The St. Louis Cardinals finished the 2024 season with a record of 83-79, missing the postseason for the second consecutive year.
Though they finished tied for second place in the National League Central, they look to be headed towards a rebuild of sorts. They are going to reduce their payroll for 2025, which could mean they'll ship out some veterans on expensive contracts.
One player that could be on the move is catcher Willson Contreras, who despite making two trips to the injured list was one of St. Louis' most productive hitters in 2024.
Josh Jacobs of FanSided listed the Boston Red Sox as a team that the Cardinals could make a deal for Contreras with.
Boston's farm system is now one of the best in Major League Baseball, so if the Cardinals ship Contreras to Boston, they could pick up some solid prospects in exchange.
They'll likely target young, controllable pitching, and they could get some of that from Boston. Luis Perales and Richard Fitts are two of their top pitching prospects who have already reached the Major Leagues and could help right away.
It's obvious that 2025 is going to be a transitional year for St. Louis, and one where they won't focus on building the best possible Major League roster.
But if they maximize their returns for the veterans they may ship out, they could receive players that could help them right away and expedite the rebuilding process.
It will be interesting to see what they can get for Contreras if they shop him.
More MLB: Cardinals offseason will "look a lot different," per executive
