Willson Contreras Takes a Hit to the Hand, Gets Good News After the Scare

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras took a pitch to the right hand in the first inning Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays and had to leave the game early. He got drilled by Rays right-hander Nick Martinez but managed to run the bases. Thing is, he didn't come back for the second inning, and the Red Sox immediately got worried.

Here's the good news: initial X-rays came back negative. The team sent him for imaging right away to check the damage, and the results showed just a contusion. Interim manager Chad Tracy kept it simple postgame: "Sore. That's all we know at this point," he said. "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."

A Tough Start for Contreras in Boston

This is Contreras' first season with the Red Sox, and he's been one of the team's best hitters so far. He's got eight homers and 23 RBIs while batting .259 through 39 games. The three-time All-Star turns 34 on Wednesday and brings a ton of postseason experience to the lineup.

The timing of this hit adds to the frustration. Contreras just tied the MLB lead for times hit by a pitch with eight, matching St. Louis' J.J. Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera. That's a lot of contact for one player.

Rays Win Big, Red Sox Fall Further Behind

Tampa Bay took down Boston 4-1, and the Red Sox dropped to 17-23 on the season. Andruw Monasterio replaced Contreras at first base and went 2-for-3 with a double, but that wasn't enough to keep pace with the Rays.

The good news is Boston has that off day Monday to figure out where Contreras stands. After that, we'll see if he can get back in the lineup and help the Red Sox get back on track.

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