It’s a fairly significant emotional eruption.
St. Louis Cardinals’ designated hitter, Willson Contreras, experienced a loss of composure Monday night following a strikeout during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The ensuing interaction with home plate umpire, Derek Thomas, led to an outburst that is likely to attract the attention of Major League Baseball.
The event occurred in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the Cardinals leading 6-5, a runner on first base, and Contreras at bat with one out.
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Contreras Throws Bat, Impacts Cardinals’ Coach
Thomas accurately ruled strike three on an 0-2 fastball delivered by Yohan Ramírez, which passed over the center of the plate at Contreras’ knees. Initially, Contreras seemed to accept the call, immediately heading towards the dugout after watching the ball’s trajectory.
However, he glanced back at Thomas as he walked away, and the situation escalated rapidly. Broadcast cameras failed to capture the initial exchange. By the time they refocused on Contreras, tensions had risen significantly.
Contreras appeared agitated while addressing Thomas, who had approached the dugout to engage with him. Contreras then confronted Thomas directly, yelling before Cardinals’ manager Oliver Marmol intervened to restrain him.
By this point, Contreras had been ejected from the game. Bench coach Daniel Descalso embraced Contreras, guiding him toward the dugout while Contreras continued to protest, still holding his bat. Before reaching the dugout, Contreras threw the bat back toward the group of individuals. The bat struck another member of the Cardinals’ staff in the face.
Upon finally reaching the dugout, Contreras grabbed a bucket of candy and threw it onto the field.
Reasons for Contreras’s Reaction?
Here are the pitches leading to the incident. Contreras observed two strikes that were correctly called and swung at another located outside the strike zone.
The specific trigger for Contreras’s reaction was not immediately clear. It shouldn’t have been the accuracy of those strike calls. Regardless, there is never a valid justification for throwing a bat recklessly toward a group of people.
Contreras: ‘Expelled for Unjustifiable Reason’
Following the game, which the Cardinals won 7-6, Contreras spent several minutes in conversation with local reporters, asserting that he remained uncertain as to why he had been ejected.
He maintains that the issue was not about the third strike call itself. Contreras acknowledged that the call was accurate and that he had “struck out on a good pitch.”
Instead, he explained that the disagreement stemmed from the umpire’s interpretation of something he had said. Contreras did not provide details about the specifics, but insisted that his issue was not with the strike call.
“I’m still trying to figure it out to be honest,” Contreras stated. “I do not believe there was a valid reason for the ejection. I did not contest any pitch during my last at bat. The only thing I mentioned was, ‘Maintain consistent strike zone judgment because your rulings are not equal on each side.'”
“I turned around and immediately was thrown out. He had no justification for doing so.”
Regarding the bat incident involving his coach, Contreras said that he immediately issued an apology.
“I immediately apologized,” he conveyed. “I was not looking backward; I simply tossed the bat back…there was no intent.”
