Willson Contreras Takes a Nick Martinez Fastball to the Hand and the Red Sox Dodged a Bullet

Boston's Willson Contreras got drilled on the right hand by Tampa Bay's Nick Martinez in the first inning of Sunday's game and immediately left the field, but here's the good news: initial X-rays came back negative. The Red Sox caught a break when the scans showed no fractures, just a contusion that had the veteran first baseman sore but presumably ready to get evaluated after Monday's off day.

The Hit and the Immediate Concern

Contreras took the pitch, ran the bases, but didn't take the field for the second inning as Boston's medical staff got him imaging to figure out what they were dealing with. Interim manager Chad Tracy kept it simple postgame: "Sore. That's all we know at this point. And obviously we have an off day (Monday). That helps a lot, and then we'll kind of reevaluate and see how he feels and hopefully we're OK there."

The timing of the injury is actually fortunate. That Monday breather gives Contreras time to rest before the team decides whether he can get back in the lineup.

Contreras' Early Season and a Troubling Pattern

This was the eighth time Contreras has been hit by a pitch this season, tying him with St. Louis' J.J. Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera for the MLB lead. It's a stat that shows just how much he's putting his body on the line at the plate. The 34-year-old three-time All-Star leads Boston with eight homers and 23 RBIs while batting .259 through 39 games in his first season with the Red Sox. Over his career with the Cubs, Cardinals, and now Boston, Contreras carries a .258 average with 180 homers and 571 RBIs across 1,116 games.

Andruw Monasterio stepped in at first base and went 2-for-3 with a double, but nobody's counting on the backup to replace what Contreras brings to this lineup.

A Tough Sunday in Tampa

The Red Sox couldn't salvage the day overall. Tampa Bay took the game 4-1, dropping Boston to 17-23 on the season. At least they get a breather before they have to figure out whether their first baseman is ready to roll.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.