The St. Louis Cardinals reportedly will not employ Willson Contreras any longer in 2026.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the Cardinals’ second blockbuster trade of the offseason on Sunday night. St. Louis is in agreement to send Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox.
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“Brealomg: The Boston Red Sox are acquiring first baseman Willson Contreras in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, sources tell ESPN,” Passan wrote on X.
The Cardinals made another good move
Jul 11, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Hunter Dobbins (73) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
Contreas had a no-trade clause and waived it to be sent to Boston. Contreras was a guy who was adamant about sticking around with the organization, but that idea thawed just before the winter meetings at the beginning of December. Now, the three-time All-Star is going over to Boston. So, what is St. Louis getting in return? Passan revealed the full trade details on X as well.
“Full trade, per ESPN sources: Red Sox get: 1B Willson Contreras and $8 million to cover part of his remaining $41.5 million in salary,” Passan wrote on X. “Cardinals get: RHP Hunter Dobbins, RHP Yhoiker Fajardo and RHP Blake Aita.”
For St. Louis, it’s sending significantly less cash to Boston than it did in the Sonny Gray trade. The Cardinals gave up $20 million to send the All-Star starting pitcher to Boston. This time, that figure is just $8 million. That’s already positive. In exchange, the Cardinals are getting another guy who could be a long-term fixture in the starting lineup in Hunter Dobbins.
He made 13 appearances as a rookie in 2025 for Boston — including 11 starts — and had a 4.13 ERA before getting hurt. Pitching is a premium and Dobbins won’t be a free agent until 2032. For a team that is trying to get back to contention, stockpiling pitching that can have a positive impact on the organization is a must. Dobbins is another guy who can help the club for years.
Yhoiker Fajardo was Boston’s 23rd-ranked prospect and Blake Aitav was a sixth-round pick in 2024. All in all, three more arms for Chaim Bloom and the Cardinals organization.
More MLB: Fallout From Cardinals, Red Sox Willson Contreras Blockbuster