Willson Contreras ejected in second straight game

The five-game suspension begins on Thursday and will see Contreras back for the second game after the All-Star break, where Boston is taking on the Rays. Contreras fouled a pitch off his foot and was likely to sit today either way, so it makes sense to start the clock now. He’ll miss three games against Mets pitching over the weekend, reappear for the Home Run Derby, then return in the second half of a doubleheader against Tampa Bay on Friday.

Contreras left Wednesday night’s game after fouling a pitch off of his foot. He didn’t believe he was dealing with anything other than a bruise, but he was also noticeably limping when he left the game. The Red Sox will give him at least one day off and go from there. Brett Harris, just up from Triple-A, will bat eighth and play first base, and Romy Gonzalez will hit cleanup and be the DH. Nate Eaton is also batting seventh and in left field after coming off the suspension list.

Harris will start at first base against the White Sox on Thursday after Willson Contreras fouled a ball off of his foot on Wednesday and had to leave the game. There is no word yet on whether or not Contreras will need to go on the injured list, but, for one day at least, Harris will take his place at first base.

Contreras expressed optimism that he doesn’t believe he’s dealing with anything more than a bruise after fouling a ball off his left foot during Wednesday’s contest against the White Sox. It doesn’t sound like he’ll undergo any imaging at this time. He’ll continue playing until the appeal process is complete regarding his seven-game suspension stemming from last week’s on-field incident against the Nationals.

There’s a lot to unpack here. Contreras limped off the field following a third-inning fly out where he appeared to roll his ankle while rounding first base and was replaced by Romy Gonzalez at first base after going 0-for-2. He also fouled a ball off his foot earlier in the contest. It’s possible his exit was for precautionary reasons to avoid making matters worse. The 34-year-old accepted an invite to compete in next week’s All-Star Home Run Derby earlier in the day. He’s also waiting on the appeal process to play out regarding a seven-game suspension. He’ll undergo further evaluation and testing to determine the severity of the injury. There should be an update on his status prior to Thursday’s series finale in Chicago.

Contreras gets his wish after expressing a desire to compete in the derby earlier this week. The power-hitting 34-year-old was added to the American League’s roster for the Midsummer Classic earlier this week. He’s been a polarizing figure, to put it mildly, during his Red Sox debut this season. He’s technically still waiting for the appeal process to play out regarding a seven-game suspension for his actions against the Nationals last week. However, his on-field production has been undeniable as he’s on pace for a career-best campaign at the dish, launching 20 round-trippers through 87 first-half games. He’ll be an underdog in the competition, but he’ll be highly motivated to represent Venezuela in the primetime showcase.

Contreras was a surprise snub from the initial rosters that were released Saturday, but the 34-year-old is unsurprisingly going to be a part of the festivities. Even if Contreras was to start serving his suspension — he’s appealing a seven-game ban currently — he should be available to play in Philadelphia.

Contreras’s 20th homer came in his 86th game of the season. Last year, he hit 20 in 135 games for the Cardinals. He’s now just four shy of his career high from 2019, when he hit 24 in 105 games for the Cubs. Unfortunately, this might be Contreras’s last action for a bit. MLB is expected to hand down a decision on his appeal of a seven-game suspension on Monday. Even if it’s dropped to six games, that’d still put him out until after the break.

Contreras gave the Red Sox an early 3-0 lead with his homer off Sam Aldegheri, and it was basically all Boston for the rest of the contest, as well. The 34-year-old is currently appealing his seven-game suspension, and he’s now up to 19 homers and 58 RBI with a week to go before the break. It’s a little surprising Contreras didn’t make the All-Star team. It’ll be less surprising if he’s traded to a new club before the deadline.

Cavalli was also suspended for seven games, while Miles Mikolas got a five-game ban and Nate Eaton was levied a three-game suspension and all were handed undisclosed fines for their roles in the fracas. All of the suspensions will start on Friday unless they are appealed. Even if Contreras does have his suspension reduced by a game or two, he’s still going to miss at least a handful of games, much to the detriment of fantasy managers.