Willson Contreras is back in the Red Sox lineup today, hitting third and taking the designated hitter spot. This is wild news, especially when you consider that just three days ago, the slugger was casting serious doubt on his availability for the upcoming postseason. Talk about a turn of events!
From Bleak Outlook to Big League Action
Man, this guy’s been through it. Contreras hasn’t seen game action in ten days, not since September 17 when he got plunked in the hand by a pitch during a Red Sox win against the Rangers. He dodged the injured list, thankfully, but trying to swing a bat comfortably on back-to-back days was a real struggle right up until Saturday. In fact, as of Friday, his postseason outlook was bleak. You had to wonder if he’d even be able to play. But then, the last 48 hours? Total turnaround. Manager Chad Tracy even said his hand showed “marked improvement” during a team workout yesterday at Tropicana Field. Tracy told reporters the progress was “pretty significant.” Seeing him take batting practice and hit some live pitching was a “huge step.”
Contreras’ Own Words Paint a Picture of Grit
It’s one thing for coaches to talk, but Contreras himself was open about how tough this has been. Last week, he tried swinging multiple times, but couldn’t get comfortable. He admitted he’d failed to swing comfortably after Thursday’s game. He even choked up, fearing he wouldn’t be ready for the playoffs. The dude didn’t even swing on Friday, calling the whole pattern “really concerning.” He just laid it out there: “My hand hurts. I mean when it hurts, it hurts. Especially when it’s the top hand. 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 until I just let the bat go. It’s not a good sign.” But he also made it clear he was putting “all my effort,” working hard with trainers and being “completely honest with the team” because he knows “Tuesday is a really important game, a really important series.”
So, here we are. Contreras is in the lineup for the regular season finale against the Cubs and Shota Imanaga, happening at Tropicana Field because New England got slammed with rain. The main goal for today is simple: get through the game without pain. If he can do that, he could be right back in the middle of Boston’s lineup for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on Tuesday in New York, facing off against righty Cam Schlittler. As Tracy said, “Get him some live at-bats in a game, then hopefully we are good to go.” This comeback is huge for the Red Sox. Their fans are absolutely buzzing for Tuesday!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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