The Atlanta Braves could upgrade at catcher by helping the St. Louis Cardinals cut payroll.
The Atlanta Braves are facing several potential departures this offseason, particularly within their pitching staff. Max Fried is expected to attract significant attention in free agency, and Charlie Morton may retire, leaving the team without two reliable starters in their rotation.
However, the Braves’ offense is also a concern. Injuries kept their bats from finding a rhythm this season, allowing teams like the Phillies and Mets to surpass them in the standings. While key players like Ronald Acuña, Austin Riley, and Michael Harris should be healthier and more effective in the upcoming season, the Braves can’t afford any lingering issues from this year.
At the trade deadline, Alex Anthopoulos’ moves didn’t quite pan out, and the team recently traded Jorge Soler to the Angels, suggesting further changes might be on the way. One area to watch is catcher, which can be a weak spot even for strong offenses.
Braves could target Cardinals’ Willson Contreras to replace Travis d’Arnaud at catcher
There’s a notable scarcity of reliable hitting catchers in the league, making those who are productive highly valuable. The Braves have gotten solid production from their catchers, Sean Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud, but Murphy’s performance declined in 2024, and d’Arnaud is now a free agent. Given the shortage of top offensive catchers, d’Arnaud is likely to receive strong offers from other teams.
Losing d’Arnaud would create a significant gap in Atlanta’s lineup, but Anthopoulos could quickly address that need by exploring a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to make significant cuts to their payroll next season following another disappointing finish in the NL Central. With John Mozeliak all but handing over control to Chaim Bloom, the team’s front office is shifting toward a more measured, long-term approach. As a result, a player like Willson Contreras — who is signed through 2027 with approximately $54.5 million remaining on his contract — is now a prime candidate to be traded.
Contreras, who battled injuries last season and played just 84 games, still managed solid production, posting a .262/.380/.468 slash line with 15 home runs. A former All-Star as recently as 2022, he could provide a significant upgrade to the Braves’ catching depth, even with Sean Murphy and top prospect Drake Baldwin already in the fold.
In simple terms, Nate Hagerty of *Sports Illustrated* suggests that while acquiring Contreras could be costly for Atlanta, it could make sense if they’re willing to part with several top prospects in exchange for the 2016 World Series champion. While it may seem unlikely given that the Braves recently declined d’Arnaud’s option to create payroll flexibility, Contreras is one of the best-hitting catchers in the game and might still be a player worth pursuing.
