What unfolded at LoanDepot Park in front of 16,821 fans was enough to bring back flashes of what happened two months ago.

Back on June 30, after a routine strikeout against Cade Cavalli, Willson Contreras was heading back to the dugout when a comment from the Nationals right-hander rubbed him the wrong way. Contreras moved toward Cavalli and fired his helmet at him, and what followed was a bench-clearing incident and a suspension. That was then, but on Tuesday, when he stepped to the plate, the sequence that followed left fans shocked as Contreras’ move put his opponent in danger.

“Red Sox fans booing Willson Contreras for not hustling has him diving head first into first base on a grounder,” Punchoutpitch wrote on X along with a 42-second clip of the play.

The Red Sox were tied 1-1 entering the top of the sixth on Tuesday. Contreras started his at-bat with a strike, facing a 94-mph fastball from Miami Marlins starter Tyler Zuber. On the very next pitch, he swung and hit a grounder toward Javier Sanoja at third base. Sanoja made a clean throw to first base as Contreras tried to reach the bag. Leo Jimenez made a routine grab as the Boston slugger dove headfirst, and while sliding, his left leg made solid contact with Jimenez’s left shin.

The 25-year-old immediately dropped to the ground, removed his glove, and stayed there. Contreras wasted no time getting up and went straight to Jimenez to check on him. The fact that he was put out didn’t bother him, as the 34-year-old star was more worried about his opponent being hurt. Contreras eventually had to step away from the field while the medical team attended to the Miami fielder.

Luckily, it wasn’t an injury for Jimenez, and he was able to continue. On the other hand, Contreras never stopped showing effort, going 2-for-5 during the game and scoring a run. While Zuber wrapped up the inning before Contreras could score, a homer from Jarren Duran in the 11th eventually helped Contreras and two other runners reach home plate. With that four-run home run, the Red Sox won 7-3 in extra innings.

The efforts of the 4x MLB All-Star seem like a stark contrast to the criticism he has recently faced from the Boston fans. The diehards have booed him for not running hard on ground balls. In fact, they booed him on August 8 and did it again when they were taunting him during the Arizona Diamondbacks matchup on August 20. 

And what was the first baseman’s response, you may ask? He put his hands to his ears to respond to the criticism, but that wasn’t the only response he had in store for the fans. His diving effort shows just how invested he is in the team, and such effort is exactly what Boston needs to remain in contention. 

Boston Red Sox’s playoff claim intensifies

The fans never doubted Contreras for his hitting ability. He has a slash line of .281/.390/.526 with a .916 OPS. These numbers are the best in his career so far. He has also recorded 78 RBIs, including 26 home runs. Contreras had also earned a spot in both the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game this year. 

What’s more, the Red Sox are back on track. They have won their fifth straight game, which is surely a positive after having five consecutive losses earlier this month.

They are currently 73-59, third in the AL East. Willson Contreras and his teammates are 6.5 games ahead in the Wild Card race with just 30 games remaining in the regular season. 

Meanwhile, the Red Sox have a .251 batting average (6th in the league), and their overall ERA of 3.48  puts them third in MLB. There’s hardly any doubt about Boston slipping off the playoff spot. 

But that’s what makes the concerns much bigger. The fans have seen the team crash out of the Wild Card Series last year. They want all hands on deck to make a deep postseason run this time. And that’s why having huge expectations for one of their biggest stars doesn’t feel too unusual for a team chasing the World Series.