BenFred: Willson Contreras at first base shouldn't be only experiment Cardinals test in 2025
A total of 511⁄3 innings, in case you were wondering. No more than 20 innings in one single season. None at all fewer less than 10 in 2019.
That is the previous experience catcher Willson Contreras has at first base, where the Cardinals now say he will be primarily used defensively when not occupying the designated hitter spot in manager Oli Marmol's lineup.
This isn't necessarily an endorsement of the experiment, but hey, at least this big change for Contreras isn't being attempted on the fly during the start of a debut season with a new team. Progress!
Most will remember what happened in Contreras' 2023 introduction, when the Cardinals, after realizing Contreras wasn't Yadier Molina behind the plate — Though who is? — suddenly decided Contreras would be an outfielder. Problem was, Contreras either balked or wasn't on board with the shift in the first place. The plan was quickly scrapped, but a player's confidence was damaged and a rocky start between a team and its biggest free-agent acquisition of the previous offseason had to be mended over time.
Tentatively, this feels a little more optimistic. Potentially. It's easy to be bright and sunny during the offseason. Last offseason, we were told Contreras had made great strides defensively, remember. Guess not.
If Contreras is unwilling to envision himself leaning into a non-catching career, he can ask out via trade. The Cardinals would be wise to find him a deal if that is or becomes the case. You don't want disgruntled, highly paid veterans hanging around a retool. But you do want Contreras' offense and energy, if he's all in.
For now, Contreras seems to want to stay with the Cardinals instead of being traded away during a time of refocused attention on player development, one that includes clearing opportunities for younger catchers who the Cardinals see as having more defensive upside at the position than Contreras. If Contreras objects to that, now would be the time to make noise. None yet. There's potential upside for him here.
Contreras has been the team's best and most reliable hitter lately, and getting him out from behind the plate will reduce his risk of injuries, hopefully keeping his bat in the lineup. Oh, and the Cardinals do have a real need at first. Paul Goldschmidt is a free agent on the open market, leaving a Gold Glove-caliber hole at his mainstay position. Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson are versatile enough to get reps elsewhere. Luken Baker could get squeezed some, but that's been the story of Baker's career here.
The Cardinals are a better offense if Contreras can get in the lineup multiple ways when not catching. This does that.
I don't necessarily agree that the quality of Contreras' catching demands a position change, but it's clear that the Cardinals don't see Contreras as their long-term answer behind the plate, and this is the season where intentionally lowered expectations about overall team performance lends itself to leaning into longer-term decisions. Contreras also doesn't have a lot of catcher trade value. As a bat, yes. But not much as a backstop. Not anymore. The Cubs squashed it before his free agency, and the Cardinals have done more of it themselves despite signing him to catch.
It seems important to note there is no guarantee this experiment will produce better catching in 2025. But the Cardinals are for the first time in a long time not trying to guarantee a better team. This upcoming season is about future seasons and crossed fingers that lowered expectations can produce results that feel like a pleasant surprise.
So I'm OK with the Cardinals experimenting in 2025 to see what works and what doesn't moving forward. They shouldn't stop with Contreras.
I hope the Cardinals experiment some with Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman at the corner infield spots. There's no guarantee right now that third baseman Nolan Arenado will be back or that he will be here through the remainder of his contract if he does start the season with the Cardinals. If the Cardinals whiffed on evaluating Contreras at catcher, maybe they whiffed on moving Walker and Gorman off third base as their defensive homes. Some reps at first and third for both would not hurt, especially if Arenado wants out and gets dealt.
I hope the Cardinals experiment with rebranding Steven Matz as a full-time reliever. He's unreliable in the rotation and shows more upside out of the bullpen. Health and performance have limited Matz to just 34 starts over three seasons. He's yet to pitch more than 105 innings in a Cardinals uniform in one season. The 33-year-old's career ERA as a starter has climbed to 4.35 with an opponent on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .759.
But as a reliever Matz has protected a 2.97 ERA with a .650 opponent OPS. Matz always seems to wind up in the bullpen. Why not start him there? It could perhaps keep him healthy longer, get more effective value from his contract and create more opportunity for a younger starter who has more upside moving forward.
I hope the Cardinals experiment with not experimenting with Michael McGreevy. In years past, he would probably become the promising young rotation candidate who gets fast-tracked as a reliever first, perhaps to never find his way back to the rotation at all.
The Cardinals have to stop pointing to Carlos Martinez and Adam Wainwright as guys who made those changes look easy. They have more recent evidence of guys who get caught in the middle, or perhaps mislabeled entirely, like the resilient Andre Pallante.
If McGreevy can't earn a rotation spot, he should make starts in the minors until he forces a promotion through performance.
And if Ryan Helsley is still around, though there's no guarantee he will be if trade asks are too good to turn down, I hope the Cardinals experiment with him as a starter, at least in spring training. What didn't work out for ex-Cards flamethrower Jordan Hicks in San Francisco could work out for Helsley elsewhere, if a creative team tests him out in the rotation after his domination as a closer.
The Cardinals should run the test first, so they have a truer feel for Helsley's potential before his free-agent window opens.
This is going to be an experimental season for the Cardinals. Contreras at first base doesn't have to be the last.
Sports columnist
