MLB just dropped the hammer on Willson Contreras. The St. Louis Cardinals first baseman has been suspended six games and fined an undisclosed amount after Monday night’s meltdown against the Pittsburgh Pirates — and let’s just say this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill ejection.
It all started in the bottom of the seventh of St. Louis’ 7–6 win. Contreras took an 0-2 pitch from Yohan Ramirez that he clearly thought was low. Home plate umpire Derek Thomas rang him up, and Contreras wasn’t having it. As he headed back toward the dugout, he let Thomas know exactly how he felt — and that’s when things unraveled fast.
A Full-Blown Meltdown
Thomas tossed Contreras, and instead of cooling off, the veteran turned it into a scene. Teammates had to hold him back from going after the ump. On his way out, he flung a bat toward one of his own coaches, then launched a bucket of gum out of the dugout and onto the field. Multiple angles also appeared to show Contreras making some form of contact with Thomas, something MLB takes extremely seriously.
For context, this isn’t Contreras’ first brush with drama this summer. Just last month, he was in the middle of a benches-clearing incident, and that prior history likely factored into the league’s decision to make the punishment sting a little more.
Contreras Plans to Appeal
Contreras isn’t taking the ruling lying down. He’s already filed an appeal, which could delay when (or how long) the suspension takes effect. But six games are significant — especially for a Cardinals team still fighting to stay relevant late in the season. Contreras has been one of their most reliable bats, hitting .261 with 19 home runs and 72 RBIs entering Tuesday. Losing him for nearly a week could loom large.
The bigger story, though, is Contreras’ reputation. He’s always played with fire, but when that spills over into throwing equipment, confronting umpires, and creating chaos on the field, Major League Baseball is going to make an example out of you.
Whether or not the suspension gets reduced on appeal, one thing is clear: Contreras’ antics have put a major spotlight on both him and the Cardinals at exactly the wrong time of year.
