Yadier Molina was a rock behind the plate for the St. Louis Cardinals for almost two decades.
The future Hall-of-Famer came up with the Cards in 2004 and took over the starting catcher job after Mike Matheny departed via free agency.
From there, the star catcher earned 10 All-Star nods, two-World Series rings, and nine Gold Gloves.
So with him now retired, Willson Contreras has some big shoes to fill.
But the 30-year-old certainly understands the task at hand and has the utmost respect for Molina.
Contreras even went as far as to say that Molina was his idol.
A passing of the torch for the @Cardinals. pic.twitter.com/cBCioJ44yl
— MLB (@MLB) December 11, 2022
Contreras Praises Yadi
Obviously, nobody can replace Molina.
The 40-year-old left a lasting impression in St. Louis and was well loved by Cardinals fans in all walks of life.
Few, if any, could shut down the running game the way Molina could.
But Contreras understands that he won’t necessarily be “replacing” Molina.
Rather, he’ll look to carry on his idol’s legacy and bring similar energy to St. Louis that Molina did over his 19-year career.
Molina and Adam Wainwright formed an unbreakable bond as one of the top pitcher-catcher batteries the game has ever seen.
Fans will miss Molina, but Contreras has taken it upon himself to honor the legacy of one of the best catchers of all time and give Cardinals fans a reason to love him.
And so, a new era begins in St. Louis.
Wainwright and the other pitchers will be throwing to a different catcher, but Contreras understands the importance of the man who came before him, and will do his best to bring similar energy to St. Louis.
NEXT: Willson Contreras Got A Special Call Upon Joining The Cardinals