Red Sox Have ‘Significant Interest’ In Blockbuster Trade With Cardinals | ITM Podcast

Red Sox Have ‘Significant Interest’ In Blockbuster Trade With Cardinals | ITM Podcast

The Red Sox have significant interest in Contraras. Oh, and the clubs have plenty of Oh, this is a quote. And the clubs have plenty of familiarity with each other. The Athletics Katie Woo wrote, “No deal is close,” per a team source, but the connection is worth monitoring over the next uh several days. The Red Sox could very well be making another move. End quote. By the way, uh could be making another move with the St. Louis uh Cardinals. Now, it’s weird because um for a couple of years um we thought of catching position as an area of depth where you know when when especially when Vasquez was here and Wong was like the upandcomer and then with with um Wong and um Greasy Ree, there’s always an offensive threat >> and then right into Wong and Narvz. And Narvay had obviously an unbelievable rookie year. Connor Wong is slipping into um an unplayable bat territory uh that none of us really want to talk about, probably because it’s not one of the top four biggest issues with the Boston Red Sox. But searching for uh catching depth, major league catching depth, not a bad idea. Well, also Contrarus played the bulk of his games last year at first, so like this would be a potential first base. DH could be the secondary catcher option. So, I think he he does fit. I might have we have to lock in for this one. I’ll do my breakdown real quick. Um, okay. So, he’s entering his age 34 season. >> Yep. >> He hit last year 257 with 31 doubles, 20 homers, 80 RBI’s. He had a 791 OPS, which was a 123 OPS plus last year, down year for offense. Uh, and he played 135 games. He’s got 2 years 35 million left on his deal. So, decent chunk, but only two years. And, uh, he did have six outs above average last year at first base. So, he’s actually a plus def. He’d be the best first baseman on the team defensively right away and, you know, a real impact right-handed bat. So, that’s the that’s the breakdown for Contrarus. I think he’s People have been talking about it this week uh on Twitter. It’s an interesting option. I I don’t love the idea of further depleting the farm system, but I don’t think he would cost an immense immense amount. Uh you wonder if there’s anybody that the Cardinals like that they weren’t able to get in the Sunny Gray trade that they could, you know, maybe spin that tire again and be like, you know, we really wanted to work find a way to work in, you know, this player in this deal and now you have another shot to kind of make that happen. Do you foresee the first I guess wouldn’t be the first Do you see trades that heavily outweighing the free agent market for the Red Sox this year that they would go and get Contrarus before they signed an a single major league body? >> I I don’t I mean I wasn’t thinking of it as like this is the next guy, this is the timeline. I was thinking of more of like that you need two bats. This could be a solution to one. And I think we all know that Bregman is the ideal free agent edition. Uh so [snorts] I’m not saying this has to happen like this week or the order that it has to happen in, but I think you need two bats. And so you continue your you know game with Bregman and while that’s going on you get contrarious. It doesn’t really matter what order it happens in. You know that’s how I’ve thought of it. [sighs] [gasps] Yeah. It’s it’s it’s weird. Um, it’s also it’s strange because the Red Sox are are pretty inconsistent with what they uh with with with age, you know, like they they are so hesitant at times to touch anybody who’s 31 and then at other times, you know, a pitcher who has 90% of their career behind him, >> 35, they’re like, “Yeah, we can get 28. eight starts out of this guy and >> they don’t want to commit to age which I understand. >> So you said there’s two years left on Wilson Steel. >> Yeah. >> So he’s 33 right now. >> There’s also there’s a club option for year three, but I don’t think we have to talk about that. >> Yeah, we don’t. So by the time the year starts, he’ll be turning 34. So you’re talking about his age 34 and 35 seasons. >> Yeah, man. Whatever. But that’s two years as a DH candidate. I don’t think they’d be scared of that. There may be some cash that would come back. Who knows? I don’t want to speculate on that in this case because it’s not like a obvious candidate for that. But I but I will say like I don’t think this is one. I mean the way you’re going right now I got to say you’re finding a flaw in every single player. Do you think they sign anybody? You think they trade for anybody? Because every single time you’re saying he’s too young, he’s too old. He’s too much money. He’s not enough money. You You’re saying no to everybody? No, I’m not choosing what to do. If I chose what to do, >> I would say sign Alex Bregman. Trade for a number two now. Peralta [ __ ] Joe Ryan, which apparently isn’t moving. Get a two. Trade Jiren Durant. Get the maximum value that you can. I would say that what I’m really trying to do upstairs here is think like the socks, which is be dumber than I am. Be dumber and be cheaper. So, do I think that they’re going to do anything right now? No, I don’t. I don’t. And I think that most of the fan base feels the same way. It’s like, [ __ ] show me, dude. You did nothing. Nothing. Nothing for four seasons. Three seasons. 22, 23, 24, you did nothing. 25, you were like, “You know what? Here we are. We’re back. Not full throttle, but we revved it up, baby. That sound effect better than you were expecting.” 2025 was a good season. They got back to the playoffs. We were going, we were rolling. We were cr cruising. 2026 is coming in like days. Every other team except the Rockies has signed somebody. The biggest move you’ve made is Sunny Gray. Can you [ __ ] wake up? What? And all of the reports about you are uh and Bregman might be uh beyond their reach now. Well, they they thought about Alonzo. They offered him three years. They never called Schwarber. They’re not. Well, now the trade market, they’re probably going to wait it out a little bit longer. [ __ ] you. Do something. But also, I’m not going to expect or predict them to do something big until they show me that they’re gonna do something big again because it seems like right now most of the fan base would agree that it seems like they’re going to do nothing and just lay there until February comes and say, you know, we feel good about the guys that we have in our roster and our organization building for the future while also giving the Major League roster the best shot they have at making back to a place. Listen, it’s Boston. It’s Boston. you know, a championship baseball is the expectation. Anything short of that is a failure. And we’re going to talk ourselves into it and be like, you know what, Cutter Crawford can make 32 starts and I could see him as a Sai Young candidate. >> And you know what? I think that um who would even be the second B uh Marcelo, I guess. Yeah. So, >> I don’t know who who’s playing first in this idea, but [gasps] >> you know that they’re going to do something. You don’t actually believe they’re not going to do anything. I said that before and then they had an off season where they signed Lucas Gileo and did nothing else different time. >> I just don’t know. I’m not I I think it would be irresponsible of me to get on here and be like they will do something. I’m not positive they do. >> Oh, come on. They’re going to sign a bat. >> They’re going to acquire. >> Are they though? >> Probably too. >> Yeah. >> Like a real bat. Like I don’t mean like Esoch Parades. I mean like a bat. >> Yeah. >> I at least one I think. Yeah. [music]

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly showing interest in Willson Contreras. Could the Sox make another trade this offseason with Chaim Bloom’s Cardinals? Joey Copponi and Scott Neville break it all down!