Red Sox acquire Willson Contreras in trade with Cardinals: report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow remains active in the trade market.
On Sunday, the Red Sox acquired first baseman Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for right-hander Hunter Dobbins as well as minor league right-handers Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN And The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.
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Contreras, 33, will bring much-needed right-handed pop to the Red Sox lineup. The three-time All-Star slashed .257/.344/.447 with 20 homers and 80 RBIs in 135 games last season.
Defensively, Contreras should be a significant upgrade at first base. He ranked fourth among all players at the position last season with six putouts above average. Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas was -10 OAA in 2024, his only full season in MLB.
Contreras is signed through 2027 with $36.5 million remaining on his contract. He has a $17.5 million club option for the 2028 season, along with a $5 million buyout.
Even though he isn’t a threat to hit 40+ homers, Contreras is still a solid alternative for the Red Sox after they breathed by the signing of free agent slugger Pete Alonso. His swing is tailor-made for Fenway Park, and his defense blows those of Casas and Alonso out of the water.
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This was the Red Sox’s second trade with the Cardinals this offseason. In November, they acquired veteran right-hander Sonny Gray in exchange for right-hander Richard Fitts and left-handed pitcher Brandon Clarke.
Boston has yet to sign a big league free agent.
