Boston’s night in Chicago went sideways in a hurry Wednesday when leadoff hitter Anthony Seigler and cleanup man Willson Contreras were both knocked out of the game after getting hurt during the same plate appearance. The double loss hit in the top of the third inning at Guaranteed Rate Field and forced the Red Sox into emergency lineup shuffles far earlier than anyone had planned.
How It Unfolded
The trouble started when a Davis Martin pitch sailed to the backstop for a wild pitch, allowing Seigler to race home. He collided with White Sox catcher Kyle Teel while sliding across the plate and stayed down as trainers and interim manager Chad Tracy came out to check on him. In that same trip to the batter’s box, Contreras fouled a ball off his left foot and later limped off the field, according to USA TODAY.
Replacements And A Thin Bench
With two key bats suddenly gone, Boston quickly reshuffled its infield. Romy Gonzalez moved in at first base, while Andruw Monasterio took over at second. The injuries left Connor Wong as the only position player still available on the bench, and the club was already short-handed with Nate Eaton serving the final game of a suspension, per the Boston Herald. The Herald also reported that Seigler was bleeding and evaluated for a possible head injury before he exited.
All-Star Timing Deepens The Sting
The timing could hardly be worse for Boston. Contreras had just been added to the American League All-Star roster as a replacement for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., according to MLB.com. He has been one of the Red Sox’s most productive hitters this season (his full numbers are available at Baseball-Reference), while Seigler’s strong opening stretch in the majors is charted at Baseball-Reference. Both players’ statuses figure to be closely monitored as the club heads into the All-Star break.
The Red Sox did not immediately provide a timetable for either player’s return. Further updates are expected after additional testing and any imaging ordered by the medical staff, the Boston Herald reports.
