Red Sox's Willson Contreras Breaks Drought With Well-Timed Homer

The Sox need Contreras to get hot again...

Jul 29, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) draws a walk during the first inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The drought was only eight games long, but it was starting to feel like it meant something for the Boston Red Sox's Willson Contreras.

After he hit a key home run on July 30 against the Athletics to seal a 5-4 win, Contreras was plunked in the head by Will Klein of the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. He sat out the next game, but returned for the Sunday series finale. But based on results for the next week and change, perhaps not all was right.

Regardless of whether he was still suffering any ill effects from the beanball, or his lingering hamstring injury, or the illness that sat him down for a game and a half last week, Contreras hadn't homered since that July 30 game. He changed that on Wednesday — and with authority.

Contreras goes deep against Blue Jays' Jose Soriano

Apr 29, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After fouling off several tough pitches at the bottom of the zone and working the count full, Contreras got a knuckle-curve from Soriano on the ninth pitch of the at-bat. It stayed up just a hair longer than Soriano might have preferred, and that was enough of a window for Contreras to demolish it.

105.9 mph off the bat. 408 feet. Gone in all 30 Major League Baseball ballparks.

Willson at work ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/sgE8FwxHQP

— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 13, 2026

Contreras was 4-for-24 in August without an extra-base hit entering Wednesday's game. Small sample, to be sure, but because it coincided with a head injury and an illness, there were certainly reasons for mild concern.

During that stretch, Contreras' team-leading OPS dipped from .943 to .912, and he also struck out nine times. He was chasing a lot more pitches below the zone and outside than he had all season, and editorially, he just didn't look like himself.

The home run was also Contreras' 24th of the season, which tied the career-high he set in 2019 with the Chicago Cubs. The four-time All-Star has a great shot to eclipse the 30 mark for the first time.

Is one swing enough to shatter that concern completely? Perhaps not, while the Red Sox remained mired in a four-game losing streak at the time of the blast, but it certainly goes a long way.