
Red Sox players Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer addressed rumors of a feud stemming from their postgame comments. Contreras clarified that his remarks were misinterpreted, while Mayer dismissed the idea of blaming the team's youth for struggles.
DETROIT â As Red Sox players changed into their uniforms in the visitors clubhouse at Comerica Park on Monday afternoon, TVs on the wall showed an MLB Network segment in which analysts discussed a supposed feud between first baseman Willson Contreras and second baseman Marcelo Mayer because of their postgame comments Sunday. The headline of a New York Post aggregation article stated that Red Sox players were âturning against each other in (an) ugly clubhouse war of words.â
The reality, according to Contreras and Mayer, was much different. An irritated Contreras told reporters he didnât think his postgame comments had been portrayed fairly. Speaking through interpreter Carlos Villoria BenĂtez, the veteran wanted to clear the air.
âI think itâs unfair that it was tried to put me against my team when the thing I said wasnât even close to what I meant or tried to put me against my team,â Contreras said, adding: âObviously, itâs hard to see. I feel like every time I say something or do something, they try to do the opposite. They try to put me against teammates or everybody else. Thatâs what I feel like.â
After a 3-1 loss to Houston in which the Red Sox went 0-for-11 and left 13 men on base, Contreras told reporters that the youth of Bostonâs roster was likely a factor in the clubâs early-season struggles. Across the clubhouse, Mayer â unaware of what Contreras had said â answered a question about Bostonâs young core with: âTo me, thatâs just kind of an excuse: blame the young guys.â
Willson Contreras expressed that he felt his postgame comments were unfairly portrayed, suggesting they were taken out of context to create a narrative against his teammates.
Marcelo Mayer stated that blaming the young players for the team's issues was merely an excuse, indicating that he does not support that perspective.
The perceived feud arose after Contreras commented on the impact of the team's youth on their performance, while Mayer, unaware of Contreras's comments, suggested that blaming young players was not valid.
In their recent game against Houston, the Red Sox lost 3-1, going 0-for-11 with 13 men left on base, which contributed to the discussion about the team's struggles.

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An assumption was made, at least in some circles, that the players were at odds. On Monday, Mayer called it âone of those classic, blown-out-of-proportion Twitter things.â
âI think things got taken out of context,â Mayer said. âI didnât mean to take a shot at anybody, obviously, especially not to Willson. Willson and I have a great relationship. Heâs an amazing teammate, a great person and a true veteran of this game. We really respect him in the clubhouse and he helps us a lot. He helps the team, he helps the young guys. None of that was directed at Willson.
âObviously, sometimes you say things in the moment that donât come off as how you meant to say it. I know that Willson said things that Iâm sure got (skewed) the wrong way by some people, as did I. But this team, weâre all super close and we all love each other, so I donât think people need to worry as far as the vibes in the clubhouse.â
Mayer clarified his message thusly: âWe know we have a young team. Thatâs no excuse. We still believe we need to perform at a high level and we think we can win with this team. That was pretty much my message.â
Contreras did, too: âWhen youâre young, itâs easy to fall into the trap of the numbers. Iâm here to help the guys. When we lose, we all lose as a team. Thatâs what I said... What I said about my teammates is that they have a good (work) ethic, that they ask a lot of questions and that theyâre very prepared very good. That didnât come out anywhere else.â
Contreras was also asked to provide a clearer picture on another topic from Sunday afternoon. In Boston, he said that after the firing of Alex Cora last weekend, âthe guys got loose a little more because I feel like the tension was gone.â In Detroit, he made it clear he had no ill will toward Cora, who was dismissed last weekend along with a handful of his coaches.
âI think Alex did a great job here,â Contreras said. âEverything he did here was amazing. What I said that I see was that guys â from what I can see â feel more relaxed. Thatâs what I can feel. That was it.
âI do think that for us, Alex did a great job with us. He was communicating with everything. I think it was up to us to ask more questions. I think thatâs pretty much it.â
Contreras and Mayer laughed and joked before the opener of a three-game series between the Red Sox and Tigers. The subject even caused interim manager Chad Tracy, on the WEEI pregame show, to joke that the team had hosted a âcage matchâ between its two right-side infielders Monday.
âWe get along great,â Contreras said. âHe knows Iâm trying to help the team win. I try to help him win because Iâve been there.
âOne of the things is: Instead of trying to see if Iâm a bad teammate, try to talk to all of my teammates and see how good of a teammate or bad teammate I am. Thatâs the best way to do it.â
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