Red Sox reportedly among teams interested in Cardinals’ Willson Contreras

After dropping out to the Orioles within the Pete Alonso sweepstakes, the Pink Sox’ quest to discover a first baseman strikes on. However they may pursue a unique market as a way to fill their want at first base.

The Pink Sox are among the many “many groups” which might be eager about buying and selling for Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported Friday.

Contreras, 33, is a smart match for the Pink Sox, given his place and right-handed swing. He’s additionally been fairly constant on the plate since his days with the Cubs, who he performed for from 2016-22. His batting common has largely hovered round .260, and he’s hit at the least 20 house runs in 5 of the final six seasons (2020 season excluded). Nevertheless, Contreras has by no means hit 25 house runs in a season.

Final season, Contreras was one of many few shiny spots within the Cardinals’ lineup. The three-time All-Star hit .257 with 20 homers, 80 RBIs, and a .791 OPS in 120 video games. Contreras has logged a .811 OPS, whereas 123 OPS+ was barely greater than his profession mark (118).

After spending the vast majority of his first 9 seasons at catcher, Conteras grew to become the Cardinals’ full-time first baseman in 2025. He had 4 Outs Above Common final 12 months, per Baseball Savant, making him a plus defender on the place.

The Pink Sox have already been a commerce accomplice with the Cardinals this offseason as effectively. They acquired beginning pitcher Sonny Grey from St. Louis in November. The Cardinals’ baseball operations are additionally being run by former Pink Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, who helped purchase most of the gamers and prospects within the Pink Sox’ group. Nevertheless, the Cardinals obtained two gamers that Bloom didn’t purchase throughout his Pink Sox tenure within the Grey commerce (pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke).

The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo reported in November that Contreras is perhaps one of many veteran gamers the Cardinals may offload in a commerce this offseason.

Contreras is beneath contract for the following two seasons and is owed $36.5 million in whole cash. He additionally has a $17.5 million crew possibility for the 2028 season, which features a $5 million buyout.

The Pink Sox’ seek for a primary baseman comes after Triston Casas was sidelined for many of the 2025 marketing campaign because of a torn patellar tendon. Boston performed a handful of gamers on the place following Casas’s damage, with Nathaniel Lowe, Abraham Toro, and Romy Gonzalez being among the many gamers who break up time at first base. The Pink Sox designated Lowe for project in November.

Whereas Casas is predicted to return from his damage in 2026, Pink Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow didn’t decide to naming him the crew’s full-time first baseman again in October.

“I don’t suppose it makes a ton of sense on Oct. sixth to say somebody is or isn’t our first baseman and we’ll see how issues play out,” Breslow said at the time. “Sadly, Triston has missed a big period of time over the past two years. We’ve additionally seen what he’s able to doing when he’s wholesome.”