The New York Yankees have been connected to a very unique trade.
The New York Yankees are already frustrating the fan base with their lack of activity in the early stages of the offseason. Hal Steinbrenner has made rather cryptic comments on the payroll, and Brian Cashman has essentially said that dream target Kyle Tucker is a no-go.
So when will the Yankees actually get active? And will they actually do anything?
It seems hard to imagine New York resting on its laurels and standing pat, even if the Yanks may not pull off the type of blockbuster move for which fans are hoping.
But the Yankees have long been known for pulling out-of-nowhere offseason trades, and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic has revealed a very intriguing target for the Bronx Bombers in that regard: St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras.
A converted catcher who was a critical part of the Chicago Cubs' World Series run back in 2016, Contreras slashed .257/.344/.447 with 20 home runs and 80 RBI over 563 plate appearances this past season.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said at the Winter Meetings that the lineup is too lefty-heavy, so the right-handed Contreras would be a welcomed addition.
The question is, where would he play?
St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras. Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images.New York already has Ben Rice at first base. Giancarlo Stanton is a fixture at designated hitter. A return to catcher seems improbable given how terrible Contreras was behind the plate, and the Yankees already have Austin Wells there, anyway.
One possible scenario could involve New York moving Rice to backstop full time and then jettisoning Wells, who slashed .219/.275/.436 in 2025 and has labored at the dish ever since entering the big leagues in 2023.
The Yanks seem to like Wells, but Cashman hinted earlier this offseason that Wells is not immune to being dealt, and he mentioned the idea of "challenge trades on a lot of our talented players" this week in the same breath of discussing the team's largely left-handed lineup.
Could Wells be on the move?
It should be noted that Contreras has a no-trade clause, but he may certainly be open to waiving it to get another shot with a contender.
The 33-year-old spent his first seven seasons with the Cubs, making three All-Star appearances and slashing .256/.349/.459. Interestingly enough, he has been even more effective with the Cardinals, boasting a .261/.358/.459 mark.
Contreras has two years plus a club option for 2028 remaining on the five-year, $87.5 million deal he signed with St. Louis back in December 2022. He is slated to earn $18 million in 2026.
At this stage, the Venezuelan native probably wouldn't be incredibly costly in terms of prospects, but again, the Yankees would have to find a spot for him first.