This offseason could prove to be a turning point in the history of Major League Baseball and is likely going to focus on the St. Louis Cardinals, standing on their newfound ground and surprisingly willing to make significant changes to their roster. The team has, after a long stretch of floundering, decided to perhaps consider some form of strategy for shedding high-value contracts. This has lent credence to a somewhat rocky trade that was recently gurgled about sending the All-Star catcher-turned-first-baseman Willson Contreras to the New York Mets.
The Shift in St. Louis
Once upon a time a century ago when they were clearly the standards of whether they tested up to their competitors in the National League, St. Louis Cardinals have fairly suffered long enough now into their third consecutive season, the most recent of which culminated in a period of stagnancy that only the farthest seers ever could have foreseen it coming. The combined play of old-timers and up-and-comers had failed, however, to warrant anticipations. The sharp decline of the competition has brought the organization to an important crossroads where it would sell off assets that would cost salaries against its budget in order to rebuild its competitive window. Central to this would be getting higher salaries off the books, especially players with long-term contracts.
A Controversial Trade Proposal Gains Traction
On this ground, a trade idea floated by former Mets General Manager Zack Scott has acquired some unexpected momentum. Scott proposed a deal centered around a clean swap: the Mets would get Willson Contreras from St. Louis for infielder Mark Vientos. On the surface, it seems hard due to the players’ positional overlaps with existing stars, but pulling near-term financial relief for the Cardinals makes the concept more and more plausible.
Contreras is currently under contract at a reasonable $36.5 million over the next two seasons, with a team buyout option for the third year. The move would accomplish the Cardinals’ main goal of unloading salary. For the Mets, this means getting an established, productive player whose value really goes beyond his traditional position.
Contreras’s Versatile Value
Ever since he has joined the Cardinals, Contreras has shown that he can successfully transfer his talent as a catcher to being a full-time first baseman. Last season, he excelled at his new position, placing him fourth among all MLB players at first base in Outs Above Average (OAA). While he still needs some time to settle into that role, Contreras is one who would already be available for immediate and productive baseball plans earmarked for the Mets; i.e., a first baseman of a very high caliber with every capability present.
The Implication for the Mets and Pete Alonso
No trade of this magnitude would affect only the Cardinals; it would severely change the Mets’ roster, especially regarding star first baseman Pete Alonso. Bringing Contreras in would make Alonso redundant if he were a proven, multi-year contract first baseman.
If a Contreras deal were to be made, it would almost certainly indicate that the Trade or Free Agency for Polar Bear would be elsewhere. On top of that, the fact that Vientos isn’t being viewed as a fallback plan or an eventual replacement for Alonso furthermore highlights how much gutting will be considered in this process by the Mets’ front office.
More Pieces May Be Available
Contreras’s availability is indicative of St. Louis’s broader strategy. He is not the only high-salary veteran the Cardinals may be willing to shop. Others whose future in St. Louis is now in question include star third baseman Nolan Arenado and starting pitcher Sonny Gray. Arenado’s remaining contract is more manageable, while Gray has a significant backloaded deal that sees him earn $35 million in the final guaranteed year.
Relieving themselves of major cash commitments is the Cardinals’ priority. Creative deal structures, possibly involving the Cardinals including cash to facilitate trades for players like Contreras, or pairing him with another desirable piece, remain possibilities.
While concrete, widespread rumors involving the Mets and Contreras have yet to fully materialize, the financial motivations in St. Louis and the evolving roster needs in New York make this trade scenario highly compelling. As the league enters the period of free agency and rapid trade activity in November, Willson Contreras is a name that general managers across the league will be watching closely.
