Latest Cardinals Trade Buzz Involves Fiery $87.5 Million Slugger

Could the Cardinals look to trade one of their star sluggers in the offseason?

Aug 25, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Willson Contreras (40) yells from the dugout after he was ejected by umpire Derek Thomas (not pictured) during the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are seemingly headed for a rebuild that could involve multiple big offseason moves.

St. Louis has been connected to trade rumors involving star players like Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, and Willson Contreras, but it's unclear which, if any, will be dealt away in the winter months.

Curt Bishop of Yardbarker recently urged the Cardinals to hold onto Contreras despite all the rumors indicating they'd look to move him.

Cardinals urged to keep Willson Contreras despite surging trade rumors

Sep 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) celebrates after hitting a RBI single against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

"First of all, Contreras has not expressed any desire to leave St. Louis and has repeatedly stated that he wants to stay, even as the team rebuilds. But there are other reasons that the Cardinals should keep him around," Bishop wrote. "It's almost a given that St. Louis will be trading some key veterans and trying to open up spots for younger players. It will be a very youthful team again in 2026. With all of the young players still in the mix, St. Louis needs to have at least one veteran leader around.

"Players respect Contreras and the passion and fire he brings to the game. Without that, the Cardinals wouldn't have a leader to help rally the troops. Contreras is also the only player on the team to have hit 20 home runs. The Cardinals don't have much power, but he is the one hitter in their lineup who is capable of it. They need to have at least one slugger in their mix so they can have different ways to score runs in 2026. Without him, they lose the power aspect completely."

Contreras brings a power aspect to the team, but he doesn't fit with their future. He's a fiery competitor, but it's not the kind of leader that most teams envision for their young core.

If Contreras isn't willing to waive his no-trade clause, then a deal will never come to fruition. But the Cardinals should try to trade him in order to open up another slot on the roster for a promising young player.

St. Louis is seemingly planning for the future. Contreras is a solid player right now, but he doesn't have much of a future. If the Cardinals can pull it off, a trade would be wise in the offseason.

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