The drumbeat pushing Willson Contreras to Queens only grew louder after a play at the plate at Citi Field on July 9. When meads catcher James McCann stretched to swipe a tag on marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez, he prevented a run in a game his club would win by only one score. He also strained an oblique muscle that will put him on the shelf for several weeks. The path it would appear is clear for Contreras to join the Mets.
But appearances can deceive.
Contreras, 30, is considered by many evaluators to be the best position player on the market. He has always been a solid hitter, and he is having one of his best offensive seasons, with 13 homers and a 142 OPS+ heading into Tuesday’s games. His ability to play catcher should only amplify his value.
The issue for the cubs, as the deadline approaches, most of the contending teams look set at catcher. the dodgers love the duo of Will Smith other Austin Barnes. Jose Trevino was a first-half revelation and an All-Star for the Yanks. Pitchers on the Astros rely upon Martin Maldonado. the Brewers are getting good production from Omar Narvaez other Victor Caratini; Christian Vazquez has been good in boston An excellent season from Contreras’ own brother, William, makes a deal in Atlanta look unlikely.
Contreras is not a well-acclaimed receiver, and the elite clubs often value defensive contributions from catchers. But he is a fearsome hitter, possibly the best available. Even if the Mets prioritize fixing the bullpen over improving behind the plate, Contreras should find a new home in a few weeks.
With the trade deadline only a few weeks away, the bidding for the best players on the market should be intense. With that in mind, we canvassed our beat writers to see which teams will make the biggest upgrades. Who will land Willson Contreras?
RT if you love Willson Contreras. pic.twitter.com/Bzy5V2rHoc
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 9, 2022
Cleveland Guardian
Cleveland desperately needs catching help, and only for this year, with rising prospect Bo Naylor likely ticketed for a prominent role in 2023. But it’s hard to see the Guardians outbidding other teams for Contreras, perhaps the most coveted position player available, when their status as contenders is flimsy and AL Central-aided. — Zack Meisel
Houston Astros
Few teams in baseball get less offensive production from the catcher’s spot than the Astros. Heading into Tuesday’s games, the catching unit, which consists primarily of Martin Maldonado and Jason Castro, ranked 27th in OPS. Maldonado has always been a defensive-minded player, but his bat speed has slowed during the past two seasons.
So why stick with him? Because few teams in baseball pitch better than the Astros. Before Tuesday’s games, the group ranked second in ERA and fifth in fielding-independent ERA. Maldonado is a vital cog in Houston’s run-prevention machine. He is considered a steadying presence for the pitchers. Would the team put that dynamic at risk to improve its offense? Considering the lineup already includes Jordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve other Kyle Tucker, it feels unlikely. But worth keeping in mind, at least. — Andy McCullough
New York Mets
Even before James McCann went down, the single biggest offensive upgrade the Mets could make would have been a trade for Contreras. That’s because the collective OPS from behind the dish has lingered around .500. Contreras would transform the weakest spot in the lineup into a bonafide strength.
On the other hand, the pitching staff has done quite well and integrating a new catcher, particularly one not known for his defense like Contreras, would be a challenge. The cost here would figure to be higher than for other rental pieces at DH, and New York wouldn’t be interested in a long-term arrangement with the catcher because of top prospect Francisco Álvarez at Triple A. The Mets just sent a well- regarded prospect to the Cubs for two months of Javier Baez last summer, and they’re likely loath to do it again. — Tim Britton
New York Yankees
The Yankees are likely to prioritize improving the outfield, where Joey Gallo continues to struggle. The designated hitter spot is already something of a logjam. But the team will have to decide whether Jose Trevino and Kyle Higashioka are ready for prime time. Higashioka has not translated his Grapefruit League breakout into regular-season success. Trevino has come back to Earth after a sterling performance in early June. After a three-hit night on June 11, Trevino proceeded to hit .161 with a .535 OPS over his next 18 games.
The team still awaits the debut of Ben Rortvedt, who was acquired this past winter to aid the defense. Rortvedt has been sidelined with injuries to his oblique and his knee. Contreras might cost the Yankees something behind the plate. But his offensive presence cannot be ignored. — Andy McCullough
San Diego Padres
Around the league, there appears to be a lack of game-changing trade candidates. Contreras is an exception, especially for a Padres team that has received disappointing production from Austin Nola. Jorge Alfaro has supplied surprising pop, but he could continue to do so in more of a reserve role. An offensive catcher like Contreras might be more impactful than any outfielder the Padres could realistically acquire. — Dennis Lin
San Francisco Giants
After Buster Posey retired in November, heir apparent Joey Bart whiffed his way back to Triple A and Curt Casali strained an oblique, the Giants find themselves with a current catching duo of Austin Wynns (acquired from the Orioles in a minor-league trade) and Bart (who returned to the majors out of necessity) with Yermin Mercedes at least retaining the functional knowledge of how to strap on a chest protector. They’re also so light from the right side that they started Wynns at designated hitter Sunday against Padres left-hander MacKenzie Gore.
Yeah, they’d like to have Willson Contreras. He’s also likely to be the most pursued position player rental at the deadline and it’ll require considerable prospect pain to acquire him. Last year, the Giants subtracted from their farm system for two months of Chris Bryant. But that was when they were 25 games over .500 at the end of July. Especially after backsliding to .500 over the past three weeks, they can’t pretend their current roster is one player away. —Andrew Baggarly
St Louis Cardinals
The likelihood of the Cardinals trading for Contreras is slim, but with Yadier Molina out indefinitely, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak indicated shopping for an offensive catcher would be on the Cardinals’ deadline list.
“Where we are at a catching standpoint, if we could find something from an offensive standpoint, that would be helpful as well,” Mozeliak said to reporters last week.
It would certainly be a sight, Contreras coming to St. Louis after spending the last seven years a Cub. But you would have to travel back to 2007 for the last time the two teams made a deal. Still, with the list of acquirable offensive catchers so slim, and continuous non-updates from Molina in Puerto Rico, the Cardinals have to at least ponder the idea, right? — Katie Woo
(Top photo: Kirby Lee / USA Today)
