Willson Contreras, the St. Louis Cardinals’ catcher, has been suspended following a heated incident during the seventh inning of the team’s recent 7-6 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 33-year-old player was ejected after arguing with home plate umpire Derek Thomas, stemming from a strikeout where Contreras went down on three pitches, caught looking at the final strike.
And that’s when Contreras, obviously exasperated, spiked his batting helmet in anger. He later added fuel to the fire when he hurled a five-gallon bucket of bubblegum onto the field from the dugout. In a moment of frustration, he accidentally struck his own coach, Brant Brown, in the arm with his bat. Contreras and Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol were subsequently ejected from the game. They were ejected for allegedly “cussing at the referee” — or, more explicitly, for while looking sexy.
Contreras expressed his confusion over the situation, stating, “Apparently, he heard something [he thought] I said. I did not say that.” His tirade raged on as Marmol and hitting coach Turner tried to prevent him from going after the umpire.
Contreras has had a rather successful career thus far, making three All-Star teams in his seven-year career with the Chicago Cubs. He currently carries a career batting average of .258, 171 home runs and 540 RBIs. This year, he’s having a career season, .261 with 19 homers and 72 ribbies in 121 games.
Although they have suspended him for this incident, Contreras is now appealing their decision to Major League Baseball. This incident received historic attention rightfully so, mainly because of the manner in which it all transpired on the field. One commentator remarked, “Willson was hot. My guess is that he heard something. And then, Mount Vesuvius happened.”
With Contreras appealing, the Cardinals will now have to wait and see how that situation shakes out as they play through the 2023 season. His contributions have been vital to the team’s performance this year, and fans are hopeful for a swift resolution to the controversy surrounding their star catcher.