Willson Contreras’ right hand has become the Red Sox’ biggest question heading into the Wild Card Series, and Thursday night didn’t bring the answer anyone wanted.
After Boston’s 1-0 loss to the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park, Contreras said the pain flared back up after he swung a bat on Tuesday. He couldn’t swing on Wednesday, and he couldn’t swing again on Thursday. That left him sounding far less certain about being available next week when the postseason opens.
“I mean it's frustrating, being honest. I was hoping to swing today.
Couldn't swing, I came into my locker, I was tearing up. I'm being honest,” Contreras said.
“Because that's what we play for. We play to play in October … and it's really frustrating when you're doing the best you can do and you're expecting to heal faster and that doesn't happen.”
The injury came when Jakob Junis hit Contreras in the hand with a fastball in the eighth inning of a win in Texas last Thursday. Contreras said over the weekend that the pain had eased, and manager Chad Tracy said Tuesday that Contreras was “doing much better” and was “swinging aggressively” as he tried to get back.
That optimism has taken a hit over the past two days.
“My hand hurts. When it hurts, it hurts -- especially when it's the top hand,” Contreras said.
“If it was the bottom hand, I could swing with the right hand. But when it's the right hand, my right hand just feels weaker and just lets the bat go.
It's not a good sign.”
The timing couldn’t be worse for Boston. Contreras has been the club’s most productive hitter this season, leading the Red Sox in home runs with 27, RBIs with 81, OBP at .387 and OPS at .905.
It’s been the best season of his career, and the Red Sox have already had trouble scoring runs with him in the lineup. Without him, the road gets even steeper.
Contreras still hasn’t ruled himself out, but he made it clear he won’t force the issue if he can’t help.
He said he’ll “be completely honest with the team” if he doesn’t feel strong enough to play in the postseason.
“I don't want to hurt the team in any way.
“If I don't feel good, I don't want to take anybody's spot. That's my point,” he said.
“The guys can't wait for Tuesday, and I can't wait either. But we'll see what happens.”
In Other News...
Red Sox Bats Just Raised An Awkward October Question
A night that was supposed to keep Boston in control of its October push instead turned into a reminder of how thin the margin can be when the bats go quiet. The Red Sox fell 1-0 to the Guardians at Fenway Park, with Angel Martnezs homer providing the only scoring in a game where Clevelands pitching staff, starting with opener Daniel Espino and including Joey Cantillo, smothered Boston all evening.
The bigger concern for the Red Sox was not just the loss, but how little they got going at the plate. Boston finished with only two hits, an ugly showing at a time when every game carries extra weight, and now has to move quickly into a split doubleheader against the Cubs the next day. After an outing like this, the question is less about one bad night than whether the offense can snap back fast enough to avoid making the standings even tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Garrett Crochet Just Gave The Red Sox Real Wild Card Hope
Garrett Crochet is giving the Red Sox a real reason to believe October could still get interesting, even as the final four games of the regular season unfold without him. Boston expects to learn more soon about the left-handers condition and whether he can be available for the playoffs, a development that matters a lot with a Wild Card series against the Yankees potentially on deck.
Crochet took an encouraging step by feeling good during his first intense live batting practice, a session the club moved to its spring training complex because of weather concerns. For a Red Sox team trying to line up its best arms for the postseason push, the next update on Crochet could loom large, because his status may end up shaping how confident Boston can feel about its chances when the games get bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Face Another Late-Season Bat Concern
Mickey Gasper left a game against the Red Sox with biceps discomfort after a swing in the fifth inning, an early exit that added another layer of unease to a lineup already dealing with late-season wear. Connor Wong finished the game in his place, and Gasper did not return, leaving Boston to monitor another bat at a time when depth matters as much as ever.
The concern lands alongside other sidelined players, including Willson Contreras, and it underscores how quickly a roster can thin out when the calendar turns toward the stretch run. For the Red Sox, it is less about one isolated injury than the cumulative effect of losing options, especially when even a routine swing can turn into a postgame question mark. [Read more 🡒]