Cardinals, Red Sox Blockbuster Rumors Center On Willson Contreras

The St. Louis Cardinals have a slugger at their disposal who could be a very intriguing trade piece, if the right deal comes along.

There was a time early in the offseason when it didn't seem likely at all that Willson Contreras would be traded. Other veteran trade chips on the roster, like Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, and JoJo Romero, all seemed far more likely to be moved. While that may still be the case, things have thawed around Contreras a tad, at least.

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Before the winter meetings, The Athletic's Katie Woo reported that Contreras had grown more open to the idea of a trade than he had. Contreras has a full no-trade clause and has publicly spoken about his intent to stick around with the organization. Throughout the winter meetings, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol talked about Contreras and talked about how much he loves the organization, but also noted that if something makes sense, you have to have a conversation.

Cardinals Next Steps After Rumor-Filled Winter Meetings

Sep 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) crosses home plate for a run against the Cincinnati Reds in the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

The winter meetings are now behind us and we've started to see some big-name players come off the market. St. Louis still has its top trade chips, though, including Contreras. On Friday, MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo dropped an intriguing nugget and noted that the Boston Red Sox are now a team interested in and pursuing Contreras.

"As of Thursday night, the Red Sox remained in pursuit of many of the top position players still on the market, casting a wide net in terms of type of transaction (both free agents and trades) and positional fit," Cotillo wrote. "... A new name has also surfaced for the Red Sox, who according to a source are pursuing Donovan’s teammate, Willson Contreras, in trade talks. The three-time All-Star played first base (120 games) instead of catching last year and is thought to be available with two years, $41 million and a 2028 club option remaining on his deal. He has a full no-trade clause but might be willing to waive it for the right fit."

Boston already took Sonny Gray off the Cardinals' hands. Why not make another move? Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom helped to build the Red Sox's farm system. He has a clear knowledge of at least a good chunk of the team's prospects, as well as some of the guys on the big league roster.

Of any team to trade with, Boston would at least give Bloom some familiarity with a potential return. This is something to monitor after the Red Sox tried -- and failed -- to land Pete Alonso to help at first base.

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