Things got a little testy at Busch Stadium on Friday night — and it didn’t take long. In the second inning of the Cardinals’ 3-0 win over the Padres, St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras found himself once again in the middle of the action… and not in a way anyone hoped.
With a 94-mph fastball sailing inside from San Diego right-hander Nick Pivetta, Contreras took his 15th hit-by-pitch of the season, this time on the elbow guard. And whether it was the history, the location, or the sheer frustration boiling over, Contreras immediately turned and started barking.
Pivetta stood on the mound, unfazed. Padres catcher Elias Díaz got in between the two, trying to play peacemaker, but Contreras wasn’t having it. And before long, both benches emptied.
Now, let’s be clear — there were no punches thrown, no all-out brawl. But there was plenty of tension. And it wasn’t just about this HBP.
The Boiling Point: A Season’s Worth of Bruises
This isn’t a one-off. Contreras leads the National League in hit-by-pitches this season. And it’s not just a stat to him — it’s personal.
MLB.com’s John Denton pointed out this is the third time Contreras has been plunked by Padres pitching in the last two seasons — including one last year that broke his hand and forced him out of action.
Contreras has also voiced his frustration in recent weeks about not feeling “protected” by his teammates when these incidents pile up. This time, he took matters into his own hands — at least vocally. And while the situation didn’t escalate into a full-on brawl, you could feel the energy shift in the ballpark.
The Cardinals took care of business on the scoreboard with a 3-0 victory, but Contreras’ reaction and the benches clearing could have a longer-lasting impact on this weekend series.
Whether or not the Padres intended to hit him, the message from Contreras was loud and clear: he’s had enough.
