Willson Contreras is enjoying a breakout campaign with the Boston Red Sox after arriving from the St. Louis Cardinals in last year’s trade. He has been the driving force behind Boston’s offense, repeatedly delivering in clutch moments. Even when the Red Sox hit a rough patch and slipped behind in the standings, Contreras came through with timely hits and game-changing plays to keep the team afloat. That is why concern spread so quickly during Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers when Will Klein hit him with pitches on consecutive plate appearances.

“Willson Contreras avoided one pitch, then got hit in the head by another. He ultimately left the game,” Jomboy Media wrote on X along with a 33-second clip.

In the top of the third inning, Will Klein threw a 95 mph four-seamer that went past Contreras’ helmet. The first baseman was quick to dodge as he fell to the ground. Another came in as a 95.4 mph fastball that directly hit his helmet. Almost immediately, Contreras took off his helmet, sat down, and held his ear.

And just as the stands were ready to witness a mound charge and a probable bench-clearing brawl, Contreras was instead attended to by the medical staff before taking first base. In Jomboy Media’s clip, even Freddie Freeman appeared tense as Contreras received treatment.

This matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers in their own backyard marked the 19th time Contreras had been hit by a pitch this season, tied for most in the American League with the White Sox’ Sam Antonacci. Soon enough, he left the field and was replaced by Anthony Seigler at second base, while Nick Sogard shifted to first.

“He got hit in the ear flap, so I think his ear was ringing a little bit,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said after the game. “He’s had some tests done so far, which have been fine. The caveat to that is with stuff like that with the head, you’re worried about concussions, you’ve got to wait, let him sleep. He’s got to get up tomorrow and see how he feels in the morning and do activities. We have to wait and see how he feels.”

The 34-year-old is signed to a five-year, $87.5 million contract that runs through the 2027 season. And given how the Red Sox have improved their ranking and are currently third with a 58-51 record in the AL East, missing their best slugger could prove costly. In his first year with Boston, Contreras secured an American League All-Star nod. He came into Friday’s game batting .289 with a .944 OPS while leading the club with 23 homers and 67 RBIs.

As of now, the Red Sox have not provided an official update on Contreras’ injury or whether he will be placed on the injured list. For now, Boston fans will have to wait patiently for additional updates. But if it’s anything, then after the game, Contreras was seen smiling, checking his phone, and interacting cheerfully with teammates.

The Red Sox are already dealing with several key injuries. Curtis Mead is on the 10-day injured list with a non-displaced fracture in his left wrist after being sidelined on July 29. He is expected to be re-evaluated in late August and could return in September. Roman Anthony has been on the 60-day injured list since May 7 with a partially torn tendon in his right ring finger. He recently resumed a light swing progression and is targeting an August return.

Trevor Story has been on the 60-day injured list since June 4 with a sports hernia and is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment this month. Meanwhile, Isiah Kiner-Falefa has been on the 10-day injured list since June 20 because of a left forearm stress reaction.

With several key players already sidelined, losing Willson Contreras at such a crucial stage of the season could stall the offense and hamper the Red Sox’s push in the standings, especially after they matched an eight-decade-old franchise record with a 15-game winning streak. Boston currently trails the Yankees by 3.5 games and the AL East-leading Rays by six.

For now, all eyes are on the Red Sox’s next update to determine the severity of Contreras’ injury and whether he will be placed on the injured list.