Contreras (left foot), Seigler (right trap) exit with contusions in 3rd frame
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CHICAGO -- Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras, fresh off being added to the All-Star team and accepting an invitation to the Home Run Derby, was forced out of Wednesday night’s game against the White Sox after fouling a ball hard off the top of his left foot in the top of the third inning.
Though Contreras, known for his toughness, initially stayed in the game, he was hobbling at first base while trying to play defense and exited one batter into the bottom of the third.
In one fell swoop, the Red Sox lost the entire right side of their starting infield in that third inning. Just one pitch after Contreras was shaken up, second baseman Anthony Seigler came roaring home to score on a wild pitch but collided with White Sox catcher Kyle Teel and part of his equipment.
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Seigler slid in head first and was down for a bit before gathering himself to leave the field. He was replaced by Andrew Monasterio at second base to start the bottom of the third. Romy Gonzalez replaced Contreras at first.
Contreras exited Boston's 5-0 win with a left foot contusion and Seigler was diagnosed with a right trap contusion.
The Red Sox, who came into the game with nine wins in their last 11 games, can ill afford to lose Contreras for an extended stretch. He has been the club’s most productive hitter all season.
However, Contreras might be getting a few days off soon anyway, as MLB has yet to rule on the appeal of the seven-game suspension he received last week for throwing his helmet in the direction of Nationals righty Cade Cavalli during a bench-clearing fracas.
Cavalli’s suspension was reduced from seven games to five.
With Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton serving the final game of his two-game suspension from that same melee, Connor Wong was the only player left on the Boston bench after the two infielders had to come out of the game.
Though the Red Sox rallied for three runs in the top of the third to take a 3-0 lead, it is unclear at what cost that rally came.