Cardinals concluded his first season in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on the injured list with a balky left wrist, but he still managed to carry some momentum with him into the offseason.
By the time he landed on the IL, he’d been battered in multiple ways. Down the stretch of the season, he’d gutted it out through hip, hand and wrist ailments. That came after he endured a rocky start to his tenure as the club’s starting catcher.
A former member of the Cardinals’ bitter rival, the Chicago Cubs, Contreras dealt with early turmoil in his first season playing in the shadow of the Gateway Arch as Yadier Molina’s replacement. However, Contreras finished on a high note with plans in place to build on that second-half success in the remaining term of the five-year pact he signed last winter.
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“I already have a plan for the offseason, that includes everything, mindset, mental coach, whatever I need to do to get ready for 2024, I’m going to do it,†Contreras said after the season finale. “I already have my plans. That includes defensively, offensively. Whatever works with baseball, I’m going to try to get better at it.â€
Contreras struggled in the first few months of season and he pressed in an effort to try to live up to the high-profile five-year, $87.5 million deal he signed in December 2022.
Acquired in large part to upgrade the club’s offensive production at the catcher position, Contreras got off to a slow start in the batter’s box. Through his first 62 games, he batted .201 with a .352 slugging percentage and a .645 OPS with seven home runs, 12 doubles and 27 RBIs.
Early in May, less than a month in a half into his first season, the Cardinals temporarily removed him from the starting catching role amid apparent discontent from the pitching staff just days after Jack Flaherty told reporters pitchers were throwing pitches that didn’t “make sense.â€
Later in the season, claiming Contreras’ benching came after he’d been calling pitches that weren’t even in the arsenal of the pitcher on the mound.
“As a player, I tried to do a lot the first couple games and then some situations happened,†Contreras said, reflecting on his first year at the end of the season. “And then I got into my own head, which is normal because we are human. I realized I was able to bounce back and I never stopped believing in myself, I never gave up.
“There’s a lot of different situations that I handled it the right way, and I’m proud.â€
He played 125 games — 97 at catcher — this season, and he excelled in the second half. In his last 63 games (61 starts), he batted .330, slugged .589 and posted an OPS of 1.013 with 13 home runs, 15 doubles and 40 RBIs.
For the season, Contreras slashed .264/.358/.467 with 20 home runs and 67 RBIs. Among Cardinals with at least 100 at-bats, he ranked fourth in on-base percentage, third in slugging percentage. He also had the fourth-most home runs and RBIs on the club behind Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman.
“I was able to leave my season, after a harsh first half with a lot of situations there,†Contreras said after the season finale. “I’m glad I was able to clear my mind and put my mind in the right spot and put my head in the right spot.
“I had my family (behind me). They were my support. My little brother helped me a lot. I’m glad, and I’m proud of myself for having a good second half to finish strong.â€
From June 13 through the end of the season, Contreras ranked fourth among major-league catchers in wins above replacement (WAR) as calculated by behind Baltimore Orioles star Adley Rutschman, the Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh, and Milwaukee Brewers backstop and Contreras’ brother William despite playing 26 fewer games than the three catchers ahead of him during that span.
Contreras seemingly earned trust from the pitching staff as the season progressed.
“He’s gotten to know these guys to the point where there is an overall better game plan and execution of that, so I think he’s done a much better job with our staff and then our bullpen and understanding how to use their stuff best,†Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said late in the season.
Veteran pitcher Adam Wainwright, who will forever be linked with Molina in Cardinals lore, threw masterfully to Contreras for his 199th and 200th career wins. Wainwright lavished praise upon Contreras for his work behind the plate late in Wainwright’s final season.
Left-hander Steven Matz pitched stellar in his final seven starts after a mid-season demotion to the bullpen — 1.86 ERA, .190 opponent’s batting average and a 4-0 record — and four of those starts came with Contreras behind the plate (two earned runs allowed in those 22 1/3 innings).
Pitcher Miles Mikolas, who briefly experimented with calling his own pitches with Contreras behind the plate, also seemed to get on the same page with Contreras by the end of the season. In late July, Mikolas earned an ejection and suspension for throwing at a batter in an effort to stick up for Contreras after he’d been knocked out of a game against the Cubs.
“He’s going to be a big part of that (providing leadership next season), and you can see that already,†Mikolas said in September. “He’s very intense. He’s very emotional. But as intense as he is, you see just as many smiles. … We’re seeing a lot more of the smiles and the joking around. He’s getting comfortable and everyone is getting comfortable with him. He’s great. We love him.â€
The Cardinals indicated Contreras would be the starting catcher prior to the decision not to tender a contract to catcher Andrew Knizner. Parting ways with Knizner made Contreras the most experienced catcher on the roster by far. Impressive rookie catcher Iván Herrera has just 24 games of major-league experience under his belt.
By the time he left Busch Stadium for the last time this fall, Contreras already had his sights firmly set on making his second season with the Cardinals more complete than his first.
“The more you play, the more you realize that you can add some more things to work on,†Contreras said. “And I realized this year, I need to add some more into it. That’s going to be for the benefit of the team, especially, and for myself.
“I’m just looking forward to having a better 2024 overall as a team. Individually, I’m just praying to God to keep me healthy like he did this year and be able to have my mind and my head in the right spot and control whatever I can control.â€