Boston Red Sox power hitter Willson Contreras was tossed for the second game in a row Tuesday night after charging toward Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli at Fenway Park, setting off a benches-clearing melee.
The incident came on an emotional day for Contreras, who had joined fellow Venezuelan players earlier in the day to collect donations in the streets for victims of the country’s devastating earthquake. Hours later, tensions flared after Cavalli struck him out in the fourth inning.
The reason for the exchange remains uncertain, but cameras appeared to catch Cavalli shouting, “Sit down bro,” as Contreras stepped away from the batter’s box.
Contreras had drawn attention Monday after punctuating a three-run homer off Miles Mikolas with an emphatic bat flip, a celebration he later said he regretted. Whether that episode played any role in Tuesday’s confrontation is not yet clear.
Whatever Cavalli said, it clearly infuriated Contreras, who had to be held back by teammate and fellow Venezuelan Carlos Narvaez, Boston’s catcher.
When Contreras briefly broke free, he used the moment to fling his helmet toward Cavalli.
Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras moves toward the mound to confront Cade Cavalli before being stopped by his countryman, Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz, on Tuesday night
Willson Contreras attempts to reach Washington pitcher Cade Cavalli during Tuesday’s game in Boston
Cade Cavalli is restrained after having words with Boston slugger Willson Contreras
Although a few other shoving matches ensued, umpires gained control of the situation before ejecting Contreras, Boston interim manager Chad Tracy, Boston outfielder Nate Eaton and Mikolas.
And with that, Contreras entered Boston history by becoming the first Red Sox player to be ejected in two consecutive games. Not even the mercurial Carl Everett, who was once suspended for grabbing his crotch, was ejected from consecutive games.
Unfortunately for Contreras and the Red Sox, Boston’s bullpen imploded by surrendering all eight runs in the 8-1 defeat. Red Sox rookie hurler Payton Tolle is on the mound for the 1:35pm start in Boston while Washington will send Andrew Alvarez to the hill.
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The 34-year-old Contreras has acknowledged struggling with the aftermath of the earthquake in Venezuela.
‘Everything that’s going on in Venezuela, it’s not easy to hide,’ Contreras told reporters after Monday’s win over Washington. ‘It’s not easy just to show up and play with everything that is going on in my country.’
The death toll from the twin earthquakes has risen to nearly 2,000 as aftershocks have eased in recent days.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said Tuesday that the earthquakes left more than 10,000 people injured and 15,000 displaced.
Boston bench coach Jose David Flores walks Willson Contreras back to the Boston dugout
Before the game, Red Sox teammates and native Venezuelans Willson Contreras (left) and Wilyer Abreu (right) raised money for their home country following its devastating earthquake
Interim manager Chad Tracy argues with umpire Vic Carapazza after the brawl
Contreras launched a 421-foot home run in the game before flipping his bat into the sky and shouting ‘Venezuela’ long before either the ball or his lumber had a chance to land.
‘I feel like I could be there helping people and I can’t do that,’ Contreras said. ‘And the homer just represents something that I pray to God for it to happen, because that’s the only thing I can do for Venezuela right now physically. And that’s why I was emotional.’
Contreras and Red Sox teammate Wilyer Abreu were both members of the Venezuelan team that won the WBC back in March.
This is not the first on-field confrontation of the season for Contreras, who has been hit by 14 pitches this season – more than all but two MLB batters. Days earlier, Contreras had words with New York Yankees Will Warren over some chin music. And prior to that, Contreras had a heated exchange with his brother William’s team, the Milwaukee Brewers, after being hit by a pitch in April.
Remarkably, it was the 24th time Contreras had been beaned by a Brewers pitcher.
