Red Sox First Baseman Exits Early With Injury

Willson Contreras left the game in the fifth inning with low back tightness.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 2:35am

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting a baseball player sliding into first base, with the player's body and the base broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color in the style of Pablo Picasso.A cubist interpretation of a Red Sox player's injury at first base, reflecting the team's struggles and need for depth at the position.Boston Today

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras exited Tuesday's game against the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning due to low back tightness after being hit by a pitch on the arm. Contreras has been one of the Red Sox's most productive offensive players this season, hitting .298 with three home runs and 11 RBIs through the first 17 games.

Why it matters

The Red Sox are already struggling on the field, sitting at 6-11 on the season. Losing Contreras, their starting first baseman, for an extended period would be a significant blow to their lineup and roster depth.

The details

Contreras was replaced by Andruw Monasterio after exiting the game. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the team will evaluate Contreras' status on Wednesday, noting that it "feels like it's nothing serious, but obviously, we have to be careful." The Red Sox lack depth at first base, with Monasterio being the only other player to have manned the position this season. Triston Casas and Romy Gonzalez are still working their way back from injury.

  • Contreras exited the game in the fifth inning on April 15, 2026.

The players

Willson Contreras

The Boston Red Sox's starting first baseman who exited Tuesday's game with low back tightness.

Alex Cora

The manager of the Boston Red Sox.

Andruw Monasterio

The Red Sox player who replaced Contreras at first base after he exited the game.

Triston Casas

A Red Sox player who is working his way back from injury.

Romy Gonzalez

A Red Sox player who is working his way back from injury.

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What they’re saying

“We'll see how he feels tomorrow morning. It feels like it's nothing serious, but obviously, we have to be careful. He's so important to us.”

— Alex Cora, Manager, Boston Red Sox

What’s next

The Red Sox will evaluate Contreras' status on Wednesday to determine the severity of his injury and whether he will need to miss any time.

The takeaway

The Red Sox can ill afford to lose Contreras, their starting first baseman and one of their most productive offensive players, for an extended period as they try to turn around their slow start to the season. The team's lack of depth at the position means they will have to carefully monitor Contreras' recovery and find a suitable replacement if he is forced to miss games.