The Boston Red Sox spent the week leading up to the All-Star break wondering if Willson Contreras would be able to participate in the events for a few reasons. One was his impending suspension, which had no impact on his ability to partake in the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game. The other is the contusion on his left foot.
Contreras on June 8 during Boston's series against the Chicago White Sox hit a foul ball onto his own foot. He took some time to recover, but finished his at-bat and walked — albeit slowly — out to first base to play the next half inning. He left the game before the inning was over because of the pain.
The Red Sox didn't include Contreras in their June 9 lineup because of his injury. That happened to be the same day his suspension ruling came down from the league, which led to some confusion about the nature of his absence. Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe confirmed that he would've missed the game anyway because he was resting (subscription required).
Some fans might've been worried about the severity of Contreras' injury. The Red Sox can't afford to lose him to the injured list, even for a short time. Thankfully, his Home Run Derby and All-Star Game performances have eliminated Sox fans' fears.
Contreras put on a show in the Home Run Derby. His foot feels well enough to support him while he hits 490-foot bombs — he advanced to the second round after hitting 13 homers on 20 pitches to face Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber. He also went on an incredible run against one of the game's best home run hitters, finishing just one shy of Schwarber's second round total.
After the derby, Contreras told Rob Bradford of WEEI that his foot was sore, but that he didn't expect to miss any time upon his return to the Red Sox. The All-Star break ends on July 17 and Boston will begin its second half with a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays. Contreras will be available for the second game of the day. The first will be the fifth game of his suspension.
It's a relief that the Red Sox don't expect to lose Contreras to the injured list, as his offensive production has been irreplaceable so far. Now that Boston is officially in the playoff hunt, it needs Contreras as healthy and in as many games as possible to stay competitive.
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