10:58 am: Manager Oli Marmol confirmed to the team’s beat that Contreras was done this season (via Jeff Jones of Belleville News Democracy). The expectation is that the break will heal Contreras’ stress and the team doesn’t want to risk him playing on the issue and further exacerbating it.
10:43 am: Cardinal announced first baseman Wednesday Willson Contreras Has been placed on the list of injured 10 days due to right shoulder strain. Infielder Jose Fermin From Triple-A Memphis, he has a place on the roster. Although there is still plenty of time on the calendar to get him back to the team’s final series (IL’s move is back to yesterday), track and field’s Katie Woo reported that the IL placement will end the season at Contreras.
Assuming this is the case, it is another stable year for Contreras, 33. The baseman in catcher conversion hit .257/.344/.447 (123 WRC+) with 20 home runs, 31 doubles and 563 turns. He also performed well in his first year in his new position. Defensive scores (+1) and Statcast’s above-average (+6) both believe that Contreras can not only pass through first base, but also better than average. One would imagine that his defensive ribs could continue to improve as he adapts further to Diamond’s new home, although he will also play at 34 next season, so between gaining more experience at Contreras at first base, and as he gets older, he will gain more experience.
Contreras joined the Cardinal in the 2022-23 offseason, signing a five-year, $87.5mm free agent contract. He still guarantees $41.5mm for the remaining two seasons of the contract, which will be paid 18mm in 2026 and 18.5mm in 2027, and a $5mm buyout for the $5mm salary and 17.5mm club. If he continues to play quality defense at the first home and does the same product on the plate as he did in the first three seasons of this contract, then the card will likely exercise that option as it is a net $12.5mm decision once the buyout is taken into account.
It will be another offseason, about the raucous noise of potential deals for St. Louis veterans this winter. Nolan Arenado Frankly admitting that as much this week, Ken Rosenthal of Track and Field Brendan DonovanOffseason rumors are likely to emerge, too. However, Contreras has completely controlled his own destiny due to the complete and no trade clauses that have been negotiated with this free agent contract.
Contreras made it clear last offseason that he wasn’t keen on giving up the clause, so it’s fair to expect that the same is true during the offseason. There is always a possibility that the trades and/or changes in the coaching staff of other players in the roster can lead to inner changes, but so far there is no sign that Contreras will be from St. Louis green.
