2nd Cardinals Player in 3 Days Is Prepared to Waive No-Trade Clause

For the second time in three days, a St. Louis Cardinals star player has admitted he is prepared to waive his no-trade clause "under certain circumstances" if the team comes to him with a trade offer this winter. 

Over the last year, Willson Contreras said he would not be willing to accept a trade, but after another season of losing, he's willing to at least consider moving on.

If something comes up to [incoming 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? 

As reported by Jeff Jones of mlb.com, however, Contreras's preference would still be to stay and be a mentor for the rebuilding club.

“I like challenges,” he explained. “I know that the St. Louis Cardinals have a really good track record of being a winning team. I know that right now we’re not having a really good team -- or we’re not having a winning team -- but I’d just like to be a part of the process.

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

Contreras sounds like he'd like to be the anti-analytics guy in the clubhouse. "I want to help young guys to better develop and have a better idea of what baseball is, besides going to analyze stats.” 

Sonny Gray admitted earlier this week that he, too, after being reluctant last winter, would be open to accepting a trade this offseason. 

And then there's Nolan Arenado, whom the Cards tried, without success, to deal over the past year. They will try, try again.  

As for Contreras, he signed a five-year, $87.5 million free-agent contract in St. Louis before the 2023 season, and as recently as two months ago, he insisted he would invoke his no-trade clause to stay with the Cardinals into the future. 

“I’m going to stay here; I’m not going nowhere,” he said at the end of July. He seems to have softened his stance as the season comes to an end. 

Contreras, in his 10th season, has 20 homers and 80 RBIs this season with a .791 OPS. The 33-year-old has two years remaining on his contract, plus a team option for 2028. 

Photo: © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images