Red Sox Slugger Joins Home Run Derby Field After Getting the Call He Thought Was a Suspension Update

Willson Contreras was asleep when his phone rang. The Red Sox first baseman picked up assuming it was MLB calling about his seven-game suspension appeal. Instead he got news that he’d be playing in his fourth All-Star Game. And then, almost immediately, he threw his own name into the Home Run Derby.

The 34-year-old announced on Instagram that he’ll join seven other hitters under the lights at T-Mobile Park on July 13. It’ll be his first time in the derby. The league confirmed the news shortly after.

This is a guy who didn’t exactly have a quiet first half. He’s been in the middle of a dustup with the Nationals’ Cade Cavalli, which led to that suspension appeal. He’s been a fixture in trade rumors ahead of the August 3 deadline. And now he’s suddenly the busiest man in baseball for about 48 hours in mid-July.

Numbers Worth Noticing

Through 310 at-bats, Contreras is hitting .287 with a .381 on-base percentage. He’s got 20 homers and 61 RBIs. That puts him on track for one of the best seasons of an 11-year career that’s included stints behind the plate and, more recently, at first base for Boston.

The Red Sox have had a rough go of it this year. They’re not completely out of the playoff picture but they’re not really in it either. Contreras has been one of the few consistent bright spots when he’s not jawing with opposing pitchers. He’s also been mentioned in plenty of deadline chatter. A power bat who can play first and catch is the kind of piece contenders usually want.

But for now the focus is on the derby and the All-Star Game the next night. Contreras said he didn’t even realize he’d been selected until he checked his phone again after waking up. He thought the first call was about the suspension. It wasn’t. It was about representing the American League.

The derby field isn’t fully set yet. Contreras joins a list that will likely include at least a couple of the game’s biggest names. He’s never done this before. That either means he’s got something to prove or he’s just going to enjoy the show. Probably both.