Things got spicy at Busch Stadium on Thursday night, and it wasn’t just because the Cubs closed out a shutout win. Nope — this one had tension, bad blood, and just enough jawing that the benches cleared. And right in the middle of it? None other than former Cubs catcher turned Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras, who has been known to take umbrage with opposing players as of late. Just ask the Brewers.
The game had barely ended — a 3-0 Cubs victory sealed by Daniel Palencia’s emphatic strikeout of Nolan Gorman — when Palencia turned and locked eyes with Contreras at first base. There was no hiding it: that stare-down had some extra fuel behind it. Contreras didn’t back down, and the dugouts emptied.
Contreras loves to stick it to his former team and they know it.
Willson Conteras Plunked
Earlier in the inning, Palencia hit Contreras with a high-and-tight fastball. Nothing looked intentional, but Contreras took exception and chirped on his way to first. Then came the celebration. Then came the fire.
Palencia, for his part, said afterward he was just “pretty hype” after closing out the inning, and insisted he didn’t hit Contreras on purpose. Given the context — bottom of the ninth, runner on second, nobody out in a close game — it’s hard to argue with that. Still, Contreras clearly felt the moment had some history baked in.
Benches Cleared
To his credit, Contreras cooled off after the benches cleared and the dust settled. Speaking postgame, he admitted he let emotions get the best of him and issued an apology to the Cubs.
“My reaction was bad,” he told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I apologize to the Chicago Cubs for the way I reacted. … I don’t want to fight them.”
That may be true, but make no mistake — Contreras has been the flashpoint in this rivalry since he signed with St. Louis before the 2023 season. He’s thrown verbal jabs at his former club, called the Cardinals a better-run organization, and always seems to bring extra juice when he faces the Cubs. And while his bat’s been inconsistent, he’s been an emotional lightning rod in every Cards-Cubs showdown since he swapped uniforms.
Cards Lost
As for Thursday’s outcome, the win gave the Cubs a 2-2 series split after the Cardinals grabbed the first two games earlier in the week. Chicago responded with back-to-back shutouts — and one fired-up closer — to even things up.
Rivalry baseball in June? You bet. And with Willson Contreras in the mix, don’t expect the fireworks to fizzle anytime soon.
