Neither Contreras nor Nootbaar would replace the Alonso-sized void in the lineup, but both would fill holes in the roster. Contreras could fit directly into Alonso’s vacated spot at first base, while Nootbaar would help fill the gap left by Brandon Nimmowhich was distributed to the Rangers.
Contreras and Nootbaar are just a few of the many cardinals popping up in trade talks. Brendan Donovan attracts widespread interest. JoJo Romero has intrigued several teams. Nolan Arenado has been a trade candidate for several seasons. Nolan Gorman And Alec Burleson It has been mentioned that they may be moved. Despite the interest surrounding the competition, nothing came of it during the Winter Meetings. “To some extent it’s binary: you either have something or you don’t. We are not doing that at the momentpresident of baseball operations Chaim Bloom told reporters.
As Anthony Franco noted in this piece on Alonso’s replacement (Front Office subscription required), Contreras would be the easiest fit on the trade market. He has a no-trade clause but is reportedly open to waiving it. Contreras is under contract for the next two seasons, with a club option for 2028. He will make $18 million next season and $18.5 million in 2027. The price tag isn’t exorbitant for his level of production, but it might be too expensive for the rebuilding Cardinals to keep around.
Contreras was a clearly above-average player in his three seasons with St. Louis. He has posted a wRC+ of at least 124 in every campaign. Contreras is coming off a pair of 20-home run campaigns as a Cardinal, and the only miss was his most productive year with the team. He hit 15 home runs in just 84 games in 2024, but a broken finger ended his season in late June.
The 33-year-old Contreras hasn’t missed a beat as he approaches his 30s. Its profile has arguably looked even better under the hood in recent years. Contreras posted a career-high 49% hard-hit percentage last season. He ranked in the 95th percentile in bat speed. Contreras has been one of the toughest swingers in the game since bat speed data became widely available.
The Nootbaar fit isn’t as seamless, largely due to availability. The outfielder had surgery on both heels in October and may miss the start of the 2026 season. The procedure may have already excluded one team from the battle for Nootbaar’s services. Replacing Nimmo’s strong fundamentals and steady all-around production will be difficult, but so will finding another option that matches his durability. The former Met has won 150 games in four straight seasons. The oft-injured Nootbaar has reached his maximum of 135 games in a season, and that came this past year, which ended with double heel surgery.
Nootbaar has generally been productive when he has been available. He routinely has well above average walk percentage and solid slugging numbers. Nootbaar is usually good for a dozen home runs, a handful of steals and a respectable OBP. The 2025 season was healthy, but Nootbaar declined in production. He slashed just .234/.325/.361, posting his first sub-100 wRC+ since his rookie season in 2021.
Photo courtesy of Benny Sieu, Imagn Images
#Mets #interested #Willson #Contreras #Lars #Nootbaar