Red Sox acquire Wilson Contreras From Cardinals

[WoxburyWommunityWollege]

47 minutes ago, Hitch said:

I'm really uneasy with us leaning into the idea of Mayer being a full time starter at any position right now. He;s got a lot still left to prove and develop. That said, unless Romy gets the nod at 2nd or 3rd, it's looking like Mayer's to run with due to our financial constraints. 

Mayer and Romy seems like an ideal platoon at 2B.  And Mayer doesn't stand to gain anything from being at AAA, he needs MLB at bats if he is going to continue to grow.  If you don't believe he should get them then the Red Sox need to just trade him because otherwise he has no place in the org.

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Losing Duran, or keeping Duran is not going to make, or break the ball club IMo.if you can improve the ball club in other areas, which improves the ball club you do it.

My concern is it would hurt the offense and that's an area we need improvement in.  I would prefer to trade Abreu if we're trading an outfielder.  Not that my preferences count for much LOL  

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

My concern is it would hurt the offense and that's an area we need improvement in.  I would prefer to trade Abreu if we're trading an outfielder.  Not that my preferences count for much LOL  

Trading Abreu would be alright too.

[Hitch]

7 minutes ago, WoxburyWommunityWollege said:

Mayer and Romy seems like an ideal platoon at 2B.  And Mayer doesn't stand to gain anything from being at AAA, he needs MLB at bats if he is going to continue to grow.  If you don't believe he should get them then the Red Sox need to just trade him because otherwise he has no place in the org.

He stands to gain plenty - he's got a fair bit still to work on in rounding out his hit tool. And he needs to prove his health. Him and Romy are a good platoon at 2nd. Very much less so at 3rd. 

I have stated several times I would trade Mayer when his value is still high over a platoon situation. 

[Old Red]

10 minutes ago, WoxburyWommunityWollege said:

Mayer and Romy seems like an ideal platoon at 2B.  And Mayer doesn't stand to gain anything from being at AAA, he needs MLB at bats if he is going to continue to grow.  If you don't believe he should get them then the Red Sox need to just trade him because otherwise he has no place in the org.

I agree on Mayer to a point. Mayer lost a lot of developmental time in the Minors due to injury, and more time down there wouldn’t hurt him. Sitting on the bench against LHP doesn’t help him either. Mayer is still a Suspect at this point to me.

[Jean-Sébastien Blouin]

Is Contreras going to take Yoshida's spot as DH?

[WoxburyWommunityWollege]

42 minutes ago, Hitch said:

He stands to gain plenty - he's got a fair bit still to work on in rounding out his hit tool. And he needs to prove his health. Him and Romy are a good platoon at 2nd. Very much less so at 3rd. 

I have stated several times I would trade Mayer when his value is still high over a platoon situation. 

Don't really understand the anti-platoon crowd on a team with Romy Gonzalez who is one of the best platoon batters in all of baseball.  The Red Sox most likely would've missed the playoffs in 2025 without all their success from platooning.

[notin]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

My concern is it would hurt the offense and that's an area we need improvement in.  I would prefer to trade Abreu if we're trading an outfielder.  Not that my preferences count for much LOL  

Abreu makes for a much, much better defensive OF and the Sox think he is ready to take big steps forward.

Obviously the Sox have at least one trade left.  And have yet to sign a single free agent except Alex Gamboa, whom no one has ever heard of.  They still need ano the infielder and pribably some pitching.  I’m not sold that they need to find the mythical #2 starter, and bulking up the bullpen might be a better idea.  But they have been talking about starters in the rumors Ive been reading…

[notin]

49 minutes ago, Jean-Sébastien Blouin said:

Is Contreras going to take Yoshida's spot as DH?

Most likely play 1b.

When Casas comes back, there is a logjam, but injuries might sort it all out before then…

[notin]

14 minutes ago, WoxburyWommunityWollege said:

Don't really understand the anti-platoon crowd on a team with Romy Gonzalez who is one of the best platoon batters in all of baseball.  The Red Sox most likely would've missed the playoffs in 2025 without all their success from platooning.

I prefer a Yoshida/Romy DH platoon.  DH is the one position unimpacted defensively by platooning….

[sk7326]

If Contreras' bat holds - it's a 3 win difference from the giant sucking sound the Sox had at 1B.  They gave up a high end lottery ticket - but Fajardo is 18 and a pitcher and the range of outcomes there is too wide to get too hopped up about it. 

[Hitch]

2 hours ago, WoxburyWommunityWollege said:

Don't really understand the anti-platoon crowd on a team with Romy Gonzalez who is one of the best platoon batters in all of baseball.  The Red Sox most likely would've missed the playoffs in 2025 without all their success from platooning.

I've absolutely no issue with platoons, I think they're essential. But if you're turning Mayer into one, I'd rather trade him away and extract maximum value before losing value by having him hit only against righties. In short, I think he could be worth a lot more as a trade candidate than as a platoon player.

[moonslav59]

8 hours ago, Hitch said:

I'm sad to lose Dobbins, I had a real soft spot for that kid, but I really like getting Contreras. You won't find a Cards fan that has anything but good words about him. Leadership, good player both offensively and defensively. Works nicely for me.  Somewhat surprised Dobbins wasn't enough on his own, but it's not like we didn't have pitching to spare. 

You'd think we need to go out and get Bregman, Bo, or Marte now and we're in good shape with veteran leadership as well as youthful energy.  But the first two would put us over the 2nd line, so is unlikely unless we can free up money somehow. And I would think we're not sending Tolle or Early anywhere now, so Marte feels unlikely too. 

Not sure what this means for Casas...starting in AAA is my bet. I really wonder what happens with Duran/Abreu, too 

Overall, very happy with this move, but a lot of questions remain.

 

Good post.

Casas may start the year on the IL (maybe even put on the 60, at some point,) but AAA would be a good way for him to work his way back to the bigs.

IMO, when healthy, he a better bat than Yoshida, but with Yoshida's contract and 4 OF'ers looking to play one at DH makes it difficult. Maybe an OF'er gets traded- like I thought would happen last winter, or we find a way to dump Yoshida, while paying most of his remaining salary or including a prospect or two with him.

[Larry Cook]

Do we know if Contreras hits yankee pitching well?? 

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, WoxburyWommunityWollege said:

Mayer and Romy seems like an ideal platoon at 2B.  And Mayer doesn't stand to gain anything from being at AAA, he needs MLB at bats if he is going to continue to grow.  If you don't believe he should get them then the Red Sox need to just trade him because otherwise he has no place in the org.

Welcome aboard!

I agree that Mayer or maybe a Mayer/Romy platoon is best for 2B. I'd be okay with Mayer at SS and Story at 2B, but Cora is loyal to his vets and their positions. (He apparently did not even ask Devers to play 1B.)

I don't like Romy at 3B, so it makes more sense to add a 3Bman (Bregman, Paredes, Suarez and hopefully not Vientos) than 2B, but I really think KMarte would move the needle into major contention status for the Sox and 2026 & beyond. Maybe we don't need Romy at 3B, if Mayer can learn to hit LHPs. Trade Rafaela (6.3M), Crawford ($2.7M), Phillips and Mullins for KMarte and...

1. L Anthony CF

2. S KMarte 2B

3. L Duran LF

4. R Contreras 1B

5. L Abreu RF

6. R Story SS

7. L Masas DH (R Romy/ L Casas DH?)

8. R Narvaez C

9. L Mayer 3B (R Romy 3B)

Alternatively, trade an OF'er for a #2 SP'er and sign Suarez or Okamoto.

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, Jean-Sébastien Blouin said:

Is Contreras going to take Yoshida's spot as DH?

No. He's a decent defensive 1Bman, unlike Casas and Campbell.

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

Do we know if Contreras hits yankee pitching well?? 

According to B-R, he has no PAs vs NYY.
1.338 v TOR 13 PAs

1.203 v TBR 14 PAs

.143 v BAL 14 PAs

.690 at Fenway in 14 PAs

Sample sizes are too small to make anything of them.

[Jean-Sébastien Blouin]

who will be traded between Abreu and Duran because we will have 4 outfielders who can play every day during the opening of training camp

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, Jean-Sébastien Blouin said:

who will be traded between Abreu and Duran because we will have 4 outfielders who can play every day during the opening of training camp

My guess is Duran, but I have moved Rafaela into the 2nd most likely to be traded slot. Maybe tied with Abreu.

RF defense is very important for Boston. (So is CF.)

Trading Rafaela helps the offense by keeping the others.

Trading Duran means we need a bigger bat addition at 2B or 3B than even Bregman or Bichette can fill, IMO.

Trading Abreu hurts the offense and mostly the power, which is our big hole, right now.

DH'ing an OF'er make almost no sense to me.

[Kimmi]

9 hours ago, Hitch said:

I'm sad to lose Dobbins, I had a real soft spot for that kid, but I really like getting Contreras. You won't find a Cards fan that has anything but good words about him. Leadership, good player both offensively and defensively. Works nicely for me.  Somewhat surprised Dobbins wasn't enough on his own, but it's not like we didn't have pitching to spare. 

You'd think we need to go out and get Bregman, Bo, or Marte now and we're in good shape with veteran leadership as well as youthful energy.  But the first two would put us over the 2nd line, so is unlikely unless we can free up money somehow. And I would think we're not sending Tolle or Early anywhere now, so Marte feels unlikely too. 

Not sure what this means for Casas...starting in AAA is my bet. I really wonder what happens with Duran/Abreu, too 

Overall, very happy with this move, but a lot of questions remain.

 

I really like Dobbins too and hate to see him go.  It's always tough to trade away pitching, though easier to do when you have a supposed surplus.  I guess the key is to trade away the right ones.

I was also wondering what this means for Casas.  I had him penciled in as our starting first baseman.  Apparently, the Red Sox don't think he'll be ready to go until later in the season.  It's nice to have that depth.

Can Contreras still catch in a pinch?  That's another plus to getting him.

[Kimmi]

6 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

It's just that Duran has been our best and most durable player the last 2 years.  Trading surplus doesn't usually mean trading your best player.  

I absolutely hate the idea of trading Duran, or any of our outfielders, for that matter.  I understand that it very well may happen, but I'm not going to like it.  It seems as soon as you trade from surplus, an injury happens and you're suddenly very thin at what used to be an area of strength.

[notin]

1 hour ago, Larry Cook said:

Do we know if Contreras hits yankee pitching well?? 

Career .946 OPS vs Fried!

 

(In all of 8 Career PA)

[Randy Red Sox]

6 hours ago, Deja Doh said:

This may be the dumbest intentional slight I have read on this message board and there are a lot of dumb ones.  Home runs and RBIs don't lie.  Contreras is effectively 34 years old.  If he was still a catcher, okay maybe an upgrade at that position.  Is he an upgrade over Casas at 1st base, yes (why was Casas not traded)?  But he's at best, 2/3 of an Alonso.  24 hrs 7 seasons ago is his high.   

As usual the Sox simply dipped their toe in the water. Just enough to keep us competitive but not enough to truly contend for a WS. But hey we won one almost 8 years ago so what the heck.

[moonslav59]

39 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

Can Contreras still catch in a pinch?  That's another plus to getting him.

I think in an emergency, yes.

STL has some nice catcher depth, and they had 4 catchers get 100+ innings in 2025, but WC got zero.

[moonslav59]

33 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

I absolutely hate the idea of trading Duran, or any of our outfielders, for that matter.  I understand that it very well may happen, but I'm not going to like it.  It seems as soon as you trade from surplus, an injury happens and you're suddenly very thin at what used to be an area of strength.

If we did not have 2-3 holes, I'd agree on keeping depth.

I don't want Duran to DH, either. He's worth more to all 30 teams as an OF'er than as a DH. If we didn't have Masa and Tristian to DH, I might be kinda okay with DH'ing Duran, but we have both. I also see Campbell and Masa as LF depth, so I think trading an OF'er has to happen.

We need a 2Bman or 3Bman. Both, if you don't trust Mayer/Romy/DHam/Sogard.

IMO, we still need a #2, but I doubt we get one.

[moonslav59]

13 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

As usual the Sox simply dipped their toe in the water. Just enough to keep us competitive but not enough to truly contend for a WS. But hey we won one almost 8 years ago so what the heck.

There is still time for more toe-dipping or a high dive. (Hopefully no belly-flops!)

[Kimmi]

5 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I think in an emergency, yes.

STL has some nice catcher depth, and they had 4 catchers get 100+ innings in 2025, but WC got zero.

Yeah, I wouldn't plan on giving him any regular starts at catcher, but it's nice to have that 3rd catcher, just in case.

[Kimmi]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

If we did not have 2-3 holes, I'd agree on keeping depth.

I don't want Duran to DH, either. He's worth more to all 30 teams as an OF'er than as a DH. If we didn't have Masa and Tristian to DH, I might be kinda okay with DH'ing Duran, but we have both. I also see Campbell and Masa as LF depth, so I think trading an OF'er has to happen.

We need a 2Bman or 3Bman. Both, if you don't trust Mayer/Romy/DHam/Sogard.

IMO, we still need a #2, but I doubt we get one.

I do not disagree about trading an outfielder.  I just hate the idea of it.

IMO, Mayer is filling one of either 2B or 3B for sure.  I don't know who will fill the other position, but I'm having a hard time seeing the Red Sox paying the cost it will require for Bregman, Bichette, or Marte.

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

Yeah, I wouldn't plan on giving him any regular starts at catcher, but it's nice to have that 3rd catcher, just in case.

Agreed. I guess is Narvaez hits much worse in 2026, we may want to PH for our catchers, but we shouldn't need the third one very often, unless an injury happens.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Kimmi said:

I do not disagree about trading an outfielder.  I just hate the idea of it.

IMO, Mayer is filling one of either 2B or 3B for sure.  I don't know who will fill the other position, but I'm having a hard time seeing the Red Sox paying the cost it will require for Bregman, Bichette, or Marte.

If we trade Duran or Rafaela as part of getting Marte, the financial cost will be less than $10M AAV.

If we don't get Marte, my guess is we sign Okamoto or E Suarez or trade for Paredes, Vientos or Donovan. HOU really wants an OF'er. The NYMs seem to not want Vientos. The Cardinals seem to want all our players, so why not one more STL-BOS trade?

Imagine we go the whole winter with no significant FA signing!