The St. Louis Cardinals are full steam ahead in their top-to-bottom organizational rebuild.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom inherited a team that included several highly-paid veteran players. Including first baseman/catcher Willson Contreras.

St. Louis traded Contreras to the Boston Red Sox in return for right-handed pitchers Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita.

It was the second major trade Bloom and the Cardinals have made with the Red Sox this season. St. Louis also dealt right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray to Boston.

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Contreras spent the last three seasons with the Cardinals after he signed a five-year, $87.5 million contract ahead of the 2023 season. Contreras was coming off a seven-season stretch with the Chicago Cubs from 2016-22 that included three All-Star selections (2018-19, '22) and a World Series championship his rookie year (2016).

Contreras shared a message to St. Louis fans in a post on his personal Instagram account on Dec. 22:

St. Louis,
This game is a business, but the relationships ARE real. I’m grateful to the Cardinals organization for the opportunity to wear this uniform.
Thank you to John Mozeliak for believing in me, and to Oli Marmol for the trust and leadership. To the coaches, trainers, medical team, and clubhouse staff — your work and support mattered every single day, and I don’t take that for granted.
And to the fans: your passion and love for this team is special. Playing in front of you is something I’ll always respect and appreciate.
I’m proud of the time I spent in St. Louis and thankful for the people who made it meaningful. I’ll carry that with me as I move forward.

This past season Contreras transitioned from a catcher to a full-time first baseman and impressed in his age-33 season.

Contreras scored 70 runs in 135 games and hit 31 doubles, a triple and 20 home runs with 80 RBIs. He slashed .257/.344/.447 with a .791 OPS. He also proved himself to be a solid defensive player at first base. He registered six outs above average (OAA), which ranked in the 90th percentile of baseball according to Baseball Savant.

Contreras has been one of the most consistent hitters in the major leagues since he made his debut in 2016. He's registered an OPS of .778 or better in 8-of-10 seasons and has hit 20 or more home runs in 6-of-10 seasons.

Contreras is under contract through 2027 and has a $20 million club option for 2028.

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