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Willson Contreras Rumors: Cardinals 'Among Favorites' to Land Cubs FA Catcher
December 6, 2022
The St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly among the favorites to sign free-agent catcher Willson Contreras.
Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported the news as the free-agency period continues to heat up.
Contreras, 30, hit .243/.349/.466 with 22 home runs and 55 RBI in 113 games last season while making his third All-Star team. The Venezuela native has spent his entire seven-year career with the Chicago Cubs.
The Cardinals are looking for a replacement for Yadier Molina, who retired after the 2022 season. Molina spent his entire 19-year career in St. Louis and was the team's primary catcher since 2005. He made 10 All-Star appearances and won nine Gold Gloves, making him a potential Hall of Famer.
It's unlikely the Cardinals will be able to find any catcher to fill those massive shoes, but Contreras would be a strong replacement. He's one of the sport's best power-hitting catchers, though he is not even remotely the same level of defensive mind as Molina.
The Cubs are unlikely to be a serious player to retain Contreras as they continue their roster rebuild. Chicago went just 74-88 in 2022 after going 71-91 the previous season.
The descent of the Cubs helped St. Louis retake its spot atop the NL Central for the first time since 2019.
