Contreras’ Power Already on Display for Red Sox
– New Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras is already showing signs of why the team traded for him, displaying a rare power to all fields, including to right-center field at Fenway Park.
Contreras hit his first home run in a Red Sox uniform on , February 24, 2026, during spring training. While the home run occurred in Florida, the ball traveled 385 feet with an exit velocity of 106 mph, suggesting it would likely have cleared the fences at Fenway Park on most days, according to reports.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora believes Contreras’ power will translate well to the ballpark. “His power is going to play at Fenway,” Cora said, as reported by MassLive.com.
The ability to hit to right-center field is particularly challenging at Fenway Park, but Contreras has demonstrated this skill before. He reportedly hit a similar home run against Red Sox pitcher Josh Winckowski in 2023 while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.
At the time of the trade, Contreras’ ability to hit the ball in the air to all fields was a key factor for the Red Sox. Statcast data shows that only 10 home runs were hit to the opposite field by right-handed batters at Fenway Park last season, and most of those were to the Pesky Pole.
Contreras was at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on , for Red Sox Photo Day, captured by photographers Maddie Malhotra of the Boston Red Sox and Gerald Herbert of the Associated Press. The images reflect the team’s active roster as of that date.
Carlos Narváez was seen standing next to Contreras watching batting practice on , at JetBlue Park, according to a post on Facebook.
The Red Sox acquired Contreras in a trade with the Cardinals, and his opposite-field power is expected to be a valuable asset to the team’s lineup. The ability to pull the ball in the air is generally considered a key to success at Fenway Park, but Contreras’ versatility gives him an added dimension.
