A lot of the offseason chatter surrounding the Miami Marlins will be with their top two pitchers, Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera. The Marlins have what is regarded as a deep pitching staff, which could make one of them expendable.
Miami has some needs in the field and in its lineup, with a power-hitting first baseman being near the top of the list. Some free agent options could fill that void for the Marlins, and some veterans who would be could be a good match, but there is always the trade route that Miami could look to fill that void.
There are going to be some names floated about as potential trade pieces at the Winter Meetings that get going on Sunday in Orlando. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan listed the top 25 players who could be traded, and there was an interesting name linked to the Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras.
Could Marlins Trade for Cardinals First Baseman Willson Contreras?
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First and foremost, the Marlins need an upgrade at first base defensively, and Contreras would supply that. He was moved there full-time by the Cardinals in 2025 and ranked third in baseball in runs saved. As far as offense goes, Contreras is undisciplined at times, but you can’t deny his power once he’s in a zone at the plate.
He slashed .257/.344/.447 for St. Louis in 2025 with 20 home runs and 80 RBIs. He did strike out 142 times, which shows how he tends to chase pitches too much.
“His plate discipline is just OK, but he always does damage at the plate, in large part due to his bat speed, which ranks eighth in baseball. He has posted 2.7 to 3.5 WAR five years in a row, and is a solid bet, especially considering he is a 33-year-old right-handed-hitting first baseman,” ESPN wrote.
Contreras is scheduled to make $41.5 million over the next two seasons and has a no-trade clause. According to ESPN, he has expressed his desire to stay in St. Louis; however, The Athletic (subscription required) reported that he is open to a potential trade. He controls where he goes, like his teammate Nolan Arenado. That could be a blocking point for the Marlins.
The Cardinals began swinging trades last week when they sent Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox, and Chaim Bloom is open to listening on just about anyone on his roster. Miami needs a power-hitting first baseman who is good defensively, and Contreras fits that mold. It’s certainly something that Miami should consider.
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