In a flash, the Boston Red Sox jumped out to a lead against the Washington Nationals on Monday night, courtesy of a first-inning home run from Willson Contreras. Almost just as quickly, Contreras was ejected in the second inning, seemingly without saying a word.
After the game, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy attempted to explain the ejection. However, he would also admit that he did not know what was going on at the time.
“To be honest with you, when it happened, I didn’t know what was going on,” Tracy said after the game. “I kind of looked up and saw him throw somebody out. Thought maybe someone said something from the dugout. So, you guys saw me go out there trying to figure out what’s happening.”
In the second inning, Contreras tried to check his swing. However, on appeal to first base umpire Nic Lentz, it was ruled a full swing and a strikeout. Without saying anything, Contreras walked back to the dugout, but as he did so he tapped his helmet. That’s the challenge signal. Lentz immediately ejected him.
“I think, maybe Willson tapped his helmet,” Tracy said. “Like as a gesture, can we check. Jokingly check that check swing, which we know he can’t. So, I think he felt like he showed him up and threw him out of the game. I didn’t even know until I got out there, kind of what was going on.”
Contreras would come out of the dugout shortly after being ejected, following Tracy. They both tried to plead their case to Lentz, but Lentz was adamant that it was worthy of an ejection.
“He just calmly wanted to talk to him about, you know, ‘I didn’t mean anything by it.’ They know each other. He’s been in the league a long time… He didn’t get heated or anything like that… He’s going through a lot,” Tracy said.
Umpire Nic Lentz on Why He Ejected Willson Contreras
After the game, umpire Nic Lentz did address his decision to eject Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras to the pool reporter. He shared that it was, in fact, for tapping his helmet, which he felt was disrespectful enough to warrant an ejection.
“I called him out on appeal for the check swing, and as he was walking back to the dugout, he started gesturing, tapping his helmet, like he wanted to challenge something that is not a challengeable call,” Lentz said. “And so disrespect, and again gesturing towards what he thought was an incorrect call, got him removed from the game.”
For Lentz, this is now becoming a trend for him. In June of 2025, he was behind home plate for a very similar ejection.
At the time, there were no ABS challenges of balls and strikes allowed, but the system had been practiced in Spring Training and was already in use in the minor leagues. So, when Taylor Walls of the Tampa Bay Rays tapped his helmet after a call he disagreed with, it could potentially be taken as arguing balls and strikes. Without hesitation, Lentz ejected him.
That was a more explosive confrontation for Lentz than the Contreras ejection. The Rays were, obviously, much more animated in the moment than the Red Sox were. Still, it’s the same umpire ejecting a player for the same thing. In either case, it’s hard to justify the ejection.
Boston Red Sox First Baseman Willson Contreras is Battling an Emotional Week
Willson Contreras is one of five Venezuelan-born players currently on the Boston Red Sox. To say it’s been an emotional week in the aftermath of the earthquakes that shook their home country would be an understatement.
Never one to shy from his emotions, after hitting his first inning home run, Contreras could be seen screaming, “Venezuela.” After that, he went to the bench and openly cried.
One of Contreras’ countrymen, Wilyer Abreu, would later be seen comforting him. It was also Abreu, after the game, who shared how difficult it’s been to play baseball given the circumstances at home in Venezuela.
“It’s very hard to play right now with everything that’s going on in Venezuela, but we’re doing everything we can to stay focused on the game,” Abreu said.
Both Contreras and Abreu were among the Red Sox players who helped collect before gams recently outside of Fenway Park, raising money for relief efforts.
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