MLB Notebook: Red Sox' Willson Contreras hears it from Fenway crowd, Adley Rutschman begins rehab, checking in on the farm

One of the key players in the Red Sox’ remarkable turnaround heard something unfamiliar from the Fenway Park crowd Saturday afternoon.

Boos raining down from the stands.

Willson Contreras heard it from the Fenway faithful after failing to run out a hard ground ball to third base in the eighth inning of Boston’s 7-3 loss to the Athletics.

Contreras hit a 100 mph grounder to Tommy White and made it about halfway down the first-base line before turning toward the dugout as White lobbed the throw across the diamond.

It wasn’t a good look, but interim manager Chad Tracy quickly came to the defense of his first baseman.

“I know how that looks,” Tracy said after the game. “But I’m also aware, more than others, that he’s a little beat up and told us before the game, ‘I don’t have everything today.’ So I’m fine. Especially with a guy that plays the game as hard as he does, and how hard he turns around first base all the time. I’m fine with him."

Contreras was playing for the first time in three days after dealing with an illness. He left Wednesday’s game after four innings and remained out of the lineup Thursday and Friday before returning Saturday.

“He hasn’t played in a couple days,” Tracy said. “His first day in there, I’m sure he’s probably a little fatigued. He’ll be fine.”

Contreras declined to speak with reporters after the game. He finished 1-for-5, collecting his lone hit with a single to center in the ninth inning.

The moment stood out largely because of how Contreras has played throughout his resurgent 11th major league season. The 34-year-old has been Boston’s most consistent hitter and one of its clubhouse leaders, batting .287 with a .929 OPS, 23 home runs, 18 doubles and 70 RBI in 106 games. His 23 homers are one shy of the career-high 24 he hit in 2019.

Ironically, the boos came one day after Contreras was named the Red Sox’ 2026 Heart and Hustle Award winner. The award recognizes players who demonstrate a passion for the game and embody its values, spirit and traditions.

Nobody wants to see a player fail to run out a ground ball, especially one in the infield. But considering Contreras had been sick and was playing for the first time in three days, the response from Red Sox fans Saturday felt a little harsh.

There also appears to be something going around the clubhouse. Masataka Yoshida will be out of the lineup Sunday after experiencing symptoms similar to what Contreras dealt with earlier in the week, Tracy told reporters. Regardless of the bug making its way through the clubhouse, one play shouldn’t erase everything Contreras has brought to the Red Sox this season.

Down on the Farm 

Romero Makes WooSox History

WooSox infielder Mikey Romero had a career day Saturday in Worcester’s 19-0 rout of Lehigh Valley, becoming the first player in franchise history to go 6-for-6.

Romero doubled, belted a two-run homer, drove in two and scored four times in the blowout victory.

The 22-year-old, Boston’s first-round pick in 2022, became the first WooSox player to collect six hits in a game and the first Red Sox Triple-A player to accomplish the feat since Michael Coleman had seven hits for Pawtucket on June 4, 1999.

At the big league level, only two Red Sox players, Rafael Devers in 2019 and Nomar Garciaparra in 2003, have recorded six hits in a game since 1982.

Ziehl Impresses in Triple-A Debut

Earlier this week, the Red Sox promoted No. 17 prospect