Willson Contreras slams Red Sox’s excessive use of data after early playoff exit originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Red Sox limped to defeat in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card, seeing a campaign filled with hope turn to ash at the hands of their hated rivals, the Yankees.
Star catcher Willson Contreras wasn’t too pleased with the nature of their collapse. The four-time All-Star, who enjoyed the best season of his big-league career in 2026, spoke at length about Boston’s foibles in its two-game tilt against New York.
One of the concepts he felt especially compelled to rail against: the franchise’s use of data.
Here’s what you need to know.
Willson Contreras slams Red Sox’s use of data
Contreras had his say about Boston’s analytics-based approach to managing baseball games after Wednesday’s game. While he acknowledged that using spreadsheets can be helpful in aiding on-field performance, he doesn’t believe the metrics should be gospel — especially not in high-leverage situations.
“It’s not enough when you have talent, or you have data, or you have computers telling you what to do, because this is baseball,” Contreras said. “The data is here to help us, but at the end of the day, you need experience and veteran guys to win games. There’s a lot of stuff I would like to say, but I’ll state it like that.”
Willson Contreras: “It’s not enough when you have talent, or you have data, or you have computers telling you what to do, because this is baseball. The data is here to help us, but at the end of the day, you need experience and veteran guys to win games. There’s a lot of stuff I… pic.twitter.com/MS7u5yy96y
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) October 1, 2026
When asked directly whether he felt the Red Sox were too reliant on data, Contreras was blunt.
“If you watch the game,” Contreras responded.
Boston recorded just two runs across the two-game series. Contreras was responsible for one of them, sending a moonshot into the Gotham night to help Boston get back into the game for a fleeting moment.
MORE: What’s next for the Red Sox after playoff exit vs. Yankees?
Contreras continued his run of captivating — and revelatory — remarks in his pot-game huddle with reporters. When asked for insight into Sonny Gray’s premature exit after just 4.2 innings of work, Contreras was defiant.
Willson Contreras refused to speak about Sonny Gray getting pulled. pic.twitter.com/a9pxRNePZN
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) October 1, 2026
All told, the 34-year-old produced the sort of explosive presser that is certain to make him a source of inspiration — or rebuke — within Boston’s fanbase. Contreras has never been afraid to speak candidly about matters of the heart. Given the nature of the Red Sox’s postseason collapse, it’s hard to not say he was warranted to speak up — even if it does upset team harmony.