The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs got into it after Thursday's game and Willson Contreras was at the center of it thanks to backfiring chirps.
It all went off in the bottom of the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Daniel Palencia plunked Contreras with an inside fastball, prompting the first baseman to direct some choice words toward the mound. The talk continued even after he made it to first. Alec Burleson even tried to calm him down from second base.
All the times Willson Contreras was chirping at Daniel Palencia. Included Alec Burleson at 2nd base telling Willson to calm down. pic.twitter.com/CvYc5gp1zG
— ✶ Ⓜ️𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤 ▶️ ✶ (@_MarcusD3_) June 26, 2025
There was no calming down as the benches cleared after Palencia ended the game and celebrated in Contreras' direction.
After the game, Contreras admitted he told Palencia to "throw strikes." Palencia did just that. He got Nolan Arenado and Thomas Saggese swinging before punching out Nolan Gorman on a called strike three. If Contreras was trying to get in the closer's head, he did the opposite. And then he got mad when Palencia shoved it in his face.
Cardinals need Willson Contreras to channel his emotions the right way
Showing emotion isn't a bad thing. It can be the key to lifting up your team. It's just that Contreras' brand of emotion is more counterproductive than motivating. Last year, a Cubs insider even claimed his volatility in the clubhouse factored into Chicago's decision to let him leave without a new contract.
Contreras needs to pick his moments. Getting riled up over a ninth-inning HBP that was undoubtedly unintentional helps no one. The Cardinals had no outs and the tying run coming to the plate. It was not the time to start stuff. 26-year-old Alec Burleson shouldn't need to urge his 33-year-old teammate to cool it.
Anyone can be vocal. Anyone can talk all the talk. But a true leader gets things right and sets the example for his teammates to do the same. If Contreras can't manage that, then he's letting the Cardinals down as a clubhouse leader.
St. Louis needs Contreras to channel his emotions in productive ways, especially with a return trip to Chicago coming up on July 4. Before then, the Cardinals will start the road trip in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The whole way, Contreras and the Cubs will certainly be thinking only of that matchup.
On the plus side, Contreras has made it a point to get his revenge on Chicago every chance he's gotten. He's batting .329/.435/.457 with an OPS of .892 in games against his former team.