Mariners Linked To $87 Million Cardinals Star, But It's Tricky

It's going to be a long few months for the St. Louis Cardinals...

Jun 4, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; A Seattle Mariners hat sits on top a mitt during a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Rangers won 10-4. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-Imagn Images | Ray Carlin-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals will have to take some no-trade clauses into account for the second straight offseason as the team tries to build for the future.

Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras all have no-trade clauses and have control over their future with the organization. So far this offseason, Arenado and Gray have been at the center of rumors left and right. Arenado seems to be as good as gone, while Gray is more up in the air.

Contreras hasn't been discussed pretty much at all in part because he insinuated at the end of the season that he would like to stay. But, what if he changes his mind? Cardinals insider Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat floated the Seattle Mariners as an intriguing fit, but it would be tough to get a deal done.

"If Contreras is going to be successfully approached with a potential deal, it stands to reason that it would only be with a contender where he could slip into the middle of a lineup," Jones said. "The Seattle Mariners could lose Josh Naylor to free agency and certainly would benefit from Contreras’ pop, though their ballpark suppresses homers and may not be an appealing destination."

Could the Cardinals trade Willson Contreras?

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

Contreras makes sense for the Mariners in the sense that he has plenty of pop in his bat and can play first base, which was a question for Seattle. The Mariners acquired Josh Naylor and he was great down the stretch. This idea only makes sense if Naylor walks, but the Mariners have said that re-signing him is a priority.

Then, there's the matter of his no-trade clause. Contreras hasn't wavered over the last year. Any time he has been asked about his no-trade clause, he has made it clear that he doesn't want to leave. Contreras even switched positions from catcher to first base for the 2025 season. The Cardinals cannot trade Contreras if he doesn't want to be moved.

Also, he's expensive. He signed a five-year, $87.5 million deal with the Cardinals and it still has two years left to go along with a club option in 2028. All in all, at this moment, a deal doesn't seem likely.

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