​ANAHEIM, Calif. — Willson Contreras, the volatile Red Sox slugger who was suspended seven games Thursday for his role in a bench-clearing brawl earlier in the week, delivered an emotional apology for his conduct ahead of Saturday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. Contreras had just finished answering questions about being left off the American League All-Star team when he abruptly shifted gears and, speaking in Spanish with a Red Sox translator nearby, offered the remarks.
“On the record, I want to apologize for all of the events from last week — for everything that happened when the Nationals and Yankees were at Fenway,” he began, describing the week as intensely emotional for him. “People may not understand why I’m apologizing now, but it’s important for me to do this — to say I’m sorry because those moments were emotional and could have been avoided, and could have been handled better.”
The prior weekend featured a confrontation with New York starter Will Warren that led to the benches and dugouts clearing, though the skirmish did not escalate significantly at that time. Earlier in the Washington series, Contreras showed frustration with a check-swing call by the first-base umpire, which culminated in him being ejected after a mocking tap of his helmet.
The most significant incident occurred Tuesday after Washington pitcher Cade Cavalli struck him out and shouted, “Sit down, boy,” prompting a confrontation that ended with punches and shoving as benches cleared. Contreras, along with Nate Eaton and interim manager Chad Tracy, was ejected. On Thursday, Contreras and Cavalli were suspended seven and five games respectively, while Eaton received three games; all parties are appealing the disciplinary rulings. Pitcher Miles Mikolas of Washington was suspended for five games.
As Contreras spoke Saturday through his translator, tears streamed down his face. “It’s been a really tough week, an emotional week for me,” he said, referencing the earthquakes that have devastated his homeland of Venezuela. “I hope people understand how emotional it’s been. I’ll prove myself with my actions on the field moving forward and show them the kind of person I truly am.”
Contreras, who delivered a three-run homer in the first inning of his first plate appearance on Saturday, remains with the Red Sox while awaiting the outcome of his appeal. A hearing is expected early in the week.