The St. Louis Cardinals and Willson Contreras found themselves at the center of controversy after his ejection in matchup against the Pirates. Umpire Derek Thomas ejected the Cardinals catcher in the seventh inning after a called third strike, sparking confusion and frustration. Contreras immediately denied using any vulgar language, contradicting the explanation given by the umpiring crew.
Contreras said the plate umpire Derek Thomas shocked him by tossing him from the game. He explained that all he did was ask for fair calls on both sides. “I didn’t argue any pitch,” Contreras said. “All I said was, ‘Call the pitches on both sides because you’re missing for us.’ Then I turned around. Next thing I hear, he threw me out. There’s no reason for it.”
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol came to the defense of his catcher, joining the argument and getting ejected himself. “We’ll have to dive into it to make sure what Willson’s saying is what happened,” Marmol said. “But I believe him.” The incident added intensity to an already tense Cardinals-Pirates series.
Crew chief Jordan Baker offered a different perspective, stating that Contreras and Marmol were ejected for “saying vulgar stuff” to the plate umpire. Baker also alleged that Contreras made contact during the confrontation. The league will review the tape and handle the matter, leaving open the possibility of further discipline.
Contreras, however, stood firm on his side of the story. He admitted he struck out on a good pitch but maintained that his comments were respectful. “I knew I struck out on a good pitch,” Contreras said. “But I didn’t say anything inappropriate.”
The Cardinals ultimately came away with the win, but the focus shifted to Willson Contreras’ ejection and the looming review from Major League Baseball. Sitting fourth in the NL Central and 5.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot, the Cardinals still clings to slim postseason hopes. Any suspension could make their uphill climb even tougher.
Will the MLB review clear Willson Contreras or lead to further drama for the Cardinals?
