The Crimson Sox at present acquired three-time all-star first baseman (former catcher) Willson Contreras — and $8 million in money to pay down a part of the $41.5 million that is still within the final three years of his contract — from the St. Louis Cardinals (clearly) in trade for Hunter Dobbins, single-A prospect Yhoiker Fajardo (#8 within the system in response to Soxprospects.com), single-A non-prospect Blake Aita (#36), and . These are the small print of the deal. Now to the essential half: must you complain about this?
Let’s begin with this: Willson Contreras might be higher than you suppose. Don’t simply roll your eyes on the 20-25 run energy and dismiss his potential as a center of the order bat. This man hits the ball about as laborious as anybody in baseball and he hits it to left discipline, which is precisely what the Crimson Sox lineup wants. His .358 xwOBA final season was the Twenty fifth-best mark in all of baseball. The 2025 Crimson Sox didn’t have one single hitter who completed the top-75 of that metric final yr.* No, Contreras has by no means put up the monster house run totals that both Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber do. However he’s a feared bat in his personal proper, and he performed a wonderful defensive first base final yr, too.
(*After all, that solely applies should you don’t take into account Rafael Devers a member of the 2025 Crimson Sox. He completed sixteenth.)
As for the fee, it’s completely acceptable. Hunter Dobbins is a younger and comparatively polished pitcher who appeared good in his mini rookie run this season. I totally count on to observe him pitch within the majors for the subsequent decade and assist his groups win. What I don’t count on is to ever see him within the high half of a rotation for a World Sequence contending crew. He has a restricted ceiling and was — at finest — the eighth arm on the Crimson Sox beginning pitcher depth chart. Pitching depth is nice to have, however there may be a couple of means to make use of it. A type of methods is to commerce it for a middle-of-the-order bat.
However guess what: if you wish to complain concerning the deal, you possibly can! You’ll be able to complain that Contreras can be 34 subsequent yr. He’s nearly definitely getting worse day-after-day from right here on out, and typically (most occasions?) the tip comes extra all of the sudden than simply about anybody expects. You’ll be able to complain that he nonetheless solely replaces one of many at present lacking bats that belonged to Devers and Alex Bregman on opening day final yr, and that he definitely doesn’t totally exchange the previous. You’ll be able to complain that the Crimson Sox may’ve added a middle-of-the-order of the bat and held on to Dobbins in the event that they’d been keen to open the pockets a bit extra. You’ll be able to complain that the Crimson Sox now have two gamers who can solely play first base and DH on the roster, together with a 3rd who can solely DH, together with 4 starting-caliber outfielders who all have to play day-after-day. The image of the roster is now arguably murkier at present than it was yesterday. You’ll be able to complain that the Sox insisted on getting money within the deal, which seemingly precipitated them to surrender extra participant worth than they in any other case would have (dropping Yhoiker hurts me greater than Dobbins, to be sincere). So many issues to complain about!
Finally, although, the 2026 Crimson Sox are higher proper now than they have been right now final night time. There can be additional trades that make clear the roster (proper?). And among the points may work themselves out (let’s not overlook: the crew nonetheless doesn’t know whether or not Triston Casas can be prepared for Opening Day subsequent yr).
It’s the grim midwinter, however the range is scorching and the Crimson Sox have a brand new bat within the lineup. That is enjoyable?
