Willson Contreras' Silver Slugger nomination isn't an indictment of Cardinals' trade process

Willson Contreras put together a banner season in his first campaign outside of the NL Central, hitting .275/.386/.516 while posting career highs in home runs (27) and wRC+ (151). It was the sort of offense-carrying, superstar-caliber effort he never quite gave the St. Louis Cardinals, and now he's been rewarded with a nomination as a Silver Slugger finalist at first base.

His competition (Pete Alonso of the Baltimore Orioles) is stiff, meaning there's a solid chance he doesn't win the award for the first time in his career. However, the fact that he's here at all is a pretty strong endorsement of the Red Sox's decision to trade for him.

But does that have to mean the Redbirds were in the wrong? I think there's a little more to this story than meets the eye.

Cardinals made the right call by changing Willson Contreras' position and then trading him

Contreras' tenure in St. Louis was a complicated one; he was originally signed as the heir apparent to Yadier Molina behind the plate, but defensive struggles and a litany of injuries basically kept him from holding up his end of the bargain. With the writing on the wall for their competitive core, the Cardinals then shifted him to first base, effectively ending their successful partnership with Paul Goldschmidt.

The move itself was logical, but Contreras and the Cardinals were panned at the time. The original contract (five years, $88.5 million) was a big investment, but it made sense given his status as Molina's successor; moving away from that effectively rendered him an aging slugger earning top dollar.

And yet, despite the initial pushback, Contreras thrived in the role. He hit 20 home runs and posted +6 Outs Above Average in his debut as a first baseman in 2025, most importantly staying healthy enough to play in more than 130 games for just the second time in his career. That bumped his value to the point where the Cardinals could not only shed his entire deal, but also pick up legitimate prospect talent in the process.

So, while it's true that the Red Sox are reaping the rewards of the Cardinals' bravery right now, the Redbirds shouldn't feel defeated over this whole saga. Losing Hunter Dobbins for most (or all) of 2027 due to Tommy John surgery stings, but Yhoiker Fajardo put together a terrific campaign in the minors this year. Those two, alongside Blake Aita, were strong acquisitions that will help to round out the organization's pitching depth over the coming years. And getting them was only possible because of Contreras' transition away from catching.

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