April 7 (UPI) — Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras plans to “take out” a Milwaukee Brewers pitcher the next time he is hit by a pitch, he told reporters.
Contreras made the threat after the Brewers beat the Red Sox 8-6 on Monday in Boston. Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff hit Contreras with a 92.9-mph sinker in the third inning.
That marked the 24th time Contreras was hit by a pitch thrown by a Brewers player.
“They always say, ‘I’m not trying to hit you,”’ Contreras said. “That gets old. So, next time they hit me again, I’m going to take one of them out. That’s what happens. That’s the message.”
Brewers players have accounted for 18.3% of the times (131) he has been hit by a pitch in his career. Woodruff accounted for six of the Brewers’ 24 pitches to hit Contreras.
“He’s trying to play a game and he’s trying to get his side fired up,” Woodruff said of Contreras. “Once I knew what was going on, I wasn’t going to let it affect me on the mound. I knew I had a job to do.”
Contreras reached base five times Monday. He went 3 for 3 with a walk, in addition to the hit-by-pitch. He recorded an RBI double in the fourth inning and hit a 362-foot solo home run in the ninth.
The 11-year veteran has batted .235 with two home runs, a double and four RBIs through his first 10 games this season. Contreras, a three-time All-Star, was hit by two pitches so far this season.
Woodruff hit Contreras in the left hand/wrist area with his 40th pitch Monday. Contreras yelled toward the mound before going to first base. His brother, Brewers catcher William Contreras, stood between Woodruff and the Red Sox first baseman in an attempt to deescalate the situation.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy challenged the ruling, but the initial call was upheld. Contreras continued to shout at Woodruff before play resumed. He was ruled out when right fielder Wilyer Abreu grounded into a force out in the next at-bat. The Red Sox scored two runs in the inning to take a 3-0 lead.
They carried a 5-4 lead into the fifth, but didn’t score again. The Brewers tied the game in the top of the fifth. They added two runs in the eighth and another in the ninth to secure their eight win of the season.
Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Sam Moll hit Contreras with an 80.6-mph sweeper in his second appearance of the season. Contreras was hit by 23 pitches last season, the second-highest total of his career. He was plunked 24 times in 2022.
Woodruff allowed seven hits and five runs, including three earned runs, over 5 2/3 innings. He was not on record for a decision. Brewers relief pitchers Aaron Ashby, Grant Anderson and Angel Zerpa combined to allow just three hits and one run over the final 3 1/3 innings.
Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich went 3 for 4 with a double and RBI. Center fielder Garrett Mitchell went 2 for 5 with two RBIs.
Boston will host Milwaukee in the second game of the series at 6:45 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Fenway Park. The finale will be Wednesday.
The Red Sox (2-8) lost eight of their last nine games, including their last three. They sit in last place in the American League East, 5.5 games behind the division-leading New York Yankees (7-2). The Brewers (8-2), who won five of their last six games, sit atop the National League Central.
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