Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras is scheduled to hit free agency once the season ends.
Before risking losing him for nothing, the Cubs would probably prefer trading him.
He is not at the peak of his value because acquiring teams view him as a rental, but he can fetch a nice prospect or two given his overall excellence.
In any case, the player would like to stay in Chicago.
He showed it in a recent interview.
“Cubs All-Star catcher Willson Contreras gets emotional when discussing the possibility of being traded,” Talkin’ Baseball tweeted.
Cubs All-Star catcher Willson Contreras gets emotional when discussing the possibility of being traded pic.twitter.com/8wJh6YYbi0
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 26, 2022
It’s evident he loves his team, but baseball is a business: a tough business at times.
Relocating Is Not As Easy As It Seems
Players can get attached to a certain city, franchise, and fan base.
However, it’s often more than just switching teams: it’s starting a new life elsewhere, leaving behind people you love, finding another school for your children, and many other variables.
But we saw last year that the Cubs, knowing that they would probably lose Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Craig Kimbrel, and several other players on expiring deals (except for Kimbrel), elected to thank them and find them new organizations.
Having failed to agree with Contreras on an extension, it seems likely that he has the same fate written all over him.
He is having a very nice season that earned him a spot on the NL All-Star roster.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Contreras is slashing .258/.374/.473 with 14 home runs and 2.8 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
He would be a nice addition for a contender looking for help behind the plate.
He would prefer to stay, but baseball can be cruel sometimes.
NEXT: 3 Players The Cubs Must Not Consider Trading At The Deadline