Red Sox' Willson Contreras Warns Brewers After Heated HBP Incident

Contreras vows retaliation if Brewers pitchers continue to hit him, as tensions escalate between the teams.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 2:57pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape, capturing the intensity and tension of the heated on-field incident.A tense on-field confrontation between Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras and Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff reflects the long-simmering rivalry between the two teams.Boston Today

In a heated game between the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers, Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch from Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff. Contreras, who has been hit by Brewers pitchers 24 times in his career, took offense and warned the Brewers that he will 'take one of them out' if he gets hit again. The incident comes after Contreras, who was acquired by the Red Sox in the offseason, had a strong game at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a home run and double.

Why it matters

The heated exchange between Contreras and the Brewers highlights the long-standing rivalry between the two players and their teams. As Contreras spends his first season with the Red Sox after a decade in the NL Central, the bad blood appears to still linger. This sets the stage for potential retaliation and further escalation between the teams in the remaining games of the series.

The details

In the third inning, Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff hit Contreras on the hand with a 93 MPH sinker. Contreras took offense and barked at Woodruff as he walked to first base. The Brewers challenged the call, but it was upheld as a hit-by-pitch. Contreras finished the game 3-for-3 with a home run and double, but the Red Sox ultimately lost 8-6. After the game, Contreras told reporters that this was the 24th time Brewers pitchers had hit him in his career, and the sixth time Woodruff had done so.

  • The incident occurred in the third inning of the April 7, 2026 game between the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers.
  • Contreras was acquired by the Red Sox in the offseason, after spending his first 10 MLB seasons in the NL Central, playing against the Brewers with both the Cardinals and Cubs.

The players

Willson Contreras

A 30-year-old first baseman for the Boston Red Sox, who was acquired by the team in the offseason after spending his first 10 MLB seasons in the NL Central, playing against the Brewers with both the Cardinals and Cubs.

Brandon Woodruff

A 29-year-old pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, who has hit Contreras 6 times in his career.

David Hamilton

The Milwaukee Brewers' shortstop, who had his pants torn by a hard slide from Contreras.

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What they’re saying

“They always say, 'I'm not trying to hit you.' That gets old. So next time they hit me again, I'm going to take one of them out. That's a message.”

— Willson Contreras, Red Sox First Baseman

What’s next

Umpires will likely be on high alert for any potential retaliation from Contreras or the Red Sox in the remaining two games of the series. The Brewers and Red Sox will face off again on April 8 and April 9.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the long-standing rivalry between Willson Contreras and the Milwaukee Brewers, which has now carried over to his new team, the Boston Red Sox. The heated exchange and Contreras' warning shot set the stage for potential further escalation and retaliation between the two teams in the remaining games of the series.