VIDEO: Willson Contreras Leaves Cubs Game With Apparent Injury
By Michael Luciano
Trading away Martin Maldonado couldn't have come at a worse time for the Chicago Cubs. All-Star catcher Willson Contreras was forced to leave Chicago's matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers following a potentially nasty leg injury. Contreras appears to have pulled his hamstring running out of the batter's box.
VIDEO: @Cubs C Willson Contreras looks to injure a hamstring running out of the box in the 7th inning. He is not happy. Wait for it...#GoCubsGo pic.twitter.com/plGG9yGM7e
— Billy Krumb (@ClubhouseCancer) August 3, 2019
The two-time All-Star is in the middle of the best season of his career, hitting .277 with 19 home runs in 86 games with a career-best OPS+ of 128.
With Maldonado now a Houston Astro following the trade that brought utility man Tony Kemp to the North Side, Victor Caratini will likely have to take the No. 1 catcher job if Contreras is forced to miss time with an injury.
JUST IN: Willson Contreras leaves Cubs' game vs. Brewers with apparent injury https://t.co/0Z8Ofo8AGX
— NBC Chicago (@nbcchicago) August 3, 2019
An expert game-caller with terrific power and improving discipline at the plate, it's impossible to underestimate how important Contreras is to this Cubs team when they're at their best. All they can do now is pray it wasn't a serious hamstring problem.