Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras was forced out of Friday night's game against the Dodgers after being struck in the head by a pitch from Dodgers reliever Will Klein. The incident occurred in the third inning at Dodger Stadium.
Klein, who has experienced command issues in recent weeks, threw two elevated 95 mph fastballs to Contreras. The first pitch narrowly missed him, but the second struck Contreras in the back of the helmet. The impact caused Contreras to bend over at the plate, appearing dazed.
Contreras, a veteran player, initially remained on his feet and walked to first base. However, he was replaced at first base in the bottom half of the inning and left the game for further evaluation. His current status was not immediately available.
Klein, a reliever who was a World Series hero for the Dodgers last year, appeared remorseful after the incident, shaking his head as he walked off the mound. Dodgers catcher Eliezer Alfonzo also offered Contreras an apologetic tap. Contreras received an ovation from the crowd as he reached first base.
The hit-by-pitch marked the end of Klein's outing. He allowed three runs, two of which were earned, in 1 ⅓ innings during what was a planned bullpen game for the Dodgers. This outing extended Klein's streak of allowing runs to six consecutive appearances. He has issued multiple free passes, either by walk or hit batter, in four of his last five games. His earned run average has risen significantly, climbing from 1.78 on June 2 to 3.89 after Friday's performance.