MLB Insider: 3 potential replacements for Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras

Cardinals No. 1 option to replace Willson Contreras: A trade…but it’s complicated.

Hindsight is always 20-20. But surely the St. Louis Cardinals really wish that they had traded for Sean Murphy instead of signing Contreras.

Murphy, of course, was traded to the Atlanta Braves and in 31 games, he’s hitting .282/.426/.621 with nine home runs, 28 RBI and a 1.048 OPS while being lauded for his defense. William Contreras, who is Willson’s brother and was also traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in that same deal, has been praised both privately and publicly by team officials for the work that he’s put in to improve defensively.

With both catchers firmly in new homes, it makes addressing the catcher position difficult. Could the Cardinals look to the Padres for Austin Nola or Pedro Severino? It’s unlikely that the Brewers would help a division rival by dealing with their catching surplus.

One thing to watch, though: the Cardinals have a surplus of high-end outfielders. So if there is a big bat or pitcher available at the deadline, they can deal from that strength to improve a different area of the roster — and it’s something that the front office needs to give serious consideration to before this season falls through their fingers.