Whether it was confusion, laughter, or something in between, everyone had a reaction to All-Star catcher William Contreras sliding into first on a routine groundout in the first inning vs. St. Louis on Friday night. Manager Pat Murphy put it best when asked about it post-game, saying, "That's why they call him Wild Bill."
Many wondered if it implied tension between Murphy and Contreras, as the Brewers' back-to-back Manager of the Year pulled Contreras from a game on Thursday night, seemingly for a lack of effort. But based on Murphy's comments, that doesn't seem to be the case. In fact, the second-inning antics were just the beginning of a phenomenal outing for Contreras.
Although he only recorded one successful hit, that RBI was crucial in a go-ahead rally for the Brewers in the eighth inning. But more importantly, he went 5-for-5 in ABS challenges in the contest, effectively playing defense with his eyes and his mind in win No. 101 of the season for Milwaukee.
William Contreras no tuvo dudas con este ABS Challenge. 💪
— MLB Español (@mlbespanol) September 26, 2026
(ABS Impulsado por @TMobile ) pic.twitter.com/rlBl1HfT1v
This is a player who not only understands his role for the team, but also the culture and mentality that Milwaukee expects from its star players, and will do anything to embody it heading into the playoffs.
William Contreras loves to win, and he'll do whatever it takes to help the Milwaukee Brewers succeed in the playoff run ahead.
No player is going to be perfect at the plate every night, but they can always bring the energy and execute within their roles. That's what's expected from William Contreras. The message that Murphy sent by pulling Contreras for that seemingly lazy run against the Phillies wasn't necessarily for Contreras himself, but for the team to understand the stakes and standard heading into the postseason.
Contreras, however, sent his own message in return, and it told us that he's ready for the playoffs.
The 28-year-old, who set a new career-high with 94 RBIs this season to this point, is mentally locked in and prepared to flip the switch at any time. For him to take his benching in stride and respond like that, with a little bit of a joke early and a massive performance from behind home plate, shows a level of competitive spirit and self-awareness that's vital to his role on this team.
The Brewers don't take themselves too seriously, but they take their craft incredibly seriously. That's what made them so successful this season. Contreras isn't the most athletic player on the team, nor is he the tallest, fastest, or even the best batter. But he is a cerebral player who knows how to play smarter than most of the competition, which is more than enough to contribute come playoff time.
Contreras summed it up best after the game, when he said, "Play hard like Milwaukee wants me to. I’m doing my job.”
He knows what he's supposed to do, and he does it 95% of the time. Now that the 2026 MLB Playoffs are almost here, Contreras and his competitive drive won't let him slow down.
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