Chicago Cubs: Willson Contreras could be traded this offseason

The Chicago Cubs are a rebuilding team. They are certainly not going to be adding anyone big via free agent contrary to popular belief. They would have made a better effort to sign Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, and Kris Bryant if they weren’t trying to rebuild. Willson Contreras is one year behind those three in terms of an expiring contract so he might be next.

Of course, the conversation is extra hot right now because the Chicago Cubs decided to sign Yan Gomes to be their catcher as well. He is getting a two-year deal worth 13 million dollars which is not bad for him right now.

In 2021, he had a very good year split between the Washington Nationals and Oakland A’s. He slashed .252/.301/.421 for an OPS of .723. Gomes also hit 14 home runs and had 52 RBIs and 49 runs scored. It was a very good year for a player that has a Silver Slugger, an All-Star Game selection, and a World Series champion.

This move makes it possible for the Cubs to actually make the Willson Contreras deal. With a whole year left on his deal instead of just half a year like Bryant, Rizzo, and Baez at the time of their trade, Contreras might be more valuable right now than those guys were. The Cubs might be able to get a fair return.

https://twitter.com/WContreras40/status/1465719425634549761

The Chicago Cubs may or may not trade Willson Contreras this offseason.

Not long after the Cubs made this move, Willson Contreras had a tweet of a bunch of airplanes taking off and then landing. Some people see that as a suggestion that he wants to be (or at least thinks it’s possible) moved before the 2022 season. It honestly could happen if the Cubs do have true intentions of rebuilding the right way. They certainly won’t be a good baseball team during the duration of Contreras’s prime.

The Cubs have a lot of history with Contreras. He was there when they won the World Series in 2016 which is the greatest moment in the history of the Cubs. However, all good things must come to an end and trading this guy now would be a great idea. They would get a lot for him.

It would have been a good idea anyway but the Gomes signing makes it feel even more possible along with the speculation around Contreras’s tweet. Contreras is a better catcher and hitter than Gomes but he is going to be expensive and the Cubs just aren’t there as an organization right now.