Contreras back in lineup as DH for Cardinals vs. Cubs tonight; Mikolas suspended 5 games
The aftermath of Thursday's bizarre first inning in St. Louis featured Willson Contreras avoiding stitches and the Cardinals wondering what happened to the warning.
The third batter of the game, Ian Happ, hit former Cubs catcher Contreras in the head with his backswing. Contreras had to leave the game and when play resumed, St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas threw a pitch up and in to Happ, then hit him on the hip with the second pitch.
Umpires discussed the situation and Mikolas was ejected. When Happ came around to score, Mikolas was the losing pitcher in a 10-3 Cubs win.
On Friday, Mikolas was suspended for five games and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing at Happ.
Mikolas, 34, is appealing the suspension thus his discipline will be held in abeyance until the process plays out. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol received an automatic one game suspension due to Mikolas' actions and will serve it during Friday's game.
"If the explanation was there was intent behind the first pitch, I feel like there should have been a warning after the first pitch," said Cardinals manager Marmol, who was also ejected in the first inning. "I feel like it could have saved everybody a lot of trouble."
After the game, Mikolas expressed similar sentiments without admitting guilt.
"I could show you the scouting report in my locker," he said. "I threw inside to a lot of guys. I threw one inside and it hit him. There was no warning. The umpires can believe whatever they want to believe.
"I was a little surprised. He (Happ) was just going to take his base, there was no chirping or anything between sides. I was waiting on the next ball, go get the next hitter."
Contreras feels OK:
Willson Contreras spoke to reporters after the game and said everything was good. Trainers were able to use glue to close the gash in his head, avoiding stitches. He was back in the lineup Friday at designated hitter.
"The good thing is I feel good. No headache, nothing like that and it's over," Contreras said. "I was kind of knocked out, then I felt something coming down my head and I just grabbed it and it was all blood. That's when I knew it was bad."
Catchers are obviously in a dangerous spot behind the plate. Cubs catcher Yan Gomes went on the injured list after getting struck by a backswing earlier this season.
"During my whole career since I started catching, I've been hit several times with the backswing, but nothing like this one," Contreras said. "This one was really bad. It caught me pretty good."
Why the Cardinals retaliated at all is unclear. As a former teammate of Contreras, Happ obviously had no intention of causing harm. Contreras gave Happ a hug on his way off the field.
"It's just horrible," Happ said after the game. "We played together for six years, we're good friends. Lot of love for him, so to see him go down and be bleeding from the head, it's obviously a scary moment. We texted a little bit after the game and he's doing all right."
Happ was able to laugh about Contreras arguing with the trainer to stay in the game.
"That didn't surprise me at all," Happ said. "He was trying really hard to stay in the game and trying to fight the trainer as blood's coming out of his head. That's who he is. We saw that over here for a long time. That's the kind of competitor he is."
Wesneski to start for Cubs:
The Cubs recalled right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski from Triple-A Iowa and optioned right-handed pitcher Michael Rucker to Iowa. Wesneski is scheduled to make the start for the Cubs in tonight's game in St. Louis.
Birds can chirp:
Another sidebar to the first inning events was pitcher Miles Mikolas getting into it with the Cubs dugout after getting ejected.
"They were chirping at us, they were jawing at us," Mikolas said. "The way I look at it, to be honest, anytime someone hits someone on our team, I'm on the top step (of the dugout) yelling at them. That's your right as an opposing team.
"I don't think it's really anything ever malicious. We're out there playing, you're all amped up for the game. It's fun to get on the top step and have a reason to kind of chirp at the other team. Just kind of chirping back and forth. No big deal. I don't think there's any ill-will or anything like that."
Twitter: @McGrawDHSports