Boston Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras may have suffered one of the softest ejections in MLB history. The right-handed hitter was ejected in the second inning of the Red Sox’s 6-3 win over the Washington Nationals for what many believe was a harmless gesture.
Contreras struck out on a check swing by first-base umpire Nic Lentz. As the Red Sox slugger headed towards the dugout, he tapped his helmet, the same motion used by players to signal an Automatic Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge.
However, check-swing rulings are not eligible for ABS challenges. So, it’s possible Lentz was offended and decided to throw Contreras out of the game for showing up.
While this happened, Red Sox color commentator Will Middlebrooks unloaded live on NESN for throwing the hitter out of the game.
“So basically saying, ‘I disagree. I’m challenging that,” Middlebrooks said. “And you get tossed for that? Are you kidding me? How soft are we getting?… If you shake your head and say, ‘No way?’ That is a joke. That is an absolute joke, embarrassing to the game. The game needs the best players on the field. This is an entertainment business. It’s for the fans. What are you doing? You’re gonna throw a guy out of the game for that? That’s a joke?”
Interestingly, Contreras was calm during his exchange with the umpires. Meanwhile, some Red Sox coaches also came up from the dugout for an explanation. The umpire even gestured a helmet tap as if to suggest it was taunting.
The ejection recalls another similar ejection by Lentz of Taylor Walls for a similar helmet-tapping gesture on June 1, 2025, before the ABS challenge system was implemented.
Willson Contreras’ Emotional Day Went to Waste
Entering Monday’s game, Willson Contreras was carrying a lot of emotions. Those came to the fore after he clobbered a three-run homer in the first inning to give the Red Sox a big lead.
Contreras became emotional afterward in the dugout, reflecting on the devastating earthquakes in his native Venezuela. Fellow countryman Wilyer Abreu came to comfort him. Last week, the country suffered devastating earthquakes, leading to the mass destruction of almost 50,000 buildings and the disappearance of some 50,000 people.
Abreu and Contreras were even raising money on Landsdowne Street before Sunday’s 5-4 win against the New York Yankees.
Unfortunately for the slugger, Contreras’ night ended just one inning later.
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