Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras put the Milwaukee Brewers on notice after being hit by a pitch from Brandon Woodruff during Monday's 8-6 loss.
"They always say, 'I'm not trying to hit you.' That gets old. So next time they hit me again, I'm going to take one of them out. That's a message," Contreras said, according to The Boston Globe's Tim Healey.
Contreras was hit by Woodruff in the third inning and appeared visibly upset after the umpires reviewed the play. Contreras' brother William, who catches for the Brewers, had to walk him up the line to first base.
Brandon Woodruff hits Willson Contreras for the 6th time in his career...
— NESN (@NESN) April 6, 2026
Willson was not happy they tried to challenge this 😡 pic.twitter.com/VXyNRuFJqZ
Contreras, a former NL Central player with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, has now been hit by Woodruff six times throughout his career.
"We've been through this ... it seems like every year. He's trying to play a game, and he's trying to get his side fired up. Once I knew what was going on, I wasn't going to let it affect me on the mound," Woodruff said, according to Healey.
The Red Sox are off to a frustrating start to the 2026 campaign, losing eight of their first 10 games.
