06/29/26 11:03:00
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06/29 23:01 CDT A bat flip, a shout of 'Venezuela' and tears for home as Red
Sox 1B Willson Contreras plays on
A bat flip, a shout of 'Venezuela' and tears for home as Red Sox 1B Willson
Contreras plays on
BOSTON (AP) --- Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras knows the people
back home in his native Venezuela are hurting as they try to deal with the
fallout from a pair of massive earthquakes that left hundreds dead.
The pull to return home to help is real. That isn't an option for Contreras at
the moment, so on Monday night against Washington, he did what he could to show
that what's happening back home isn't far from his mind.
Contreras unleashed a massive bat flip after ripping a 421-foot homer in what
became a 6-3 Boston victory. He then broke down in tears in the dugout, the
anguish that's been a constant since portions of his homeland were turned into
rubble last week pouring out of him.
"Everything that's going on in Venezuela, it's not easy to hide," Contreras
told reporters after the game. "It's not easy just to show up and play with
everything that is going on in my country."
The urge to do something, anything, to help is real. Contreras looked toward
the Boston dugout and shouted "Venezuela" before making the trip around the
bases following a three-run shot that marked his 18th homer of the season.
"I feel like I could be there helping people and I can't do that," Contreras
said. "And the homer just represents something that I pray to God for it to
happen, because that's the only thing I can do for Venezuela right now
physically. And that's why I was emotional."
The 34-year-old Contreras was born in Puerto Cabello, about three hours west of
the capital of Caracas. He described frustration over reports of volunteers and
aid packages having trouble getting through to those who need it.
"It sucks seeing so many bad things going on in Venezuela," he said. "I don't
think we deserve all of this. We're a good people. Good country. We are good
people."
Contreras' night on the field ended a bit early. First base umpire Nic Lentz
ejected him in the second inning after Lentz ruled Contreras failed to check
his swing on a Miles Mikolas pitch that ended up being a strikeout.
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