One of baseball’s most popular clubs is the St. Louis Cardinals. They are currently in second place in the National League Central and have a 13-4 record in their previous 17 games. Willson Contreras, a converted catcher and new first baseman, has produced well for the Cardinals. However, his teammates’ attention has been drawn to his play on the field. When ESPN’s Jeff Passan questioned him about his aggressive bunt defense, the St. Louis players responded admirably.
Passan wrote, “Contreras is in his first season as a first baseman, and even if the situation called for him to crash toward the plate — eighth inning, 1-0 lead, runners on first and second with no outs, and Kansas City’s Jonathan India squaring to bunt on the first two pitches — Contreras stationed himself 51 feet away, like a bunt scarecrow, as if to invite a swing from someone who routinely hits baseballs more than 100 mph,” Passan wrote.
Ask him to “scoot back a little,” said Nolan Arenado. “I was afraid [India] was going to take a swing and kill him,” said Miles Mikolas, a pitcher for the Cardinals. From the outfield, Lars Nootbarr noticed it: “He’s a savage.”
Contreras unleashed his inner Ivan Drago, even if his Cardinals teammates all thought he was crazy. “I’m not interested. I’m not scared. I’ll pass away there if I’m going to die.
Prior to the 2023 season, Contreras agreed to a five-year, $87.5 million contract with the Cardinals. In seven years, he received three All-Star selections after making his debut with the Cubs. He has been a reliable defensive catcher and an above-average hitter since joining the Cardinals. Contreras moved to first base following Paul Goldschmidt’s offseason departure and an injury sustained the previous season.
During their rebuilding years, the Cardinals are putting their all into defense. With that mindset, Nolan Arenado is the ideal player to develop around. Additionally, the Cardinals are playing excellent defense because their first baseman is ready to put in a lot of effort.
