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Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff WriterNov 6, 2024, 05:59 PM ET
- Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
SAN ANTONIO — St. Louis Cardinals slugger Willson Contreras is making a permanent move to first base, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak confirmed Wednesday.
“We think that being such a productive hitter, not catching will make him a better hitter,” Mozeliak said at the GM meetings. “How do we protect his career?”
Contreras gave the team his blessing for the move, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN. Otherwise, the Cardinals might have looked to move him this offseason — though the veteran has a no-trade clause in a five-year, $87.5 million contract that runs through 2027.
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Contreras, 32, has been a catcher for the majority of his nine-year career, playing in 774 games behind the plate and just 52 elsewhere — including 11 at first base.
Mozeliak pointed to injuries as one deciding factor for the move. Contreras missed time this past season with a broken arm after getting hit by a swing from New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez.
It’s also not uncommon for aging catchers to add or move to another position to preserve themselves after taking a beating behind the plate for so long. Contreras hit 15 home runs while compiling an .842 OPS in 2024, but he played in only 84 games because of the broken arm.
The Cardinals won’t bring back free agent Paul Goldschmidt, opening the spot at first base for Contreras. Pedro Pagés and Ivan Herrera split time in 2024, with Contreras playing only 51 games there. Herrera, 24, hit .301 with an .800 OPS while starting 52 games behind the plate.
This move allows Contreras and Herrera to be in the lineup at the same time.
