Willson Contreras Wants To Stay With Cardinals, But Is Open To Waiving No-Trade Clause,

Willson Contreras has a five-year, $87.5MM contract with the Cardinals that included a full no-trade clause for the first four seasons. Contreras finished the third season of the deal and prefers to remain in St. Louis while indicating a willingness to consider waiving no-trade protection under the right circumstances. Contreras met with president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom and expressed a desire to be part of a young, rebuilding team while acknowledging the business side and reaching an understanding. Other veterans such as Nolan Arenado and Gray have also signaled openness to waiving no-trade protection amid the Cardinals rebuild. Contreras is owed $41.5MM in remaining salary plus a $5MM buyout of a 2028 option and carries a smaller one-time luxury tax hit than Gray.

"" If something comes up to [president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom] that makes a lot of sense for him and the organization, and it makes sense for me and my future, how about we talk about that?" Contreras said. " But as of right now, I would just like to be part of the [rebuilding] process.""

"" I'd like to be a part of a young team that needs to have some kind of experience around them. That's what I expressed, but I understand the part of the business of the team, and we just came to an agreement there," the first baseman said."

Read at MLB Trade Rumors