May 31, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) catches a throw to first base and puts out Texas Rangers center fielder Wyatt Langford (36) during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Cardinals Trade Speculation Links All-Star Slugger To Rangers

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly looking to move on from veteran first baseman Willson Contreras in a big trade this offseason, but Contreras' no-trade clause and large contract makes it quite difficult.

Still, if he's willing to waive his no-trade clause, the Cardinals are likely going to be able to move on from him this winter. At this point, it's about finding the right first for everybody involved.

Josh Jacobs of Redbird Rants recently listed the Texas Rangers as a potential landing spot in a deal for Contreras this winter.

Rangers could work as a landing spot for Willson Contreras

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"While the Seattle Mariners are an aspiring championship-caliber team, the Texas Rangers reached the ultimate goal just a few years ago in 2023, and Contreras could be a part of helping them get back to World Series contention," Jacobs wrote. "Although the Rangers missed the postseason the last two years, they still have a ton of talent on their roster. Their position player group is led by studs like Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, and they have a young core around those two building in Josh Jung, Wyatt Langford, and Evan Carter.

"On the pitching side of things, Jacob deGrom, Jack Leiter, and Nathan Eovaldi lead their staff under contract for next season, and we all know that Texas isn't afraid to spend money to upgrade their roster. The Rangers' main issue in 2025 was health. Seager, who was excellent this year, played in just 102 games. Carter, Sam Haggerty, and Joc Pederson missed significant time as well. Other bats just underperformed on the year, and the pitching staff was rarely near full strength either."

The Rangers are very talented, but they struggled to stay healthy. If they can get back to health and spend a bit of money in free agency, this kind of trade would make perfect sense.

Adding Contreras' bat to a lineup with other solid sluggers would be perfect for Texas. If everything goes right, their lineup would be loaded with talent.

For the Cardinals, trading Contreras would make perfect sense. It would free up a spot on the field for a younger player while also freeing up a lot of money to use elsewhere, potentially in a Brendan Donovan extension.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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