Red Sox’ Willson Contreras says he will ‘take one of them out’ if Brewers hit him again

Three hours after the Brewers hit him with another pitch, Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras remained furious late Monday night, promising to “take one of them out” if it happens again — and making that promise repeatedly.

Milwaukee righthander Brandon Woodruff’s up-and-in sinker grazed Contreras’s hand in the third inning. He was mad on his slow walk to first base, to which he was escorted by his brother, Brewers catcher William Contreras, and was still mad at first base, barking at Woodruff, after a replay review allowed the call to stand.

“It’s not just the hit by pitch. That’s the 24th time they’ve hit me in my career — 24th. That’s the sixth time [Woodruff] has hit me,” Contreras said after the Red Sox’ 8-6 loss at Fenway Park “And they always say, ‘I’m not trying to hit you.’ That gets old. So next time they hit me again, I’m going to take one of them out. That’s a message.”

Contreras had those statistics off the top of his head, and he was correct. Milwaukee has plunked him 24 times in 121 games, all but Monday’s coming while Contreras was an NL central foe with the Cubs and Cardinals. That is the most HBPs of an active player by any team.

Woodruff has gotten him six times in 30 plate appearances.

“The 24th time, it’s not [a] coincidence,” Contreras said. “They’re going there with a purpose. And that’s fine, that’s pitching. But next time you hit me, the message is clear: I’m going to take one of them out.”

The Brewers seemed unbothered.

“We’ve been through this … it seems like every year,” Woodruff told Milwaukee reporters. “He’s trying to play a game and he’s trying to get his side fired up. Once I knew what was going on, I wasn’t going to let it affect me on the mound. I knew I had a job to do.”

Christian Yelich said: “We’ve seen that skit for the last 10 years. It’s nothing new. Not surprising. You just keep it rolling. You got a game to win and lock the boys in, rally the troops.”

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And Contreras, of facing Milwaukee: “When they come to town, or we go there, it’s a different mind-set for sure.”

The awkward part: William Contreras, five years younger than Willson.

“I tried [to calm Willson down], but it’s impossible,” William said.

Woodruff said: “It’s unique, for sure, for them to get to play against each other. When stuff’s going on like that, I’m sure it’s not easy on William.”

Has Willson spoken with William about this?

“No, we don’t need to talk about it,” Willson said.

Willson Contreras, acquired via trade with the Cardinals in December, wound up having by far the biggest game of the young season, reaching base a career-high-tying five times. He had three hits (in three at-bats), matching his total from the previous four games. And he homered in the ninth, complete with a bat flip and, as he rounded third base, staring into the Brewers dugout.

His fire was a frequent presence. During that third-inning sequence, he slid hard into second base on a force out, tearing the pant leg of shortstop David Hamilton.

“I wouldn’t say purposeful, because he stayed on the bag,” Contreras said. “That was a perfect, legal slide. Thank you.”

Upon returning to the dugout, he continued to yell (when he paused his pacing). When he made a diving stop of a ground ball to retire Jake Bauers to end the top of the sixth, Contreras stared him down.

“Sometimes when I play angry, I play better,” Contreras said. “I don’t know why. But that’s who I am.”

Contreras predicted to a teammate — Ceddanne Rafaela or Andruw Monasterio, he said — earlier Monday that the Brewers would hit him.

“And they did,” he said. “And that’s going to happen maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day, but they’re going to hit me again. And we’ll see what happens.”

The Red Sox host the Brewers at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday and 1:35 p.m. Wednesday.

“I don’t care what they call it, I don’t care what they say,” Contreras said. “The only thing I care about is my health. If they don’t care about my health, and they hit me again, I’m going to try to take one of them out.”

Tim Healey can be reached at timothy.healey@globe.com. Follow him @timbhealey.