Woodruff\u2019s up-and-in sinker grazed Contreras\u2019s hand in the third inning. He was mad on his slow walk to first base, to which he was escorted by his brother, Brewers catcher William Contreras, and was still mad at first base, barking at Woodruff, after a replay review allowed the call to stand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just the hit by pitch. That\u2019s the 24th time they\u2019ve hit me in my career \u2014 24th. That\u2019s the sixth time [Woodruff] has hit me,\u201d Contreras said after the Red Sox\u2019 8-6 loss<\/a> at Fenway Park \u201cAnd they always say, \u2018I\u2019m not trying to hit you.\u2019 That gets old. So next time they hit me again, I\u2019m going to take one of them out. That\u2019s a message.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Contreras had those statistics off the top of his head, and he was correct. Milwaukee has plunked him 24 times in 121 games, all but Monday\u2019s coming while Contreras was an NL central foe with the Cubs and Cardinals. That is the most HBPs of an active player by any team.<\/p>\n

Woodruff has gotten him six times in 30 plate appearances.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 24th time, it\u2019s not [a] coincidence,\u201d Contreras said. \u201cThey\u2019re going there with a purpose. And that\u2019s fine, that\u2019s pitching. But next time you hit me, the message is clear: I\u2019m going to take one of them out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"WithWith his brother, Brewers catcher William Contreras, looking on, Willson Contreras pointed to where a pitch hit his hand in the third inning at Fenway Park on Monday night.Danielle Parhizkaran\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n

The Brewers seemed unbothered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been through this \u2026 it seems like every year,\u201d Woodruff told Milwaukee reporters. \u201cHe\u2019s trying to play a game and he\u2019s trying to get his side fired up. Once I knew what was going on, I wasn\u2019t going to let it affect me on the mound. I knew I had a job to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christian Yelich said: \u201cWe\u2019ve seen that skit for the last 10 years. It\u2019s nothing new. Not surprising. You just keep it rolling. You got a game to win and lock the boys in, rally the troops.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Contreras, of facing Milwaukee: \u201cWhen they come to town, or we go there, it\u2019s a different mind-set for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The awkward part: William Contreras, five years younger than Willson.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried [to calm Willson down], but it\u2019s impossible,\u201d William said.<\/p>\n

Woodruff said: \u201cIt\u2019s unique, for sure, for them to get to play against each other. When stuff\u2019s going on like that, I\u2019m sure it\u2019s not easy on William.\u201d<\/p>\n

Has Willson spoken with William about this?<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we don\u2019t need to talk about it,\u201d Willson said.<\/p>\n

\"WillsonWillson Contreras reached base five times Monday night, including a solo home run in the ninth inning.Danielle Parhizkaran\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n

Willson Contreras, acquired via trade with the Cardinals in December<\/a>, wound up having by far the biggest game of the young season, reaching base a career-high-tying five times. He had three hits (in three at-bats), matching his total from the previous four games. And he homered in the ninth, complete with a bat flip and, as he rounded third base, staring into the Brewers dugout.<\/p>\n

His fire was a frequent presence. During that third-inning sequence, he slid hard into second base on a force out, tearing the pant leg of shortstop David Hamilton.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t say purposeful, because he stayed on the bag,\u201d Contreras said. \u201cThat was a perfect, legal slide. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon returning to the dugout, he continued to yell (when he paused his pacing). When he made a diving stop of a ground ball to retire Jake Bauers to end the top of the sixth, Contreras stared him down.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes when I play angry, I play better,\u201d Contreras said. \u201cI don\u2019t know why. But that\u2019s who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

Contreras predicted to a teammate \u2014 Ceddanne Rafaela or Andruw Monasterio, he said \u2014 earlier Monday that the Brewers would hit him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they did,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s going to happen maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day, but they\u2019re going to hit me again. And we\u2019ll see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Red Sox host the Brewers at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday and 1:35 p.m. Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care what they call it, I don\u2019t care what they say,\u201d Contreras said. \u201cThe only thing I care about is my health. If they don\u2019t care about my health, and they hit me again, I\u2019m going to try to take one of them out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim Healey can be reached at timothy.healey@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @timbhealey<\/a>.<\/p>\n