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Cardinals' Willson Contreras predicted to be traded in offseason
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- Cardinals' Willson Contreras predicted to be traded in offseason
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras predicted to be traded in offseason originally appeared on The Sporting News
The St. Louis Cardinals sold three players at the 2025 MLB trade deadline, all of whom were on expiring deals and would be free agents at the end of the year.
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But the Cardinals could also look to make some more moves in the offseason, moving on from veterans to get younger and reshape the roster. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report predicts the Cardinals will begin their offseason changes by trading away Willson Contreras .
"The Cardinals are turning over a new leaf with their transition from John Mozeliak to Chaim Bloom calling the shots," Miller writes, "and they want to clear the deck and start over fresh with eyes on the future instead of these expensive relics of the past."
While calling Contreras a "relic of the past" is a step too far, the veteran first baseman hasn't been as good as he was in the past two years. He's owed $18 million in 2026, $18.5 million in 2027, and has a $17.5 million club option (or $5 million buyout) for 2028.
It's not a cheap deal to keep on the roster, and if the Cardinals want to change their options at first base, either to call up a prospect or land a new first baseman, trading Contreras is the only way to do it.
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The 33-year-old slugger has a .255 batting average this season after a slow start to the year. But, with a .280 batting average and an .863 OPS over his last 96 games, the Cardinals' first baseman is an option for teams looking to add a first baseman.
Bloom, if he decides to make major changes, could likely find a suitor for Contreras on the market. He's a solid hitter and is a great defender at first base. Teams would likely be interested in him, and he could fetch a decent return in a deal.
The Cardinals might end up keeping him, contrary to Miller's prediction. He's expressed his desire to stay in St. Louis already, and while the new leadership with Bloom could still cut ties with him, keeping him wouldn't be the end of the world.
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There's set to be a lot of changes coming in the offseason for St. Louis, and the departure of Contreras is one to monitor. While they could keep him, a trade of Contreras is far from out of the question.
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