Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Unwilling to waive no-trade clause
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Contreras (shoulder) informed incoming Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom during a conversation Friday that he wishes to remain with the team rather than waive his no-trade clause in order to facilitate a deal, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Contreras did hedge a bit, saying he expects the Cardinals to explore the trade market for him this offseason and he would listen if they came to him with a potential deal. However, his preference is to stay put, saying he "would like to be a part of the young team that is going to need to have some of experience around them." Contreras has two years and $36.5 million remaining on his contract, along with a $17.5 million club option (or $5 million buyout) for 2028. The 33-year-old is already done for the 2025 season, having been placed on the 10-day injured list earlier this month with a right shoulder strain.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Season over after landing on IL
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The Cardinals placed Contreras on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right shoulder strain.
The injury had previously been labeled as a biceps strain, but either way, it will end Contreras' season. He slashed .257/.344/.447 with 20 home runs and 80 RBI over 135 games in his first season as a full-time first baseman. Alec Burleson will take over at first base for the Cardinals down the stretch, which should lead to more playing time in the outfield for Jordan Walker.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Done for season with biceps strain
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The Cardinals will place Contreras (biceps) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right biceps strain, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
The strain is considered mild, but it is bad enough to end the first baseman's season with less than two weeks remaining. Contreras will finish 2025 with a .257/.344/.447 batting line, 20 home runs and 80 RBI over 135 games. Alec Burleson will take over as the team's everyday first baseman down the stretch, opening up more playing time in the outfield for Jordan Walker and others.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Held out of lineup Tuesday
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Contreras (biceps) is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Reds.
Contreras was held out of Sunday's game in Milwaukee due to right biceps tightness and had to be pulled from Monday's contest against the Reds when it flared up on him. To this point, he is considered day-to-day. Alec Burleson will play first base for the Cardinals on Tuesday.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Departs with biceps injury
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Contreras was removed from Monday's game against the Reds due to right biceps tightness, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Contreras was back in the starting lineup Monday after sitting out of Sunday's series finale against Milwaukee due to biceps soreness, but he was pulled in the bottom of the seventh inning due to the same issue. The 33-year-old can be considered day-to-day considering the nature of his injury.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Returns to St. Louis lineup
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Contreras (soreness) will start at first base and bat cleanup in Monday's contest versus the Reds, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Contreras didn't play in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Brewers due to general soreness after he was hit by a pitch on two occasions Saturday, but he's back in the lineup after one day of rest. The 33-year-old has collected a .786 OPS with 20 home runs and 30 doubles in 2025 in his first season as a full-time first baseman.
Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers, with manager Oliver Marmol saying the first baseman is "pretty beat up" after being hit by a pitch twice Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Contreras is no stranger to hit-by-pitches, as he's now been plunked three times in the past three games and 23 times overall this year. The 33-year-old doesn't seem to be dealing with any serious injuries and could be available off the bench Sunday.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Back from suspension
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Contreras (suspension) was added to the active roster and will bat fourth while starting at first base Tuesday against Seattle.
Contreras' six-game suspension was reduced to four games following an appeal, which will allow him to return for the second game of St. Louis' series against the Mariners. The 33-year-old's .786 OPS represents his worst mark since he joined the Cardinals in 2023, though he went 5-for-18 with a homer and five RBI across his last five games before serving his suspension.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Suspension reduced to four games
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Contreras' suspension for his actions in the Cardinals' Aug. 25 games versus the Pirates has been reduced from six games to four games and he will begin serving the suspension Friday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Contreras was tossed from the game after arguing about the strike zone and then tossed his bat in the direction of the home-plate umpire, striking hitting coach Brant Brown instead. He'll sit out the weekend series against the Giants and the first game of next week's series versus the Mariners before being reinstated Tuesday. With Contreras unavailable and Alec Burleson (wrist) on the 10-day injured list, the Cardinals don't have a traditional first baseman on the active roster. The club could elect to shift Nolan Gorman to first base and play Cesar Prieto or Jose Fermin at third base for the next four contests.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Plates four runs Wednesday
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Contreras went 3-for-4 with a triple and four RBI in Wednesday's 5-1 win against the Athletics.
Contreras plated St. Louis' first two runs with a single in the third inning. He capped the Cardinals' scoring in the contest with a two-run triple in the eighth. Contreras finished with his first multi-hit game over his past 10 contests, and his four RBI on Wednesday were as many as he'd recorded during that 10-game stretch. Contreras is up to 78 RBI on the campaign, establishing a new career-high mark.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Hits 20th homer in win
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Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Reds.
Contreras notched his sixth 20-homer season with a 431-foot blast in the seventh inning. The homer snapped a 1-for-21 skid over six games, coming after the 33-year-old went deep in his previous three contests between Aug. 20 and 22. On the year, he's slashing .253/.338/.449 with 20 long balls, 74 RBI, 66 runs scored and four steals across 526 plate appearances.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Appealing six-game ban
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Major League Baseball issued Contreras a six-game suspension for his actions in Monday's 7-6 win over the Pirates, but he remains in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against Pittsburgh while he appeals the decision, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The 33-year-old disagreed with some called strikes during his seventh-inning plate appearance Monday, and the situation escalated as he continued to argue with the umpire following his ejection. It's a hefty ban for Contreras, which is owed mostly to the fact that he threw his bat in the direction of the umpire that instead hit his own coach. The suspension could be reduced by a couple games, and Contreras will be available to play until his appeal his heard.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Lifts 18th homer
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Contreras went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Thursday's 7-4 win over the Rays.
Contreras went deep in the seventh inning for his second homer in as many games. The 33-year-old has bounced back well after missing time with a bruised right foot, going 7-for-18 (.389) over four contests since he returned to the lineup. On the year, he has a .261/.345/.455 slash line with 18 homers, 68 RBI, 60 runs scored, four stolen bases and 29 doubles over 118 games.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Returns to St. Louis lineup
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Contreras (foot) will start at first base and bat cleanup in Monday's game against the Marlins.
Contreras missed the previous four games after being hit on the foot by a pitch, but he's good to go for the series opener in Miami. With Contreras back in action, Alec Burleson will shift back to the outfield after drawing his last four starts at first base.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Remaining out of lineup
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Contreras (foot) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
Alec Burleson will cover first base while Contreras receives another day off to recover from a bruised right foot. According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, Contreras said he would be available off the bench as a pinch hitter. The 33-year-old will be re-evaluated Monday before a decision is made on whether he's ready to rejoin the lineup.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Could be option off bench Saturday
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Contreras (foot) is going through a pre-game workout Saturday and could be available to pinch hit later in the day against the Yankees, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Denton also reports that Contreras may be ready to return to the starting lineup Sunday if the workout Saturday goes well. The veteran first baseman was hit by a pitch on the foot Tuesday and hasn't played since. Alec Burleson has started each of St. Louis' three games at first base since Contreras has been sidelined.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: On bench again
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Contreras (foot) is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees.
Contreras will miss a third consecutive game since suffering a bruised foot on a hit-by-pitch Tuesday. His absence will allow Alec Burleson to draw another start at first base.
Contreras (foot) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Rockies.
Contreras was removed from Tuesday's game after being hit in the right foot by a pitch, so it's not a surprise he's sitting out Wednesday's matinee. The Cardinals are idle Thursday, and Contreras could be back in there for Friday's game against the Yankees. Alec Burleson is at first base for St. Louis on Wednesday.
Contreras was removed from Tuesday's game against the Rockies with a right foot contusion, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Contreras took a pitch off his foot in the fourth inning before being replaced on defense to start the sixth. The fact that the Cardinals are calling his injury a bruise suggests the 33-year-old didn't suffer any structural damage, though he may still sit out Wednesday's series finale as a precaution.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Back in lineup Friday
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Contreras (illness) is in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Cubs.
A stomach bug kept Contreras out for Wednesday's series finale against the Dodgers, but it would seem he's already moved past it. While he's just 1-for-11 in his career so far against Friday's starter, Matthew Boyd, Contreras has a .906 OPS against left-handed pitching for the season.
