The St. Louis Cardinals struck gold this afternoon, finding their new catcher in Willson Contreras.
The former Chicago Cubs star joins the 11-time World Series champions on a five-year, $87.5 million deal.
Contreras marks the Cardinals’ first marquee free agent signing since Dexter Fowler back in 2016.
The three-time All-Star also made a little Cardinals history as well.
His five-year, $87.5 million deal is the largest free agent contract the Cardinals have ever given to a player who hadn’t previously played for the team, which surpasses the $82.5 million that Fowler was given back in 2016.
Katie Woo of The Athletic provided this interesting factoid on Twitter.
The reported five-year, $87.5 million contract for Willson Contreras is the largest free-agent contract the #STLCards have handed out to a player who didn't already previously play for the club, surpassing Dexter Fowler's five-year, $82.5-million deal. https://t.co/mcuEX4s0uW
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) December 7, 2022
Cards Pony Up To Sign Contreras
The Cardinals are not always a team that spends big on free agents.
Fowler was the last major free agent that the team had reeled in, with Mike Leake and Matt Holliday coming before him.
But today, the team did what several fans have been hoping they would do for years, stepping out of their comfort zone and paying Contreras a large sum of money.
The Cards now have their catcher for the next five years, and a worthy successor to future Hall-of-Famer Yadier Molina.
Having Contreras in the same lineup as MVP Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado gives the Cardinals a completely different look offensively.
With adding a catcher checked off of their to-do list, the Cardinals will likely focus on other areas to improve the roster.
Another impact bat remains a possibility, as does a starting pitcher after the departure of Jose Quintana.
NEXT: Willson Contreras Can Make Rivalry History With The Cardinals