Willson Contreras Closes the Door on Red Sox-Mariners Trade Rumors

Contreras fits what Seattle needs, but he has no interest in leaving Boston.

Jul 13, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) at bat during the home run derby at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

How could Willson Contreras close the door on a potential trade to the Mariners? Because he can. That’s why. Contreras has a no-trade clause giving him control over where he plays next. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Contreras made sure it was clear where he stood.

Contreras recently told the Red Sox front office that he has little interest in leaving Boston ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. He stopped slightly short of saying he would reject every possible trade, but there was not much ambiguity left in his comments.

“The front office knows the answer,” Contreras said. He later added that he believes he has “found my family” in Boston and would like to finish his career there. 

Mariners Fans Can Move On From the Willson Contreras Trade Fantasy

Contreras made plenty of sense as a Seattle target on paper. They need another dependable right-handed hitter. Contreras has power and postseason experience. He’s also transitioned to first base, giving Seattle another potential option to spell Josh Naylor.

He went into the All-Star break with 20 home runs and a .921 OPS in 88 games for Boston. He’s 34, and producing one of the best offensive seasons of his career. Of course Mariners fans would notice that kind of production. 

The problem is that a fit is not the same thing as an available player. That distinction tends to get lost around the trade deadline. Sure, Contreras at DH makes sense. But how exactly would that have worked with Naylor as the everyday first baseman? Also, who knows if those two egos would actually work in the same clubhouse. 

Luckily, Contreras has told us to save our time. His no-trade clause carried over when he approved the deal that sent him from the St. Louis Cardinals to Boston. He embraced the Red Sox and helped push them back toward the American League playoff picture.

Boston also finished the first half on quite a run. They won 14 out of 16 and have moved within a half-game of a wild-card spot. The Sox already had little reason to move their best hitter. Now Contreras has made the entire conversation even simpler. He doesn’t want to go.

This isn’t exactly bad news for the Mariners because there was never much evidence that Boston planned to trade Contreras in the first place. Still, it's useful for all the trade simulators out there to move on to the next thing. 

Mariners fans can appreciate the imagination. Now it’s time to move on. Contreras found what he was looking for in Boston. Seattle will have to find its deadline answer somewhere else.