Willson Contreras Sidelined With Back Injury After Leading MLB in HBPs

Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game in Minnesota as he deals with a back issue. The veteran currently leads the league in hit-by-pitch incidents, a trend attributed to his aggressive plate coverage. While the Red Sox monitor his health following a high volume of pitches to the body, this latest absence highlights the physical toll of his early-season statistical profile as he nears a potential personal record for HBPs.