Cardinals: Willson Contreras and 3 other monster free agents to target
By Tim Boyle
Willson Contreras is only one of the monster free-agents the St. Louis Cardinals should be looking to sign this offseason.
A National League Central title gave the St. Louis Cardinals an advantage in the NLWC series. Unfortunately, they were no match for the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Cardinals’ season was a lot about farewells but also about setting the stage for the future. This is a ball club with some players in their prime and young ones ready to take the next step. Something the Cardinals may also need is a monster free-agent signing or two.
The Cardinals should be an active ball club yet again this winter. As far as monster free-agent signings go, none may be more devastating to a rival than if they sign Willson Contreras away from the Chicago Cubs.
4. Monster Cardinals free agent target: Willson Contreras
Willson Contreras makes a lot of sense for the Cardinals. The longtime Cubs backstop never did get an extension from the Cubs. Whether it’s on a one-year or multi-year deal, the Cardinals are a match for the top free-agent catcher on the market.
Contreras was an All-Star in 2022 although he did finish the year with some less fantastic numbers. The Cubs had a lot of trouble finding a trade partner for him at the deadline. Now they need to decide if he’s worth re-signing this winter once he turns down the qualifying offer.
Over in St. Louis, the team will need to look for a Yadier Molina replacement. What better way to fill the hole than to sign away a hero from your biggest rival?
Contreras would give the Cardinals an instant boost on offense while also supplying them with quality defensive abilities. A lot will depend on how they feel about prospect Ivan Herrera. He doesn’t seem quite ready so maybe a shorter deal would be better—although, the Cardinals shouldn’t stop themselves if Contreras wants to sign for more seasons.