When Paul Goldschmidt left the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024, Willson Contreras had a hunch that his entire role with his former team was about to change.
The new Boston Red Sox first baseman was right even before the team approached him. He started talking with his agent and his family about it, until it finally happened. Goldschmidt signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees, and then Contreras was told to move to first base or they would trade him.
«It took me a while to mentally accept the idea,» Contreras told El Emergente on a video call on Friday. «I did in May (of last year), and since then everything changed. Now I feel blessed to play at first base. It wasn’t easy, because at first base you have to deal with many tricks and throwing angles. But you can practice those things and you can improve.»
Willson Contreras decided to approach someone who gave him very important advice to help him during the transition.
«Ozzie Smith, even though he played shortstop, I truly believe that if you can play short, you can play first,» Contreras joked in Spanish. «I asked him for advice. He told me to focus on studying breaking-ball pitches. And then he added that the best advice is to stay on your toes. Don’t get flat-footed because it’s hard to react.»
Then he practiced every day with Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clapp.
«I practice every single day as if I had never played first base,» he added. «That was the key to having a little bit of success at first base.»
He had more than a little bit of success, as he ended the 2025 season second in Outs Above Average, only behind Matt Olson.
«By July I was thinking, after seeing (Yohel) Pozo and (Pedro) Pagés getting hit (behind the plate), that I was comfortable at first base,» he laughed. «Every time I caught, I gave my best with the best attitude.»
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When Willson Contreras learned that Paul Goldschmidt was not going back to St. Louis, he spoke with his hitting coach, who told him he would need to be more aggressive at the plate. «I tried to make some adjustments and not waste pitchers’ mistakes.»
Foto:@Cardinals
