The St. Louis Cardinals have signaled that a full-scale rebuild is underway. Early last week, they dealt veteran right-hander Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox in return for pitchers Brandon Clarke and Richard Fitts.
Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado are expected to be the next players moved, though both Arenado and Willson Contreras hold no-trade clauses.
Contreras had expressed at the start of the offseason that he wanted to remain in St. Louis, and despite rumors that he could be traded after the Gray deal, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reassured fans on Monday that Contreras still intends to stay.
“Like Gray and Arenado, he has a no-trade clause. Unlike them though, he made it clear to the Cardinals and to Chaim Bloom personally that his preference is to stay,” Goold said. “I asked Chaim Bloom about that the other day whether or not anything has changed there. He said it has not.”
Clearly, nothing has changed in Contreras’ mindset about staying in St. Louis, even if the Cardinals are taking a step back from contention. While they are rebuilding, it is ultimately a good thing for them to have Contreras around.
They need a proven power hitter in their lineup, and Contreras is the closest thing they currently have to that. But also, having his veteran presence around is beneficial.
Contreras can be a mentor to St. Louis’ younger players, and that is a role is very clearly happy with despite the direction the Cardinals are taking. With the three-time All-Star still present, the Cardinals are a better team than they would be if he was to be traded.
Perhaps Contreras could at least help the Cardinals stay around the .500 mark and avoid repeating 2023, when they finished 71-91 and in last place in the National League Central.
The veteran slugger has also adapted well to first base, and another year at the position will only help both him and the Cardinals.
Other players are likely to be traded, but it is clear that despite speculation, Contreras does not want to leave St. Louis and likely won’t be one of the players on the move.
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