After weeks of speculation, the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals have swung a trade, with the Red Sox acquiring catcher/first baseman Willson Contreras from St. Louis, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Passan notes that starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins is the headliner going back to St. Louis. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reports that prospects Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita are also going back to St. Louis. Fajardo was the No. 23 prospect in the Sox’ organization, per MLB.com.

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It’s the second trade of the offseason between the two teams, as the Red Sox previously acquired pitcher Sonny Gray for pitcher Richard Fitts and pitching prospect Brandon Clarke.

Now 33 years old, Contreras has been a solid offensive player for years. A 10-year veteran of the Chicago Cubs and Cardinals, Contreras is a .258 career hitter with 172 home runs. A three-time All-Star, he helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016, and he’s had a positive OPS+ in each season of his career except one (2018).

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He has two years and $41 million remaining on his contract and there is a club option for 2028. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports the Cardinals are sending over $8 million.

Contreras figures to play a lot of first base in Boston and that should have a significant impact on the future of Triston Casas, who is recovering from a serious leg injury.

Contreras can also play in the designated hitter spot, though there’s currently a log jam there between the four Red Sox outfielders and Masataka Yoshida.

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Tyler Milliken of the Section 10 Podcast says Contreras’s offensive profile should fit well in Boston’s lineup.

Willson Contreras, you’re going to love Fenway Park.

Over the last two seasons, his 130 wRC+ ranks 25th in the sport (minimum 800 PA).

Still finished 87th percentile for xwOBA and 85th percentile for xSLG. This will help the power department.

Now 26 years old, Dobbins is another major league-ready arm for the Cardinals. He debuted last season, going 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA for Boston (11 starts). He struck out just 45 in 61.0 innings before tearing his ACL. He should be ready to make an impact early in the 2026 season, and he could instantly slot in the St. Louis rotation alongside Matthew Liberatore, Andre Pallante and Dustin May, who spent the 2025 season with the Red Sox.

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In addition to these arms, the Cardinals also have Fitts, Liam Doyle and Quinn Matthews, as they are building an exciting and versatile staff.

For Boston, it’s a resolution to the Alex Bregman drama at third base. For the Cardinals, it’s likely a Brendan Donovan trade, though the more pitching they acquire elsewhere, the less they need from a team in that deal. The Mariners and Giants had been reported as the favorites.