WATCH: Willson Contreras’ early exit after getting hit by J.D. Martinez’s swing

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras was forced to leave Tuesday's game against the New York Mets early after getting hit by a J.D. Martinez swing in the second inning.

The call made by the umpire was catcher interference as Contreras' arm was extended forward while being hit. It has since been reported that his arm was fractured in the incident.

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As we can see from the replay, the incident was indeed an interference, as Contreras' arm was extended towards the swing of the bat, which caught his forearm. It was a nasty hit that left the catcher howling in pain. Contreras was then replaced by Ivan Herrera on catcher duty after his forced exit.

Willson Contreras was signed by the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent in 2009 and went on to make his major league debut with them in 2016. The Cubs went on to win the World Series that year, with the catcher playing a crucial role.

After seven seasons in Chicago - three as an All-Star - the catcher went on to sign with the Cardinals ahead of the 2023 season.

Since last year, Contreras has been a valuable addition to the Cardinals, both defensively and offensively. However, Tuesday's injury will most likely sideline him for an extended period, which will be a huge problem for St. Louis.

Cardinals confirm forearm fracture for Willson Contreras following hit by swing vs Mets

Soon after catcher Willson Contreras exited from Tuesday's game due to being hit by a swing, the St. Louis Cardinals announced that he had suffered a fractured forearm. While he will surely undergo further examination, this will most likely mean a lengthy recovery for the catcher.

This is especially bad news for the Cardinals, who are already struggling at the bottom of their division, the NL Central. Contreras has been their best hitter so far in this MLB season, with a .274/.394/.538 slashline, 6 home runs and 12 RBIs so far.

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