Inside The Cardinals

Speculation Building Cardinals $87.5 Million Star Could Join Mariners

Will the Cardinals trade the star catcher this winter?

Patrick McAvoy

Jul 21, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (40) reacts after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Jul 21, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (40) reacts after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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If the St. Louis Cardinals truly want to "reset" the organization this winter, they should be open to anything.

There has been plenty of speculation that the Cardinals could be open for business on the trade market. This could mean anything, though. The Cardinals want to trim down payroll, but it's still too early to know what exactly that will entail.

St. Louis will let first baseman Paul Goldschmidt walk in free agency, according to various reports, but it's unclear what other moves the team will make. There has been speculation that high-priced veterans could be on the trade block with catcher Willson Contreras consistently being mentioned already.

Contreras signed an $87.5 million deal ahead of the 2023 season and has been very steady when he's been on the field over the last two years. It's unclear where he would land in the instance of a possible trade, but pretty much any team would be lucky to have Contreras.

The three-time All-Star would be highly sought after on the trade market, and FanSided's Josh Jacobs mentioned the Seattle Mariners as a possible fit.

"I haven't listed many teams in this exercise, but when I think of Contreras, teams like the Mariners, (San Francisco Giants), (Detroit Tigers), (Texas Rangers), (Washington Nationals), (Toronto Blue Jays), (Boston Red Sox), and even the (Tampa Bay Rays) stick out as teams who could use a big bat added to their lineup. Contreras would have to approve any trade that happens, which in theory limits his value a bit, but I have a hard time believing the Cardinals couldn't get something nice in return for him."

Seattle needs offense, and the Cardinals need controllable, young pitching. A partnership between the two teams could make a lot of sense if the Cardinals could get pitching in return.

More MLB: Ex-Cardinals All-Star Projected To Land $13.9 Million Contract

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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