Willson Contreras is having a career-best season at the plate in his first year with the Red Sox. Winslow Townson / Getty Images
Aug. 31, 2026 Updated 3:29 pm EDT
Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras landed on the 10-day injured list Monday with a left hamstring strain. Contreras exited Sunday’s game in New York with the injury.
The team recalled designated hitter Mickey Gasper to fill Contreras’ roster spot.
Contreras has been the heart of Boston’s lineup, hitting .274/.384/.516 with 26 home runs. The severity of the hamstring strain is not yet known, but he’d been dealing with hamstring tightness for the past month, often jogging out grounders to first base to not exacerbate the injury.
Gasper, one of the team’s hottest hitters in recent weeks, returns to the roster after being sent to Triple-A Worcester on Sunday as part of the roster move when Roman Anthony was activated from the IL.
Gasper been on a tear at the plate with a two-homer game on Wednesday in Miami and homers in three straight games last homestand. Since being recalled on Aug. 17 when Masataka Yoshida landed on the IL, Gaspar went 11-for-26 (.423) with five homers for an eye-popping 1.710 OPS as he split time at designated hitter with Jahmai Jones.
He is starting at first tonight for the Red Sox in place of Contreras. Gasper had played two games at first for the Red Sox earlier this season and has 210 games at first in the minors over the last seven seasons
— This story will be updated.
Aug 31, 2026
Connections: Sports Edition
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today’s puzzle