The Boston Red Sox have acquired Willson Contreras along with cash, while the St. Louis Cardinals received three young pitchers in the trade.

MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand’s sources reveal that the Boston Red Sox are set to acquire catcher Willson "Big Contreras" Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals, trading away three players including right-hander Hunter Dobbins. This deal requires Contreras to waive his no-trade clause, and the two teams have yet to make an official announcement.

Also heading to St. Louis are right-handed pitchers Yhoiker Fajardo (ranked 23rd prospect in the Cardinals’ farm system) and Blake Aita. Additionally, the Red Sox will receive $8 million in cash as part of this transaction.

This marks the second trade between the Cardinals and their new President of Baseball Operations, Chaim Bloom, since he took office. Last month, the Cardinals traded right-hander Sonny Gray to the Red Sox.

Before the 2023 season, the Cardinals signed Contreras to a five-year, $87.5 million free-agent deal, viewing him as the successor to nine-time Gold Glove winner and legendary catcher Yadier Molina. However, early on in St. Louis, Contreras faced criticism over his pitch-calling skills and was mostly used as a designated hitter rather than behind the plate.

Just as he was showing significant defensive improvement in the 2024 season, Contreras suffered a left forearm fracture after being hit by a bat from J.D. Martinez, causing him to miss six weeks. To maintain the team’s offensive strength in 2025, the Cardinals shifted him to first base on defense — where he surprisingly excelled, ranking fourth among MLB first basemen with a +6 Outs Above Average that season.

Although he never made an All-Star team while with the Cardinals, Contreras became a feared presence in the lineup. In 2025, he hit 20 home runs and set a career high with 31 doubles. Over his three seasons with St. Louis, his slash line was .261/.338/.459 with an OPS of .817, accumulating 55 home runs and 183 RBIs.