The Boston Red Sox have done it: They’ve found their power-hitting right-handed bat for 2026. After missing out on Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber, they traded for first baseman Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals, as first reported by Jeff Passan.
The Red Sox, over the offseason, made it known that they needed a power hitter from the right side to add to their lineup for 2026. Not only did they check off one box, but they checked off a few with Contreras.
During the 2025 season with the Cardinals, he finished with 20 home runs, 80 RBIs, 31 doubles, and an average of .257 in 135 games. He finished with a 2.5 wins above replacement (WAR), alongside a slashline of .334/.447/.791. Contreras also had an OPS+ of 123.
Per Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Contreras had to waive his no-trade clause to come to the Red Sox. He will rejoin Cardinals teammate Sonny Gray, who also waived his trade clause to come to the team back in November. That said, what was the full trade to acquire the 33-year-old?
Willson Contreras Shipping Up to Boston
After waiting for the full trade details, this is what the final trade deal came out to that sees Contreras coming to the Red Sox:
Red Sox: 1B Willson Contreras and $8 million ($41.5 million remaining in salary)
Cardinals: RHP Hunter Dobbins, RHP Yhoiker Fajardo, and RHP Blake Aita
The $8 million will be split over the next two seasons, meaning the Cardinals will be on the hook for $4 million per season. When looking at the rest of the deal for Contreras, the annual average value (AAV) will look like:
2026: $16.75M, 2027: $16.75M, and 2028 $12.5M (club option)
The full contract for Contreras is 5 years, $87.5 million, which is signed through the 2027 season, with a team option for 2028. The deal plays out well for the Red Sox, as they are paying Contreras a solid AAV over the next two seasons, with a possible third-year option in 2028 to keep him going into his age-36 season.
Contreras Bringing the Pop
Getty ImagesWillson Contreras is coming to the Boston Red Sox
Heading into his age-34 season, Contreras brings a 95th percentile in bat speed per Baseball Savant. On top of that, the Red Sox are adding a guy who has an 86th percentile in barrel percentage, along with an 83rd percentile in hard-hit percentage. If the bat isn’t enough, Contreras is in the 91st percentile in defensive range and in the 76th percentile in arm strength. He will be an above-average defender at first base, while bringing the pop from the right side.
While the Red Sox do lose some good pitching prospects, they addressed a few needs going into the 2026 season by acquiring Contreras. In terms of Triston Casas, he has options left to start the season in Triple-A Worcester for the WooSox. Could he stay up and be the DH? Possibly. But, if the Red Sox feel like they don’t need to rush him back after only playing in 29 games due to an injury, it’s the way to go.
Overall, this is a trade that benefits both sides, more so for the Red Sox, making their 2026 season look better than it was earlier on Sunday. They still have to figure out what’s going on with Alex Bregman and whether he will be coming back to the Red Sox next season. Either way, this is a positive step in the right direction going into 2026.
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