What a bumpy ride it’s been for Willson Contreras and the Boston Red Sox this year. Supposedly the power-hitting replacement for Alex Bregman, the 33-year-old first baseman was supposed to guide a young core and elite pitching staff to a second consecutive postseason appearance.
Instead, the Red Sox have been one of the worst teams in the American League this year, and things got so tenuous in the locker room that they fired not only manager Alex Cora, but practically the rest of his coaching staff as well at the end of April.
Contreras, who is no stranger to controversy as far as baseball is concerned, has only continued stoking the flames since Cora’s dismissal. The Sox have played marginally better since Chad Tracy became the interim skipper, but it’s clear that their issues were rooted far deeper than just the on-field struggles.
Willson Contreras when asked about Alex Cora’s firing, via @timbhealey:
“The guys got loose a little more, because I feel like the tension was gone.”
Asked why:
“I don’t know … When Alex wasn’t in the dugout, the team, was like [exhale noise], like loose. But it doesn’t… pic.twitter.com/EcoTQjMMUj
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) May 3, 2026
It’s somewhat surprising to hear Contreras attack Cora, who was generally beloved by his Spanish-speaking players. At the same time, it’s unsurprising that Contreras’ comments have led to even more tension in Boston, especially with his younger teammates who had only ever played for one manager in the big leagues.
Considering that the St. Louis Cardinals are 21-14, practically the inverse of the Red Sox’ record, is it fair to say that Contreras may be regretting the deal that shipped him out of the Gateway City?
