Chicago Cubs Rumors: Decision made already on Willson Contreras

Willson Contreas has been the subject of just about every rumor involving the Chicago Cubs since the 2022 Major League Baseball season started.

Contreras is in the final year of his contract with the Cubs and there was an expectation that the veteran catcher would be moved at the trade deadline this season on August 2. To the surprise of just about everyone within Major League Baseball, Contreras was not traded at the deadline and will be finishing the season with the Cubs.

Contreras is having an impressive season with the Cubs as he currently has a slash line of .246/.351/.471/.822 to go along with 21 home runs and 126 wRC+.

Contreras is set to play in the final week of games for the Cubs this season after missing some time with an ankle injury but come October 5, the focus will shift completely to his future with the team.

Over the course of the past few years, the Cubs have given every indication that they do not value Contreras as their long-term answer at the catcher position.

The Cubs have refrained from having any discussions with Contreras regarding a contract extension since 2018. The Cubs signed veteran catcher Yan Gomes to a starting-catcher caliber contract this past offseason. The Cubs desperately tried to trade Conteras at the trade deadline this season until the Juan Soto trade thwarted their market.

The Cubs do not want Contreras on their team for the long term.

Sahadev Sharma echoed that sentiment in the latest Chicago Cubs’ mailbag at The Athletic:

"Right now, knowing all that, I’d be surprised if Contreras accepts the qualifying offer. I think he wants to catch and he wants the security of a big, long-term deal. And like anyone, he probably wants to be wanted. I’m not sure that’s the case in Chicago right now. I think what’s best for everyone is for Contreras to find that big deal elsewhere and for the Cubs to spend aggressively this winter, adding in other areas."

Ironically enough, the same reasons why the Cubs were unable to trade Contreras at the trade deadline are the same reasons why the team does not value bringing the catcher back next season.

The indicator remains that Willson Contreras’ time with the Chicago Cubs is coming to an end.

There is no questioning Contreras’ offensive talent. There is a case that could be made about the Cubs being interested in Contreras returning as a designated hitter but such a case would quickly lose merit when realizing Contreras still is very much interested in catching regularly and having a player such as Patrick Wisdom as a designated hitter gives the Cubs much more roster flexibility.

The questions with Contreras surround his ability to handle a pitching staff and call a game defensively. That is the reason why teams were unwilling to meet the Cubs’ asking price for Contreras at the deadline and is one of the reasons why it is unlikely he is back with the team next season.

"The reality is, Contreras isn’t the type of catcher they want. This isn’t to say he isn’t a good one or can’t positively impact another team. It’s just not the direction the Cubs are going with the position. So I don’t see how he should be the top priority over adding one of the shortstops and a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher."

Gomes would seemingly have the inside track on being the Cubs’ everyday catcher in 2023 with P.J. Higgins behind him or a defensive-minded veteran backup to be named later. Unfortunately, for the Cubs, catching prospect Miguel Amaya suffered a fractured ankle towards the end of the Double-A season. Amaya’s ankle injury came after he had already missed a majority of the 2023 baseball season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Amaya has yet to return to catching since undergoing Tommy John Surgery last year.