Willson Contreras, the power hitter for the Boston Red Sox, faced ejection for a second straight game on Tuesday night following a confrontation with Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli at Fenway Park, which sparked a benches-clearing altercation.

The day began with Contreras joining his fellow Venezuelan players in fundraising efforts for earthquake victims in their country, only to later find himself embroiled in a fiery exchange after Cavalli struck him out in the fourth inning.

The reasons behind Cavalli’s actions remain unclear, but he was overheard shouting ‘Sit down bro’ at Contreras as the Red Sox player left the batter’s box.

The previous day, Contreras had drawn attention with an emphatic bat flip after hitting a three-run home run against Miles Mikolas, for which he later expressed regret. Whether this incident ties into Tuesday’s skirmish remains unknown.

Regardless, the words from Cavalli provoked Contreras’ ire on Tuesday night, and he had to be held back by his teammate and compatriot, Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez.

And when Contreras did slip away, he took the opportunity to launch his helmet in Cavalli’s direction.

Although a few other shoving matches ensued, umpires gained control of the situation before ejecting Contreras, Boston interim manager Chad Tracy, Boston outfielder Nate Eaton and Mikolas.

And with that, Contreras entered Boston history by becoming the first Red Sox player  to be ejected in two consecutive games. Not even the mercurial Carl Everett, who was once suspended for grabbing his crotch, was ejected from consecutive games. 

Unfortunately for Contreras and the Red Sox, Boston’s bullpen imploded by surrendering all eight runs in the 8-1 defeat. Red Sox rookie hurler Payton Tolle is on the mound for the 1:35pm start in Boston while Washington will send Andrew Alvarez to the hill.

The 34-year-old Contreras has acknowledged struggling with the aftermath of the earthquake in Venezuela.

‘Everything that’s going on in Venezuela, it’s not easy to hide,’ Contreras told reporters after Monday’s win over Washington. ‘It’s not easy just to show up and play with everything that is going on in my country.’

The death toll from the twin earthquakes has risen to nearly 2,000 as aftershocks have eased in recent days.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said Tuesday that the earthquakes left more than 10,000 people injured and 15,000 displaced.

Contreras launched a 421-foot home run in the game before flipping his bat into the sky and shouting ‘Venezuela’ long before either the ball or his lumber had a chance to land.

‘I feel like I could be there helping people and I can’t do that,’ Contreras said. ‘And the homer just represents something that I pray to God for it to happen, because that’s the only thing I can do for Venezuela right now physically. And that’s why I was emotional.’

Contreras and Red Sox teammate Wilyer Abreu were both members of the Venezuelan team that won the WBC back in March. 

This is not the first on-field confrontation of the season for Contreras, who has been hit by 14 pitches this season – more than all but two MLB batters. Days earlier, Contreras had words with New York Yankees Will Warren over some chin music. And prior to that, Contreras had a heated exchange with his brother William’s team, the Milwaukee Brewers, after being hit by a pitch in April. 

Remarkably, it was the 24th time Contreras had been beaned by a Brewers pitcher.  

Take a step back to November.

During that time, Landry Shamet was striving to recover from a challenging first year with the Knicks. A dislocated shoulder had severely impacted his season, and he found himself often overlooked in Tom Thibodeau’s lineup. However, just 12 games into what would ultimately become the Knicks’ championship season, Shamet turned heads by sinking six 3-pointers and achieving a career-best 36 points in a decisive win over the Heat.

This performance was the first indication that he would soon play a pivotal role off the bench for the title-winning team.

“This is where I wanted to be,” Shamet expressed to The Post back then. “After last year’s remarkable season, with this group, this locker room, this city, and its fans, there was nowhere else I wanted to be, to be honest. I’m thrilled it worked out.”

With the start of free agency on Tuesday—allowing teams to officially commence negotiations with other free agents at 6 p.m., and initiate discussions with their own free agents immediately after the Finals—uncertainty still loomed over the futures of Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Clarkson. Meanwhile, the Knicks had already acted swiftly to re-sign Shamet, along with Jose Alvarado and Mohamed Diawara, bolstering the core of crucial bench players from their victorious championship campaign.

Entering free agency, Shamet and Robinson were the two biggest question marks surrounding the Knicks. Owner James Dolan’s on-the-record desire to stay under the second apron meant it would be nearly impossible to bring back both and fulfill his wishes. 

Shamet was likely to be the cheaper option, and the Knicks quickly secured his future with what they intend to be a four-year, $24 million deal.

Now, going back to Nov. 12. Across the next seven-plus months, Shamet’s entire career trajectory would change. 

Before that breakout against the Heat, he was barely hanging on in the league. He signed a nonguaranteed, veteran minimum deal to return for a second year with the Knicks. It wasn’t even guaranteed he would make the roster out of training camp — Malcolm Brogdon’s unexpected retirement paved the way for his spot. 

And just three games later, Shamet dislocated his shoulder, the same one on his right, shooting side, as the year prior in a game against the Magic. He had a decision: Undergo surgery, which would have ended his season, or try to rehab it and return later in the year. The latter option required trust in the Knicks, who could have simply cut him and his nonguaranteed contract and signed someone who could come in and play right away. 

Shamet and the Knicks agreed that he’d rehab it with the goal of returning later in the year, a prescient sign of faith between the two sides. 

It wasn’t until Jan. 15 that he returned. But across the next 36 games, he averaged 9.3 points on 38.1 percent shooting from 3-point range, cementing himself as an important part of the rotation. 

But his shooting waned down the stretch of the postseason, and he went just 2-for-8 across the first five games of the first round of the playoffs. He had effectively been replaced in coach Mike Brown’s rotation by Jose Alvarado. All of a sudden, Shamet was on the outside looking in. 

No problem. He didn’t complain or waver. He just waited for another opportunity. 

Across the final 14 postseason games, he shot 50.9 percent from deep. His game-tying trey down the stretch of the epic comeback in Game 1 of the conference finals will live in Knicks lore. 

And, now, he returns to the team he won his first championship with. He wanted to return to the Knicks even after a rough first season. He maintained that belief during an injury that threw his future in doubt. 

Even now, he probably could have gotten more money elsewhere. 

But the Knicks — and their faith in him — rejuvenated his career. He played a pivotal role in their title. 

“Knicks fans are a specific species of human that should be studied,” Shamet said. “They’re crazy. They’re crazy. … Everywhere you walk in the city, that’s what you hear. The buzz is unbelievable. You could try and explain what’s going on in New York right now for Knicks fans but good luck. It’s different. Knicks fans are different.”

This relationship itself is different. And this marriage is set to continue. 

In a closely contested decision, the Detroit City Council voted on Tuesday to extend its partnership with SoundThinking, ensuring the continuation of the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system in the city.

This move permits the California-based company to provide its crime detection technology services to Detroit until the end of March 2027, marking a commitment to enhanced public safety initiatives in the years ahead.

The ShotSpotter system, which features acoustic sensors strategically placed across city streets, has a primary function of identifying sounds resembling gunfire. These sensors promptly notify law enforcement when a potential gunshot is detected.

Michigan Advance reports that the council approved the contract renewal by a narrow margin of 5–4. The voting session was marked by animated discussions, with opponents highlighting the system’s financial implications and raising alarms about potential privacy intrusions.

Council President James Tate, who has historically supported ShotSpotter in Detroit, reportedly opposed the renewal, arguing that the $2.1 million price tag was difficult to justify. 

“I have a challenge with that dollar amount. It’s not about the technology,” Tate said. 

“When asked, would they renegotiate the contract, the answer was no, because we’ve been giving you a deal in the first place, so that leads me now to a situation where I cannot support this particular amendment.”

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero, who voted against the measure, said her opposition stemmed from a lack of data showing the technology’s effectiveness, Michigan Advance reported. 

“Frankly, I still have not heard enough support from the public, have not seen data that shows that this is working for the cost and that it’s actually protecting our information,” Santiago-Romero said. 

Gabrielle Dresner, a policy strategist for the ACLU of Michigan who testified against the extension, said false alerts can lead to unnecessary police responses and reinforce perceptions that minority communities are inherently dangerous, according to the outlet.

Critics also questioned whether acoustic microphones monitoring public spaces could amount to a form of surveillance, as well as who would have access to any audio data collected. 

However, the ShotSpotter technology has reported successful cases.

According to Assistant Chief Franklin Hayes, a ShotSpotter alert on Detroit’s west side led officers to a gunshot victim who was found alive in a case where no one had made a 911 call, Michigan Advance said. 

The technology has drawn public controversy since Detroit first signed a contract covering certain police precincts in 2020, and again in late 2022.  

It’s officially happening!

After months of intense speculation, The Daily Mail can now announce with certainty that Taylor Swift’s wedding to Travis Kelce will take place at New York City’s Madison Square Garden this week.

In an exclusive scoop, newly obtained photographs capture Taylor Swift’s trusted security team outside the famous venue on Tuesday, indicating that preparations for the big day are in full swing.

Furthermore, at approximately 4 p.m. ET, a jet associated with the pop sensation reportedly landed at Morristown Airport in New Jersey. This location, used mostly for private travel, is less than 30 miles from Swift’s residence in Manhattan.

A motorcade of six vehicles awaited the aircraft’s arrival, though it remains unconfirmed whether the 36-year-old singer was aboard.

Outside her $50million Tribeca townhouse, meanwhile, there was a buzz of activity Tuesday, with a tinted-window sedan pictured leaving the property to run an errand. Kelce, also 36, was later pictured out on a solo run in the nearby streets.

Swift’s top security officials – who kept it casual in short-sleeve shirts and jeans – are rarely seen far from the singer they guard, but on Tuesday were snapped walking with a crew of personnel outside MSG.

Their appearance came as activity at the arena reached fever pitch, with a huge volume of delivery trucks and workers fueling whispers that Swift may be entering her ‘bridezilla’ era.

In one particularly farcical moment, more exclusive Daily Mail footage captured workers carefully rolling out a plush red carpet outside the venue Tuesday, only for a visibly flustered aide to rush over moments later and order it be removed.

Witnesses said the mystery woman, who clutched a bottle of water and carried a walkie-talkie, hurried over to the confused crew and told them: ‘This wasn’t supposed to happen yet.’

Within minutes, the red carpet had vanished.

Exactly what prompted the sudden change remains unclear. Perhaps it had been rolled out in the wrong location. Or perhaps it had simply become too visible to curious onlookers gathering outside the arena.

One report, by TMZ, had it that the carpet was the incorrect color: It was supposed to be purple, not red.

According to other witnesses, workers had also been required to surrender their mobile phones before starting the carpet rollout Tuesday in an apparent bid to stop photographs or information leaking.

One Swift critic described the move as ‘heavy handed’.

Adding to the growing sense of drama, it has now been claimed Swift and her NFL star fiancé are building a ‘castle in a garden’ inside Madison Square Garden itself, ahead of lavish celebrations at the venue that will reportedly take place across Thursday and Friday this week.

There are even rumors that Swift has bought up every available calla lily in New York City.

While rather ludicrous, it is a suggestion that would chime with signage seen on various trucks arriving at MSG Monday that indicated equipment was for a ‘Garden Party’.

Another sign read: ‘Return to Nashville.’ Swift, of course, owns two homes in the Tennessee capital. 

It is understood that the National Guard held a meeting about the wedding event as preparations intensified on Tuesday, and it has already been reported that a permit has been filed to close the streets surrounding MSG in Midtown Manhattan from Thursday July 2 through midday on Saturday July 4.

So, it is certainly safe to say that a major operation is underway – all of which makes it understandable that Swift is said to have been hit by last-minute jitters, struggling to sleep and feeling overwhelmed as the big day approaches.

An insider told the Daily Mail: ‘Taylor can perform in front of tens of thousands of fans in a stadium and feel confident and not at all nervous. It’s her stage and she owns it. But I’ve never seen her like she is now. She has pre-wedding jitters.

‘She’s going through a totally new experience in her life and it’s got her ruffled.’

Like many brides, the usually unflappable pop superstar is said to be finding the prospect of walking down the aisle daunting.

‘She’s having trouble sleeping, feels very emotional about the little things that don’t usually even matter,’ the insider added.

‘She knows the world will be looking at her on her big day. It’s unnerving. She feels people will criticize her for almost everything from the way she dresses to the way she carries herself. She’s anxious, excited and vulnerable all at the same time.

‘To say she’s shaken up in the days leading up to her wedding is a good way to put it.’ 

Thankfully for Swift, her groom appears to be taking the countdown to ‘I do’ in his stride.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, who is just as accustomed to performing in front of packed stadiums as his fiancée, is said to be keeping a cool head while doing everything he can to calm Swift during the final days before the ceremony.

‘In contrast, Trav is the complete opposite. In fact, he’s been trying to calm Tay,’ an insider said.

Daily Mail first revealed in April that Swift and Kelce had required wedding invitees to RSVP with a signed NDA before securing their place on an exclusive guest list.

Despite the secrecy surrounding the event, the legal agreement reportedly contains no financial penalty – or any punishment at all – for guests who choose to break its terms, according to TMZ.

Instead, the couple are said to have relied on a different safeguard, namely individually watermarking each invitation using guests’ first and last names repeatedly across the design, making any leaked invite instantly traceable.

Even then, guests are still said to know remarkably little.

Another insider told the Daily Mail that invitees have been instructed simply to be in New York between July 3 and July 5, with many still unaware of exactly where they will be celebrating.

‘Guests still do not know anything other than be in NYC July 3-5 and available then. That is all. Everyone is still being kept very in the dark,’ the insider said.

‘Yes, everyone going and associated with cannot get in without their NDA being signed. Most people are arriving to the city for festivities starting tomorrow.’

Even the guest list itself has become something of a spectacle.

Swift’s invitees stretch far beyond her famous inner circle of Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid and the Haim sisters.

Instead, the reception is said to have evolved into something closer to an entertainment industry summit – a move that has reportedly raised eyebrows among some of Swift’s longtime friends.

‘Taylor’s wedding reception has turned into a massive networking event and it has some of her friends doing eye rolls,’ another insider told Daily Mail.

‘A lot of celebrities will be there including Stevie Nicks and Selena Gomez. But there will also be a ton of industry players at the big event, almost like a who’s who of bigwigs.’

Among those expected to attend are Eras Tour executive John Ross and his wife Nancy, Republic Records chairman Monte Lipman, Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge and his son Elliot Grainge, who will surely attend with his wife Sofia Richie.

‘Some friends are complaining the wedding concert is a vanity move to advance her career, to prove she is a super big fish in the music world,’ the insider added.

‘She is really showing off with this wedding.’

The insider claimed the blockbuster celebration already bears little resemblance to the intimate affair some friends had envisioned.

‘She could have had a small wedding with friends and family only, but this is a whole new level, it is a massive event with business friends and big time performers. I would be surprised if it turned into a movie for Disney+,’ the insider said.

One notable name expected to be absent, however, is Blake Lively, with a source previously telling Daily Mail how Swift’s former bestie had failed to make the final guest list following the collapse of her friendship with Swift amid the Justin Baldoni legal saga.

Meanwhile, the already well-protected Madison Square Garden appears to be enforcing additional security measures.

A source told Daily Mail: ‘All of the Madison Square Garden security are not allowed to use their phones as of this week.

‘They’re all doing 24-hour shifts, around the clock. MSG does usually have 24-hour security, but it appears it’s been stepped up.’

The source also claimed security has been dramatically increased outside Swift’s Tribeca home.

‘There is also an increase in security personnel at Taylor’s NYC place. There are several SUVs parked outside,’ the source noted.

All of which means that, in some quarters, the star is being accused of wedding logistics that are beginning to border on the absurd.

There are NDAs, watermarked invitations, phone bans, mystery schedules and enough security to rival a presidential visit – all for a celebration reportedly taking place inside one of the world’s most famous arenas.

Renting out Madison Square Garden for a single night is estimated to cost around $1million, while billionaire Michael Rubin has reportedly even moved his famed annual Fourth of July party a day early to avoid a clash with Swift’s festivities. 

If there was ever a wedding threatening to become bigger than the marriage itself, this may be it.

The NYPD is now required to provide reports to the City Council detailing how they prevent demonstrators from disturbing individuals near K-12 educational facilities. However, this mandate excludes colleges, which are frequently venues for vehement anti-Israel demonstrations.

This legislative decision was cemented Tuesday evening, following Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s rejection in April of a bill intended to establish protective zones around educational entities, including universities.

Mamdani argued the proposed bill would impede constitutional free speech rights.

Supporters of the newly ratified law, which passed with a majority sufficient to override a veto, lauded it as a significant measure towards safeguarding individuals.

Yet, some detractors argued that while it marks progress, the legislation does not fully address their concerns.

“There hasn’t been many protests near K-to-12 schools,” a council source said.

Still, it’s “good to send a message” to prevent protesters from intimidating students and staffers, the source added.

The City Council’s revised measure, sponsored by Democratic Councilwoman Elsie Encarnación of East Harlem, also applies to childcare centers but not to libraries or teaching hospitals.

The new law requires Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to submit a “transparency report” to the mayor and Council Speaker Julie Menin detailing the NYPD’s policies involving the “security perimeters” it sets up around the specified educational facilities.

The report will include when the NYPD decides to use a security buffer zone and how it ensures such a perimeter “neither curtails the rights to free speech, assembly, or protest, including student walkouts, nor impedes emergency access to, or egress from” the facility.

“This legislation ensures children and families can safely access schools without fear or intimidation while protecting constitutional rights, which are sacrosanct,” Menin said.

Councilman Eric Dinowitz (D-Bronx), a co-sponsor of the bill, said, “Every child in this city deserves to walk into school without fear of being harassed or intimidated.

“Whether you’re in 2K or high school, you should be able to get into and out of your school without being grabbed or having epithets hurled at you, and this bill makes sure there’s a clear, public plan to keep students safe while fully protecting every New Yorker’s right to protest,” he said.

Jewish Community Relations Council of New York CEO Mark Treyger called the bill a “major victory,” as did the UJA-Federation of New York.

Follow live updates on Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist agenda and the latest in NYC politics

“Our tradition teaches that the measure of a society is how it protects its children. This legislation answers that call,” Treyger said.

“The urgency could not be clearer. One of these early childhood programs operates in a Queens synagogue in Rego Park that was targeted in a chilling antisemitic hate crime, with swastikas scrawled across the property. Moments like these remind us that safety cannot begin after a crisis,’’ he said.

“It must be built before one.”

But the council source said the bill is “symbolic” because it excludes colleges and universities where the most violent lawless protests have occurred, such as Columbia University and CUNY’s City College.

The council also passed another law allowing the the NYPD to set up buffer zones around synagogues and other houses of worship.

In addition, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state legislature approved a law establishing a 50-foot buffer zone around houses of worship, including synagogues, churches, mosques or other religious centers to prevent harassment of congregants during protests.

The new state law creates a new penalty for “criminal interference with access to a place of religious worship” — a class B misdemeanor carrying a sentence of up to 90 days in jail and a maximum $500 fine.

“Everywhere from universities to museums to teaching hospitals could face restrictions,” Mamdani said in a statement at the time.

“This could impact workers protesting ICE, or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights.”

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Missouri authorities have unveiled video footage along with a comprehensive 100-page report detailing a riot that broke out in February at a county jail. During the disturbance, 34 inmates managed to seize control of a housing unit temporarily, causing damage in response to issues with phone and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The incident, recorded by surveillance cameras on February 7, began when inmates at the St. Louis County Justice Center voiced their dissatisfaction over limited phone access, poor Wi-Fi connections, and restricted time outside their cells. The inmates refused to return to their cells, as reported by FOX 2 Now.

Initially a peaceful protest, the situation escalated as inmates’ frustration led to more disruptive behavior, according to the report. Officials attributed the chaos primarily to a serious shortage of staff.

“This incident highlights the unpredictable nature of jail environments and underscores the crucial role played by corrections officers,” stated Captain Tim Ware, acting director of the St. Louis County Department of Justice Services. “The unrest can be directly linked to our staffing deficiencies, which forced us to impose restrictions on inmate movements.”

As corrections officers tried to de-escalate the situation, inmates barricaded the entrance of the housing unit with common area furniture.

“They tried to de-escalate with the residents and that was not working; the residents moved some furniture and barricaded the door,” Ware said.

At one point, an inmate used a basketball to knock down a mounted security camera. The inmates also broke televisions, a commissary kiosk, and parts of the ceiling, Spectrum News reported.

Total damages climbed past $30,800, according to St. Louis County records.

Authorities eventually deployed chemical agents to safely secure the area. Out of the 34 inmates involved, criminal charges for four “main actors” have been turned over to the Clayton Police Department and the county prosecutor for review, Ware noted.

In response to the incident, county leaders approved $3 million in emergency funding for medical services to better support the nearly 1,200 inmates housed in the facility.

In addition, officials are actively looking to fill approximately 80 correctional officer vacancies.

To prevent future disturbances, the jail is shifting its operational approach. “We have started extra training… tabletop exercises and physical exercises… so the officers will be prepared to make decisions when something similar happens,” Ware said.