Contreras cryptic when asked what changed for Red Sox in early playoff exit

NEW YORK -- All season, Willson Contreras established himself as the most candid player on the Red Sox. If things were going well, he would expound on the reasons. If things were going sour, he wouldn’t shy away from an explanation.

But after his Sox were swept out of the American League Wild Card Series with a 9-2 loss to the Yankees in Game 2 on Wednesday, Contreras was unusually cryptic on why things didn’t go better during the club’s all-too-brief postseason run.

Considering the Red Sox were the story of Major League Baseball when they went 32-5 from June 25-Aug. 8, and the offense was rolling at the time, it’s fair to wonder what changed after that.

“That's a good question. I'm not going to answer it, because I don't want to give my honest answer, but we got eliminated,” Contreras said. “That's the bottom line: We got in here trying to win. We didn't produce. We didn't execute any part of the game. And that's why we lost.

“I mean, I know, we had a really good stretch. I'm really proud of what we did in the past like I said. We were able to [turn] the season around for sure, 100 percent, but that's not enough. It's not enough. And, at the end of the day, you win games in the regular season to clinch the playoffs. But then, falling short in the playoffs. It's tough.”

So what needs to change for the Red Sox to have better postseason success going forward? Contreras seemed to hint that the club needs to find a happy medium between the data-heavy approach and more conventional methods. Sonny Gray's postgame comments regarding being lifted before he could face the Yankees' lineup a third time alluded to this theme, as well.

When Contreras was asked after the game if he agreed with Gray being pulled, he zipped his lips with his finger.

“I mean there's a lot of things to get better at in each area of the game,” Contreras said. “You watch the game, and we have to get better at the running game, at taking care of the basestealers. We have to do a lot of different stuff and it's not enough when you have talent or you have data or you have computers telling you what to do.

“This is baseball and the data is here to help us. But at the end of the day, you're going to need experience and veteran guys to win games. And, yeah, I mean, there's a lot of stuff that I would love to say but I’ll stay like that.”

Contreras knows he doesn’t have the power to change the team’s infrastructure. Instead, he will stay with the approach that has gotten him this deep into a solid career.

“I cannot make decisions [for the organization],” Contreras said. “The only thing that I can control is my part of the game. Come here to work 100 percent and be out there day in and day out, taking care of my body. Create a good chemistry here with the guys. Support the guys.

“That's the only thing that we can do, besides that, making decisions about data, about all the stuff we cannot do anything about it. Like I said, it's here to help us. But at the end of the day, it’s not about data. It’s about executing the game plan.”

Would Contreras be open to a discussion with the front office?

“At the end of the day, we can talk, we can share ideas. But like I said, I'm not making decisions and we're not going to make decisions. We are employees,” Contreras said. “We get paid to play baseball, and we play to be out there on the field to perform. I mean, that's the bottom line. Of course, we can have some conversations.”

Overall, Contreras enjoyed his first season in Boston, in which he had his best all-around season offensively, despite playing hurt for much of the stretch run.

“I'm sore all over. My hammy is tight, my right hand is sore, my right hip is tight. But like I said, you play the whole season just to be in the playoffs, and I couldn't miss it,” Contreras said. “I was not going to miss the playoffs. And, I was able to work my way in with the training staff, which I'm really thankful for. But, yeah, I mean that’s all I can say.”

Contreras looks forward to building on his success with the Red Sox in ’27.

“I think I fit really well in this team,” he said. “I found my way, starting in May. I really had fun. This is my first season in Boston. I didn't have any expectations coming up here when I got traded. I didn't want to put anything in my mind. Just live the moments you were having, and then I'm really proud for what I was able to do during the whole season.

“And, of course, I'm not proud of [going] on IL or leaving the team for a few games. But also, I'm proud of the team that we got here and, proud of everybody.”