Willson Contreras has nothing but love for his former fan base.
The Boston Red Sox first baseman returned to Busch Stadium this weekend for the first time since the St. Louis Cardinals traded Contreras in December. Contreras had a major impact in Saturday’s interconference clash, going 2-for-4 at the plate with a game-high 3 RBIs in the 7-1 Red Sox victory.
Contreras hit a 2-run double in the top of the 4th inning to give his team a 2-0 lead, and Boston never looked back.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME FEEL SOMETHING WILLSON CONTRERAS!
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) April 12, 2026
112.8 off the bat. He gets his revenge against Kyle Leahy. pic.twitter.com/2efaPTuH5O
After the game, the fiery Contreras showed his softer side by showing appreciation for the fans who cheered for him over the past three seasons.
“I’ll be honest. This is the first time that I got emotional. … I wasn’t expecting that good of an ovation,” Contreras told Ken Rosenthal.
“That melted my heart. I have really good memories here, I have very good friends on the other side.”
Contreras received a huge ovation from the fans as he squared up for his first at-bat. He ended up getting hit by a 91.2 sinker on the first pitch he saw.
Earlier this week, Contreras went into a rage after a similar HBP against the Milwaukee Brewers. However, the same thing had zero effect on him on Saturday night. Nothing was going to ruin the vibes for him in his return to St. Louis.
Contreras played for the Cardinals from 2023 to 2025. He batted .261 with 55 home runs, 183 RBIs, and an .817 OPS across three seasons. He transitioned from catcher to first baseman in his final year in St. Louis.
