Red Sox acquire Wilson Contreras From Cardinals

[urban cowboy]

4 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

I like to see the kids as well.  But you will always need other players.  Every team seems to need pitchers, and Contreras is likely only here because of Casas' injury.

Ya... it just feels a little panicky. Stay the course in my view.

[JoeBrady]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Campbell, Sogard or Eaton

Hamilton.

[moonslav59]

17 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Hamilton.

I'm afraid to say his name. Just mentioning him brings upon the RED WRATH.

[Old Red]

10 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm afraid to say his name. Just mentioning him brings upon the RED WRATH.

At least we won’t have to hear about Ref Man anymore.👏

[notin]

On 12/23/2025 at 11:14 AM, moonslav59 said:

You can't assume this.

If it's Brez, it could be about Brez waiting on another (Plan A) trade option- like Duran for Paredes plus  LHP. Maybe HOU or some other team is holding up on an answer or are working out a final piece to a possible trade.

If it's CIN, it might be about them seeking the best they can get for Singer, but still on hold with a team on what that return might be.

There are too many moving parts to assume a deal would be done, if it could have been.

I can’t assume a conditional statement. (If the Reds are willing…)

I don’t think Paredes falls into the same category as Lodolo when it comes to trading away Duran.  I (incorrectly?) have pegged Lodolo as his ceiling for a starting pitcher return.  I stick with that.  If Breslow is asking for Ragans, he is aiming high and looking at SP.

But part of that post was the extremely likely scenario that Cincy was not trading Lodolo for Duran…

[notin]

2 hours ago, Old Red said:

At least we won’t have to hear about Ref Man anymore.👏

Why is that a good thing?  Who didn’t like the Southpaw Killer?

[notin]

12 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm afraid to say his name. Just mentioning him brings upon the RED WRATH.

Stop.

He’s not a bad player; he just shouldn’t be a starter.  I’d take Hamilton on my bench any day.  And even as a strong side platoon player if I ran a small market team.

Hamilton was worth 2.4 bWAR in 2024 in only 98 games and 300 PA.  That’s similar to the kind of production you get in 150 games and 600+ PA from Isaac Paredes, and some folks think he is worth Duran in a trade…

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, Old Red said:

At least we won’t have to hear about Ref Man anymore.👏

Like a top 10 batter is a bad word.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Stop.

He’s not a bad player; he just shouldn’t be a starter.  I’d take Hamilton on my bench any day.  And even as a strong side platoon player if I ran a small market team.

Hamilton was worth 2.4 bWAR in 2024 in only 98 games and 300 PA.  That’s similar to the kind of production you get in 150 games and 600+ PA from Isaac Paredes, and some folks think he is worth Duran in a trade…

I think DHam is a fine back-up or platoon 2Bman. It's Red who cringes everytime I say his name.

He plays solid 2B defense.

He may be a top 5 baserunner in MLB.

He did not hit well in 2025 or for parts of 2024, but he offers some hopes vs RHP. I would not be happy starting the season with Mayer at 3B and DHam/Romy at 2B, but I guess is we made a trade of an OF'er +++ for a second ace or solid #2, I could live with it.

As for Paredes, I suggested Rafaela for Paredes plus one of HOU's LH'd RP'ers. I'm not sure I'd trade Duran for Paredes plus 2 of their LHPs. Much of the hype on Paredes is speculative, but the RHB has put up some very nice numbers since 2023:

1650 PAs: .246/.350/.443/.793 (similar to Contreras in 2025.)

per 162 games, which has been an issue:

.246 29 94

I'm not sure if Fenways helps him get to 35+ Hrs, but I can see it.

He turns 27, soon and is in peak prime.

[Bellhorn04]

47 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I think DHam is a fine back-up or platoon 2Bman. It's Red who cringes everytime I say his name.

He plays solid 2B defense.

He may be a top 5 baserunner in MLB.

He did not hit well in 2025 or for parts of 2024, but he offers some hopes vs RHP. I would not be happy starting the season with Mayer at 3B and DHam/Romy at 2B, but I guess is we made a trade of an OF'er +++ for a second ace or solid #2, I could live with it.

As for Paredes, I suggested Rafaela for Paredes plus one of HOU's LH'd RP'ers. I'm not sure I'd trade Duran for Paredes plus 2 of their LHPs. Much of the hype on Paredes is speculative, but the RHB has put up some very nice numbers since 2023:

1650 PAs: .246/.350/.443/.793 (similar to Contreras in 2025.)

per 162 games, which has been an issue:

.246 29 94

I'm not sure if Fenways helps him get to 35+ Hrs, but I can see it.

He turns 27, soon and is in peak prime.

Or is it prime peak? 😉

[notin]

7 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Or is it prime peak? 😉

Wouldn’t that imply he has multiple peaks?

[Bellhorn04]

4 minutes ago, notin said:

Wouldn’t that imply he has multiple peaks?

Maybe.  Might depend on syntax.  It was just a dumb joke.     

[moonslav59]

I think Paredes will have a career year in 2026, and might have a better 2026 OPS than any current Sox player. (Anthony, Duran, Abreu and Contreras should be close.)

Fangraphs projects:

.802 Anthony (19 HRs in 630 PAs)

.798 Paredes (20 Hrs in 455 PAs)

.788 Abreu (22 Hrs in 525)

.784 Contreras (25 in 609)

.761 Duran (16 in 602)

[mvp 78]

On 12/27/2025 at 9:10 AM, Old Red said:

At least we won’t have to hear about Ref Man anymore.👏

Had a feeling he may not be re-signing once Cora started talking up Eaton's splits this offseason. 

[Old Red]

37 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Had a feeling he may not be re-signing once Cora started talking up Eaton's splits this offseason. 

Good for Ref Man. He got $6.5M When he had never gotten more than $2.1M from the Red Sox, or anyone else.

[notin]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Had a feeling he may not be re-signing once Cora started talking up Eaton's splits this offseason. 

The splits that gave Eaton a .673 OPS vs LHP? 
 

I mean, he did come within .300 points of Refsnyder, so there is that…

[mvp 78]

34 minutes ago, notin said:

The splits that gave Eaton a .673 OPS vs LHP? 
 

I mean, he did come within .300 points of Refsnyder, so there is that…

I wasn't the guy talking, it was Cora. 🫠

[moonslav59]

Not sure why not hearing about Ref anymore is a good thing.

[notin]

10 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I wasn't the guy talking, it was Cora. 🫠

Doesn’t matter who said it.  Eaton’s splits are nothing impressive and he lacks the same skillset as Refsnyder.

Now Eaton does possess some skills Refsnyder is sorely lacking, like fielding, throwing, running.  If Cora prefers Eaton’s over Refsnyder, I can understand it if it’s for those skills.  But not it it’s about splits…

[notin]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Not sure why not hearing about Ref anymore is a good thing.

Oh he was trying to trash Refsnyder until we all said good things so he jumped on that bandwagon instead…

[moonslav59]

25 minutes ago, notin said:

Oh he was trying to trash Refsnyder until we all said good things so he jumped on that bandwagon instead…

He covers both sides, so he can later say he was right by quoting only the good half.

[Hugh2]

On 12/26/2025 at 2:15 PM, Behindenemylines said:

The roster allows for 26 players. Most teams (including the Sox) have 13 pitchers and 13 position players. Once the Bregman issue is resolved you will have a little bit of an idea of the 13 position players the Sox will have on the roster. I really think the Sox want to save the DH as a way to rotate different players to give everyone ABs. So any potential trade of Duran won't happen until Bregman issue is resolved.  I personally wouldn't trade Duran unless it's in a deal to get a #2 starter. Then you have the questions surrounding Casis, Yoshida, and Campbell. There are still a lot of moving parts and a lot of off season to answer some of these questions.

 

I'm fine with all this, except I'd trade Duran for a 3B/2B of equal value, because we literally have two holes in our infield and none in the outfield. 

Rotating the DH is what the trend is, and it's why having someone like Yoshida burns a spot in the roster.  It would be one thing to carry Yoshida, but the thing is you have no room now if someone like Casas or Campbell hits their way back without making other tough Roster decisions. 

Something gives, now or by the deadline, and if it hasn't.......then something horribly went wrong. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

I'm fine with all this, except I'd trade Duran for a 3B/2B of equal value, because we literally have two holes in our infield and none in the outfield. 

I'm pretty sure Brez & Co. believe Mayer/Romy can cover one of the "two holes" in the infield. To me, that's okay, if we fill the other one with someone as good as Bregman/Bichette. IMO, KMarte is better and Suarez/Okamoto would be passable. Trading for Donovan or Vientos means losing more prospects or an OF'er who is better than both of them.

I have to think something significant will go down, but we'll see.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

Rotating the DH is what the trend is, and it's why having someone like Yoshida burns a spot in the roster.  It would be one thing to carry Yoshida, but the thing is you have no room now if someone like Casas or Campbell hits their way back without making other tough Roster decisions. 

Something gives, now or by the deadline, and if it hasn't.......then something horribly went wrong. 

I agree that keeping roster slots for Masa and Casas all year does not make sense, especially if we don't trade an OF'er and use the DH to rotate Duran, Romy, Masa/Casa until the deadline.

Seeing how Casas looks makes sense, so waiting is fine. They both have options.

[mvp 78]

10 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm pretty sure Brez & Co. believe Mayer/Romy can cover one of the "two holes" in the infield. To me, that's okay, if we fill the other one with someone as good as Bregman/Bichette. IMO, KMarte is better and Suarez/Okamoto would be passable. Trading for Donovan or Vientos means losing more prospects or an OF'er who is better than both of them.

I have to think something significant will go down, but we'll see.

Why would they trade a prospect for Vientos? 

[moonslav59]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

Why would they trade a prospect for Vientos? 

I'm not for trading anyone for Vientos, but there have been suggesting it.

i guess he's better than DHam/Sogard/Eaton.

[Hitch]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

I'm fine with all this, except I'd trade Duran for a 3B/2B of equal value, because we literally have two holes in our infield and none in the outfield. 

Rotating the DH is what the trend is, and it's why having someone like Yoshida burns a spot in the roster.  It would be one thing to carry Yoshida, but the thing is you have no room now if someone like Casas or Campbell hits their way back without making other tough Roster decisions. 

Something gives, now or by the deadline, and if it hasn't.......then something horribly went wrong. 

Yoshida has always been the problem. He takes a spot up and doesn't offer anywhere near enough with that spot. It's all well and good DFAing him, but it doesn't help us money wise. Which is why I would still be okay with us giving away a prospect (nothing too crazy) to get him and the money off the roster.

I'm assuming Bres has already thought of this and there's no doing. 

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm not for trading anyone for Vientos, but there have been suggesting it.

i guess he's better than DHam/Sogard/Eaton.

I think Vientos is a 1b only guy now and his bat isn't very good. Seems like he has AAAA written all over him and is more of a thrown in for a larger deal. 

[Randy Red Sox]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm not for trading anyone for Vientos, but there have been suggesting it.

i guess he's better than DHam/Sogard/Eaton.

the key is--how much does he make?

[notin]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

Rotating the DH is what the trend is, and it's why having someone like Yoshida burns a spot in the roster. 

It is?  Who does that?

I keep hearing year after year teams are getting away from having full time DHs.  Yet Ohtani, Schwarber, Yordan Alvarez, Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Brent Rooker, Seiya Suzuki, Hunter Goodman, Ivan Herrera, and Chritian Yelich all exist…