Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cardinals' Willson Contreras Trade Rumors Are Off Base — For Now

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to have to plenty of decisions to make this upcoming offseason, but not all of them are in the front office's control.

John Mozeliak was the team's president of baseball operations and Chaim Bloom will be taking over this offseason. While this is the case, there are some no-trade clauses with the organization that the front office can make the call. Nolan Arenado, for example, seems like someone who is going to get moved because he and the front office have both openly talked about getting a deal done. But, again, this only will happen if the Cardinals approve. The Cardinals couldn't trade Arenado last offseason because of that fact.

The St. Louis Cardinals have decisions to make with Willson Contreras

Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

Arenado, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras all have no-trade clauses. Arenado seems like the most likely to go. There have been reports that Gray could potentially be moved in the perfect scenario. Contreras, on the other, hand still doesn't seem like a likely player to be traded until we hear from him about his no-trade clause. The reason for this is that Contreras has been outspoken over the last year about his interest in staying in St. Louis. He hasn't shyed away from the no-trade clause and has openly spoken about it on numerous occasions. He did last offseason before moving to first base. He did again around the trade deadline and was very clear.

"I’m going to stay here; I’m not going nowhere,” Contreras said. “I’m good here. I already talked to (John Mozeliak) earlier this week, and everything is still the same...It’s a business, and (Mozeliak) doesn’t seem like he wants to trade me. He said 'no' and I said 'no,' so we’re good.”

This was just one of Contreras' comments, but all were on the same vein. He made it clear to the media that he didn't want to be traded from the Cardinals. Now, things could always change, but there's a lot of speculation out there right now. When it comes to Contreras, there's no need to worry about him yet because there are still too many variables at play. There's speculation left and right about how he could be traded or where he could go, but none of it matters at all until Contreras says if his mind has changed. Because of that, keep scrolling when you see in Contreras noise until he speaks himself.

It's easy to say it would make sense to trade him. Of course it would. He has time left on his five-year, $87.5 million deal. Getting out from that deal would be solid for the front office in a rebuild, but again, it doesn't matter until we know if Contreras' opinion has changed.

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

More must-reads: