Despite seemingly being used as a scapegoat for the team’s recent struggles, Willson Contreras seems to really enjoy being a part of the St. Louis Cardinals.
After seven years with the rival Chicago Cubs, Contreras joined the Cardinals on a five-year, $87.5 million deal in free agency.
Over the past several days, the veteran catcher has been caught up in a public relations mess started by the Cardinals front office and manager Oli Marmol.
The team chose to remove Contreras from the starting catcher spot and make him their full-time designated hitter, believing a change in catcher would help their pitching staff.
In response, Cardinals fans have rallied behind Contreras to show their support, and on Tuesday, the slugger commented on messages of support he has received from the fanbase.
Willson Contreras said one of the most surprising elements of a rocky few days is the support he’s gotten from #STLCards fans.
“I’ve been getting [direct messages] and messages that I never thought I’d get. Those are really special to me.”https://t.co/tKtT8dYF4A
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) May 9, 2023
Contreras said he was ultimately surprised to see how much support he was getting from St. Louis fans.
However, he certainly has enjoyed reading fans’ messages of support, and said that he was grateful to the fans in St. Louis for their outpouring of support, adding that it meant a lot to him.
This situation has surely been a talking point in the sports world over the past several days, with several Cardinals fans and analysts alike questioning the move to take Contreras out of the catcher spot.
However, Contreras has clearly not let it bother him and is continuing to produce for the Cardinals, while also understanding how much the fans appreciate having him around.
Contreras had two hits on Monday in his return to Wrigley Field.
NEXT: Cardinals Legend Gives Willson Contreras A Shoutout
