NEW YORK, Aug 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras was given a six-game suspension by Major League Baseball on Tuesday after being ejected in a heated seventh-inning confrontation Monday with an umpire.

The 33-year-old Venezuelan was also fined an undisclosed sum for his actions after taking a called third strike in the bottom of the seventh inning in a 7-6 St. Louis victory over visiting Pittsburgh.

The suspension of Contreras had been set to begin on Tuesday when the Cardinals again face the Pirates, but he has chosen to appeal so any discipline involved will be delayed until that process is complete.

Contreras walked off unhappy at taking a pitch on the lower border of the strike zone. After he began to walk away, he was ejected by plate umpire Derek Thomas.

"I don't think he had a cause to throw me out. I didn't argue any pitch," Contreras said after the game. "In that last at bat, all I said was, 'Call that pitch for both sides 'cause you are missing for us.'"

Contreras became heated after being ejected, assistant coaches needing to hold him back from confronting Thomas and Cardinals assistant coach Brant Brown was struck by a bat thrown by Contreras, who later hurled a container of gum out of the dugout onto foul territory.

Umpire crew chief Jordan Baker said Contreras made contact with an umpire during his tirade.

"I didn't make any contact with the umpire," Contreras said. "I wasn't going to make contact with the umpire."

Contreras made his MLB debut for the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and helped them win the World Series that season, their first MLB crown in 108 years. He was a three-time MLB All-Star with Chicago and stayed with the Cubs through 2022 then signed a five year deal with the Cardinals worth $87.5 million.