Early last week, the St. Louis Cardinals pulled off a dramatic 7-6 walk-off win over their NL Central rivals, the Pittsburgh Pirates. But the game took a chaotic turn in the bottom of the seventh inning when first baseman Willson Contreras was ejected after a heated outburst directed at home plate umpire Derek Thomas. In his frustration, Contreras hurled his bat toward Thomas—accidentally hitting hitting coach Brant Brown—and later threw a bucket of candy onto the field.
Contreras was given a six-game suspension, but chose to appeal. The appeal process lasted over a week.
However, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat has now confirmed that the suspension is officially in effect.
Cardinals Slugger Suspended, Length TBD
“MLB transaction log this morning says Willson Contreras has been suspended. He was expecting to hear from MLB by today, so expect an announcement regarding length later,” Jones said on X.
Contreras is the only player on the Cardinals roster to have reached 20 home runs. He is hitting .254/.338/.448 with a 2.3 WAR, 78 RBI, a .786 OPS and a 119 OPS+. He is a three-time All-Star and was part of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series championship team.
The Cardinals are already dealing with the absences of Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan, both on the injured list without clear timelines for return. Although St. Louis is no longer in the postseason race, the loss of Willson Contreras—despite the suspension length still being uncertain—is still a significant blow.
To cover for Contreras, a roster move may be necessary. The team has yet to announce who will take over at first base in his absence. Nolan Gorman could be a candidate for reps at the position, while Jordan Walker or Thomas Saggese might also see time there.
Pedro Pages and Yohel Pozo are additional options, with Pozo eligible to return from the 7-day concussion IL on Friday. Still, the absence of Contreras is likely to be felt as the Cardinals aim to play spoiler against playoff-contending teams down the stretch.
There remains a chance that Contreras’ suspension could be shortened from the original six games, allowing for an earlier return. But in the meantime, the offense is clearly weakened, and it will be worth watching how the Cardinals adjust their roster in the coming days.
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