Former Cubs fan favorite turned villain may greenlight trade

As the Chicago Cubs prepare to play in the postseason, the St. Louis Cardinals are preparing for a front office overhaul. Former Boston Red Sox executive Chaim Bloom is set to take over as the president of baseball operations in St. Louis, and there's an expectation that the Cardinals will use the 2026 season as a reset.

For the third consecutive season, the Cardinals have missed the postseason, and it would seem that the stage is set for Bloom to take a wrecking ball to the core of veteran players who have previously refused to waive their no-trade clauses. Included in that mix is former Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras.

This Cubs exile could shake up offseason with bold trade move

Ironically, the Cardinals' postseason draught coincides with Contreras' arrival. Contreras signed a five-year deal with the Cubs' rival before the 2023 season, and immediately made headlines by taking subtle shots at his former organization.

"For me, I like this better. It's a better organization. Old school way, which I love it. ... Ever since I got here it's been everything just one way. The Cardinal way."

In looking back at those comments, the funniest part isn't that Contreras' Cardinals have yet to make the postseason, it's that his time in St. Louis has been filled with nothing but controversy. The latest being a meltdown last month that resulted in the volatile 33-year-old being suspended.

While Contreras has two years left on his deal, he is the exact player that Bloom is likely looking to move as he transitions the Cardinals toward their younger core. At the trade deadline, when the Cardinals were faced with the reality of being a seller, Contreras was adamant that he wouldn't waive his no-trade clause. To be fair, the Cardinals had a faint hope in the National League Wild Card race, and it makes sense that Contreras, for as polarizing as his time in St. Louis has been, did not want to give up on that chase.

The outlook of the Cardinals has changed since then. By most accounts, 2026 is not expected to be a contending season for the Cardinals, and with a work stoppage looming in 2027, the aging Contreras may not be opposed to a trade this offseason. At this point, while watching his heel turn with the Cardinals has been fun, it would be even better to get Contreras out of the division, as he remains a dangerous hitter.

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