Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras suspended 6 games by MLB for bat toss meltdown against Pirates

Major League Baseball has announced that St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Willson Contreras has been suspended for six games following his outburst against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night. Contreras is set to appeal the suspension.

The incident began after Contreras struck out looking on a pitch over the middle of the plate. He started toward the Cardinals’ dugout before turning back to confront umpire Derek Thomas. As the exchange grew heated, Cardinals coaches came out to pull Contreras away from the umpire.

After being ejected, Contreras tossed his bat, which accidentally struck one of his coaches in the face. He then proceeded to throw a bucket of candy onto the field, which had to be cleaned up by stadium staffers.

Following the game, Contreras said he was surprised by the ejection. “I was surprised because [the umpire] threw me out for nothing,” he stated. Contreras did admit that he “struck out on a good pitch” and apologized to his coach for the bat throw.

The suspension likely stems from two factors. Confronting umpires in an aggressive manner typically results in discipline. Additionally, the bat toss, while accidental, could have caused a serious injury, making a suspension almost certain once the bat left his hand.

Contreras is batting .261 this season with 19 home runs and a career-high 72 RBI. His absence will be a significant loss for the fourth-place Cardinals, who have a 65-67 record.