![\"Alex](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776340387_408_Alex-Cora-Rob-Refsnyder.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Manager Alex Cora #13 of the Boston Red Sox.<\/p>\n
The Boston Red Sox<\/a> bounced back on Wednesday, beating the Minnesota Twins<\/a> 9-5 to snap a two-game losing streak. Trevor Story<\/a> drove in five runs. Connelly Early<\/a> pitched six innings. The win puts Boston 7-11 on the season.<\/p>\n Willson Contreras<\/a> was out for the win after getting injured in Tuesday\u2019s contest. He came off the field with lower back tightness at first base while fielding a ground ball. Andruw Monasterio<\/a> finished the night and started Wednesday at first base in his place.<\/p>\n After the win, the Red Sox got a notable update on Contreras, who has been one of their top performers this season.<\/p>\n Red Sox Get Fresh Update on Contreras<\/p>\n After the game, Contreras spoke to the media. \u201cI woke up feeling a lot better,\u201d he said. \u201cHopefully with a day off, it helps to be back in play on Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n Contreras noted this was not entirely new territory. A weightlifting session last year produced a similar flare-up in his back. That one resolved without a trip to the IL<\/a>. The expectation is the same outcome this time.<\/p>\n Alex Cora also addressed the situation before the win.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he\u2019ll benefit from today and tomorrow and be ready for Friday,\u201d Cora said.<\/p>\n The Red Sox needed to hear that. Contreras has been one of their best hitters since Opening Day. He is posting .298<\/a> with three home runs, a .491 slugging percentage, and an on-base percentage sitting at .444. <\/a>His defense at first base has been a stabilizing presence. His veteran voice in a young clubhouse has been just as important.<\/p>\n GettyST LOUIS, MISSOURI \u2013 APRIL 12: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox is congratulated after hitting a two-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals<\/a> in the first inning at Busch Stadium on April 12, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Boston Set to Begin Homestand<\/p>\n The Red Sox went out and won Wednesday without Contreras, 9-5 over the Twins.<\/p>\n But they will want him healthy for the upcoming homestand. Four games against the Detroit Tigers<\/a>, then three against the New York Yankees<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Red Sox are 7-11 heading into it. Story said after Wednesday\u2019s win that the team has yet to play close to their best baseball.\u00a0Depth at first base is thin. Monasterio is capable, but Contreras is a different kind of player.<\/p>\n GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA \u2013 APRIL 15: Roman Anthony<\/a> #19 of the Boston Red Sox takes an at-bat against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on April 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by David Berding\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Final Word for the Red Sox<\/p>\n Two rest days, a body that responded well overnight, and a manager confident enough to put a return date on the calendar. That is about as good as the Red Sox could have hoped for when Contreras walked off the field Tuesday night.<\/p>\n The homestand is a real test. Boston needs its best lineup to pass it. The signs point to Contreras returning in time.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tKeith Watkins<\/a> Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Red Sox\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Manager Alex Cora #13 of the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Red Sox bounced back on Wednesday,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":671561,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2375],"tags":[5,141,48,2542,4,89,2543],"class_list":{"0":"post-676883","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-boston-red-sox","8":"tag-baseball","9":"tag-boston","10":"tag-boston-red-sox","11":"tag-bostonredsox","12":"tag-mlb","13":"tag-red-sox","14":"tag-redsox"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116414254568515478","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=676883"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676883\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/671561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=676883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=676883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=676883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270586628-e1776238141965.jpg\")
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