Disappointed with his defense, the St. Louis Cardinals have decided to shift free-agent signee … [+] Willson Contreras to outfield and DH duty. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
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Even though he was the starting catcher for the National League All-Stars in Los Angeles last year, Willson Contreras is no longer likely to plug the enormous hole left by the retirement of Yadier Molina in St. Louis.
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Signed to a five-year, $87.5 million contract containing a club option for a sixth, Contreras was handed the catching job vacated by Molina after 18 seasons.
Apparently, it didn’t take.
The Cards started this season with a 10-23 record that left them last in the National League Central, a division many pre-season prognosticators predicted they would win. Instead, they are already 10 games behind the surprising Pittsburgh Pirates in the five-team title race.
Always considered an offense-oriented backstop, Contreras had spent his entire seven-season career with the Chicago Cubs, winning one World Series ring and three trips to the All-Star Game. A .257 career hitter, he produced three 20-homer campaigns.
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The 6-1, 225-pound Venezuelan has always been far from spectacular behind the plate, with concerns about his game-calling and ability to handle a pitching staff.
Those deficiencies became even more pronounced to the Cardinals, who had basked in the reflection of Molina’s nine Gold Gloves. The Puerto Rican star also won four Platinum Gloves as the standout defensive player at any position and was widely considered the best defensive catcher in the National League and perhaps both leagues.
With Molina a strong candidate to win first-ballot election to the Hall of Fame when writers vote for the Class of 2027, Contreras had enormous shoes to fill.
In addition to learning each individual on a new pitching staff, he had to cope with rules changes that enlarged the bases and shortened the distance between first and second. That made it harder to stop potential base-stealers, which Molina did with regularity.
The Cardinals are expected to deploy Andrew Knizner as their regular receiver, backed by rookie Tres Barrera, just promoted from their farm system. Contreras will be used as a corner outfielder, designated hitter, and pinch-hitter.
The bat of William Contreras, younger brother of Willson, made him an attractive trade pickup for … [+] the Milwaukee Brewers. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
His position transfer coincides with the success of his brother William, who became a full-time catcher this year after the Atlanta Braves traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers. William, like his brother, was a starter in the 2022 All-Star Game — as a DH.
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Also like his brother, however, he is so suspect defensively that the Braves were willing to include him in the three-way trade that brought Sean Murphy, a Gold Glove catcher in the American League, to Atlanta.
At age 30, Willson Contreras is five years older than William, who hit 20 homers in 97 games for the Braves last year, when he doubled as a designated hitter and chief understudy to regular catcher Travis d’Arnaud.
Entering this weekend, St. Louis starters — working mostly with Contreras — ranked 24th among the 30 teams in earned run average. In fact, veterans Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas, and Steven Matz had all allowed more than five earned runs per game, with only trade acquisition Jordan Montgomery performing well.
Although Contreras has played 35 games in the outfield previously, he’ll now have to compete for playing time with Lars Nootbar, Dylan Carlson, Alec Burleson, and Tyler O’Neill, plus blue-chip prospect Jordan Walker, who opened the year with the Cards before a dismal showing prompted his return to Triple-A.
That overcrowded field could be broken up by a trade or two long before the Aug. 1 deadline – and before the Cardinals become an afterthought in the 2023 playoff picture. The team entered play Sunday facing the biggest deficit of any last-place team in the NL.
If neither Knizner nor Barrera plugs the catching void, the Cards could fill it by returning Contreras to the position or by obtaining another veteran in a trade.
St. Louis won the NL Central by seven games over the Brewers last year but haven’t won a pennant since 2013.
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