BOSTON — Did the White Sox’ Sam Antonacci give the Red Sox’ Willson Contreras a chicken wing at first base Wednesday?
It depends who you ask.
The question arose Thursday morning when well-known Red Sox fan Bill Simmons posted a video of the two players converging on X with the message, “I still can’t believe Contreras didn’t kill this guy.” It has more than 1 millions views.
Contreras certainly thought so, just by his reaction. White Sox manager Will Venable admitted the “optics” weren’t good. The Sun-Times asked Antonacci before the game Thursday night whether he intended to give the Red Sox firstbaseman a chicken wing as he ran by.
“Just running through,” he said.
Are you sure?
“Yes, sir.”
The video tells a different story.
Antonacci hit a bouncer to Contreras, who fielded the ball and ran to touch the bag with his left foot, beating a hustling Antonacci. After touching the base, Contreras took two steps away from the bag, heading toward pitcher Sonny Gray.
That’s when Antonacci appeared to knock Contreras’ left elbow with his left elbow. Contreras stopped, turned around and looked at Antonacci. TV cameras caught Contreras looking at Antonacci and saying, “You OK?” Anontacci didn’t appear to look back or say anything as he ran by toward the third-base dugout.
Contreras, a former Cubs catcher, has been involved in many incidents in his 11-year career, and he even has sought some out. But he didn’t appear to be at fault here. Contreras left the game in the fifth inning with an illness, and he wasn’t in the Red Sox’ clubhouse during media availability Thursday.
Simmons’ take wasn’t wrong. Contreras runs hot. But he stayed cool in this case, even appearing to give a thumbs-up and a wave toward the White Sox’ dugout before returning to his position. It’s rare for Contreras to demonstrate such restraint.
This season alone, he has been involved in a couple of incidents, including one that got him suspended for five games, down from the initial ruling of seven. In June against the Nationals, Contreras got into a jawing match with pitcher Cade Cavalli that led to a benches-clearing brawl. Contreras later apologized, saying the recent earthquakes in Venezuela were weighing on him.
There’s a list of incidents at first base of similar nature in baseball history. A famous one involved the Red Sox in the 2004 American League Championship Series, when the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez slapped the ball out of pitcher Bronson Arroyo’s glove on his way to first base. After conferring, the umpires ruled him out.
In a 2003 National League Division Series at Wrigley Field, the Braves’ Robert Fick threw a forearm into Cubs first baseman Eric Karros’ arm and glove, knocking away the ball and glove. Needing no discussion, the umpires called Fick out immediately, and Major League Baseball later fined him.
But Antonacci was already out when he made contact with Contreras. And from the view of the camera aimed up the first-base line, it sure looked like Antonacci wasn’t “just running through.”
Two innings later, with Antonacci on second base, Miguel Vargas hit a grounder to third baseman Caleb Durbin, whose throw pulled Contreras off the bag. That had Antonacci thinking he could score, but Contreras’ throw got to catcher Connor Wong in plenty of time.
Karma’s a you-know-what.