Boston Red Sox fans were shocked to see MLB's 2026 All-Star Game rosters, which dropped in the evening on the Fourth of July. Only two Red Sox made the American League squad — Aroldis Chapman and Ranger Suarez — despite the team having at least two other deserving candidates.
On July 7, one of them made the team. Willson Contreras has been added to the AL roster as a replacement for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and deservedly so. The first baseman is in the throes of a career season at the plate, for which he should've made the roster the first go-round.
Contreras is slashing .284/.378/.542 over 86 games this season. At age 34, he's on pace to smash his career home run record (24 in 2019) with 20 homers already.
But as Contreras and the Red Sox get the good news of his invtation to Philadelphia, they're also awaiting a decision on his upcoming seven-game suspension. After a confrontation with Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli led to a benches-clearing incident, Contreras has been suspended for a week. Cavalli recieved the same punishment, which both players have appealed.
Red Sox Willson Contreras named to American League All-Star team as he awaits ruling on seven-game suspension appeal
Cavalli's suspension has already been shortened to five games. There's been no word on Contreras' fate (as well as Nate Eaton's, who appealed his three-game suspension for brawling with Miles Mikolas), but his All-Star nomination could give a hint.
The Red Sox only have six games left in the first half (three against the Chicago White Sox and three against the New York Mets) before the All-Star break begins. If MLB was to uphold Contreras' seven-day suspension as it was given originally, he would miss the All-Star Game to which he was just named.
MLB has taken so long to rule on Contreras' suspension because the league offices were closed for July 4 weekend. He also committed some serious infractions during the scrum, including throwing his helmet into the crowd of players, hitting an unintended target. He reacted strongly to a racially insensitive comment, but throwing the helmet may have been a bridge too far.
Still, MLB's decision to send Contreras to the All-Star Game suggests his suspension will be shortened by at least one game. Even if he does appeal successfully and his punishment is cut short, the Red Sox will sorely miss Contreras while he's gone. He's been one of the Sox's best hitters all season and even better in recent games, to the tune of a .320/.393/.720 slash line in his last seven appearances. Boston's infield is heavily injured and losing Contreras for any length of time will be a serious blow to the offense, but at least he'll get national credit for the start of the best season of his career.
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