Add The New York Post on Google Willson Contreras is making a habit of this ejection thing.
The Red Sox and Nationals got into a heated scrap at Fenway Park on Tuesday night after Contreras — who got tossed on Monday — got into it with Washington starter Cade Cavalli.
Cavalli, already with one strikeout in the bottom of the fourth inning, got Contreras looking on a full-count sweeper. After the punchout, NESN’s microphones near the field picked up audio from Cavalli where he appeared to say, “Sit down, boy.”
Contreras looked back toward the Washington starter and pointed at himself, seemingly asking if the pitcher was talking about him.
After being held back by Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz, Contreras than tried to bolt — unsuccessfully — toward Cavalli as he tried — also unsuccessfully — to chuck his batting helmet at the pitcher.
A lot of pushing and shoving near the first base line occurred as the Red Sox tried with all their power to hold Contreras from going after Cavalli. Eventually, even as both teams’ bullpens emptied, Contreras was restrained and tossed from the game, along with interim Boston manager Chad Tracy, third baseman/outfielder Nate Eaton and Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas.
Contreras is no stranger to fiery incidents these days, as he jawed at Yankees starter Will Warren on Friday after taking a pitch up and in before eventually walking and emphatically flipping his bat while jawing at Warren, causing a benches-clearing incident that was relatively tame and did not lead to any ejections.
On Monday, Contreras was ejected from the series opener against Washington after he struck out on a check swing and then tapped his helmet in disagreement with the call.
Unlike the automated ball strike system, where batters can tap their helmets to challenge a strike call, check swings cannot yet be challenged in MLB.
Contreras said after the game he was not directing his frutstration toward first base umpire Nic Lentz, who made the check swing decision.
“It wasn’t directed at him,” Contreras said. “He told me, ‘Because you tapped your helmet.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I didn’t make eye contact with you.’ I didn’t argue. I didn’t yell. I didn’t do anything wrong. And he told me, ‘Yeah, but I have to throw you out.’
“I was like, ‘You didn’t have to, but you made that choice. That’s it.’”
The native of Venezuela also homered Monday and said everything that’s happened in his home country after the devastating earthquakes that have killed over 1,700 people has been difficult to deal with.
“The homer just represents something that I prayed to God for it to happen, because that’s the only thing that I can do for Venezuela right now, physically, and that’s when my emotions showed,” Contreras said.
“I was thinking of so many kids that have died, so many people that have died, and it’s not easy to deal with it.”
