Cardinals Ace, Willson Contreras, is in the hot seat again — and this time, it’s not just a little dugout dust-up. We’re talking six games on the bench and a fine that the MLB won’t even put a number on. And if you saw the footage, you know exactly why.
The Strikeout That Sparked a Firestorm
Let’s rewind to Monday night, bottom of the seventh, Cardinals vs. Pirates. The game’s tight — 7-6, tensions high — and here comes Contreras, stepping into the batter’s box. He’s already behind in the count 0-2, and then comes this pitch from Yohan Ramirez that Contreras clearly thinks missed low. But the ump? Derek Thomas? Nah — he rings him up. Strike three. Cue the fireworks.
Contreras doesn’t just disagree — he erupts. First, it’s the classic walk-and-talk as he heads back to the dugout, letting Thomas hear it. But then it escalates — fast. The home plate ump tosses him, and Contreras? He’s not having it. He has to be physically restrained from charging the ump. Then — and I wish I were making this up — he throws a bat at one of his own coaches while being held back. And just to add some flair? He grabs a whole bucket of gum and chucks it onto the field like a man possessed.
Repeat Offender? MLB Thinks So
Cameras caught it all. Multiple angles. There’s even one that appears to show him making contact with the ump. Not great.
Now here’s the kicker — this isn’t exactly Contreras’s first rodeo. Just last month, he was in the middle of another dust-up that cleared the benches. So yeah, the league took all that into account. This wasn’t just about a tantrum — it’s a pattern, and MLB made sure the penalty sent a message.
Big Bat, Big Loss for St. Louis
Now Contreras says he’s going to appeal, and he might get a few games shaved off, sure. But either way, the Cardinals are gonna be without one of their most productive bats. He’s hitting .261 with 19 homers and 72 RBIs — numbers they can’t afford to lose during this stretch.
So the question becomes: will this suspension cool Contreras off or are we just one missed call away from round three?
