When Willson Contreras faces the Milwaukee Brewers, you can expect fireworks. That long-running feud added another explosive chapter Monday night at Fenway Park, where a tense on-field confrontation nearly escalated into a full-blown brawl.

The spark came in the third inning of the Brewers' 8-6 victory. Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff fired a fastball high and inside, nicking Contreras. While replays suggested minimal contact, the call on the field stood: hit by pitch. That was all it took to ignite the simmering bad blood between the two veterans.

As Contreras began his walk to first base, he unleashed a torrent of words at Woodruff, who fired back with some choice remarks of his own. The situation grew so heated that Boston manager Alex Cora had to rush from the dugout to calm his fiery catcher. The drama is layered with family ties, as Contreras's own brother, William, is the starting catcher for the Brewers.

This was the sixth time Woodruff has hit Contreras in their careers, a staggering statistic that explains the immediate hostility. "We’ve been through this – it’s, what, nine years for me? – it seems like every year," Woodruff said post-game, downplaying the intent. "He’s trying to play a game and he’s trying to get his side fired up."

Contreras, however, is done with the explanations. He issued a stark warning for any future encounters. “They always say, ‘I’m not trying to hit you.’ That gets old,” Contreras stated. “So next time they hit me again, I’m going to take one of them out. That’s the message.”

He backed up his words with action moments later. After reaching first, he was still jawing at Woodruff. Then, when forced out at second base, Contreras went into the bag with such ferocity that his spikes tore through the pants of Brewers shortstop David Hamilton near the knee—a clear, hard-nosed baseball play that underscored his simmering intensity.