The Boston Red Sox concluded the regular season with a 6-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs in a meaningless home game at Tropicana Field. However, while the Red Sox could not finish the season with a win, Willson Contreras was able to take his spot in the starting lineup after a hand injury had shunted him to the bench for more than a week.
Contreras was hitless in two at bats, striking out in his first plate appearance and grounding out in his second. The Red Sox will be facing the New York Yankees in the Wild Card round of the playoffs and they need the power bat of Conteras in the lineup. He led the Red Sox with 27 home runs this season.
After the game, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said that he expects Contreras to be in the lineup when the Wild Card series gets underway, according to Red Sox insider Tyler Milliken.
The Red Sox have had multiple injuries in the final month of the regular season. In addition to Contreras, All-Star centerfielder has played sparingly as a result of a quadriceps strain. He also played in the regular-season finale and he had one hit in two at bats before he was replaced by Nate Eaton.
Roman Anthony and Trevor Story both missed the majority of the season with injuries before they returned late in the year. Neither player suffered any additional setbacks.
The Red Sox and Yankees will start their Wild Card series Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. The best of 3 series will be played in New York. The two teams met in last year's Wild Card matchup and the Yankees won that series in three games.