ST. LOUIS -- In yet another sign that the Cardinals are at the beginning stages of a full rebuild of a roster after they missed the playoffs each of the past three seasons, St. Louis dealt first baseman Willson Contreras to the Red Sox for three pitching prospects on Sunday night, a source told MLB.com executive reporter Mark Feinsand.
In return for Contreras, the Cardinals received right-handed pitcher Hunter Dobbins and right-handed pitching prospects Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. The clubs have not announced the trade.
TRADE DETAILS
Cardinals get: RHPs Hunter Dobbins, RHP Yhoiker Fajardo (was Boston’s No. 23 prospect in the MLB Pipeline rankings) and Blake Aita
Red Sox get: 1B Willson Contreras, cash
Dobbins, 26, was 4-1 with a 4.13 in 13 games (11 starts) in his rookie season this year before tearing the ACL in his right knee last July while covering first base. He made his MLB debut on April 6 against the Cardinals and picked up the win with five innings of eight-hit, two-run work. Dobbins toppled the Yankees in consecutive starts in June. In 61 innings, he struck out 45 and walked 17 while allowing six homers.
Dobbins recently posted videos of himself throwing baseballs from a flat surface as he works to recover from the knee injury.
Contreras, who signed an $87.5 million, five-year free-agent deal with the Cardinals before the 2023 season to be the heir to legendary catcher Yadier Molina, agreed to waive his full no-trade clause. Contreras, who switched to first base this year, informed the Cardinals a year ago that he had no intention to leave St. Louis and echoed a similar tone in late September at the end of the 2025 season.
However, after seeing the direction the Cardinals were headed in, the 33-year-old’s stance softened.
The Cardinals agreed to throw in $8 million to offset the $36.5 million Contreras is still owed, a source told Feinsand.
St. Louis will be paying $28 million to the Red Sox in the season ahead after new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom dealt veteran pitcher Sonny Gray and Contreras to his former team. The Cards acquired right-handed starter Richard Fitts and lefty pitching prospect Brandon Clarke in the Gray trade on Nov. 25.
Bloom, who took over for John Mozeliak in early October, also has had numerous trade talks surrounding All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan, lefty reliever JoJo Romero and 10-time Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado. Bloom said he and his team came the conclusion the that current roster wasn’t good enough to compete for a World Series and made the decision to build for the future.
Bloom, who served as Boston’s chief baseball officer from 2020-24, has been active in dealing his former club since becoming a Cards adviser and then president of baseball operations. The Cardinals sent left-hander Steven Matz to the Red Sox for Triple-A infielder Blaze Jordan in late July. Bloom also signed right-hander Dustin May away from the Red Sox in free agency.
Early in Contreras’ tenure in St. Louis, the Cardinals had issues with his game-calling behind the plate and used him often as a DH instead of behind the plate.
Just as Contreras started to show defensive improvements in 2024, he suffered a fractured left forearm when he was hit by the bat of J.D. Martinez, causing him to miss six weeks. In hopes of keeping him in the lineup more often, the Cardinals moved Contreras to first base -- and he surprised many by playing well there. He was tied for fourth in MLB in outs above average (+6) in 2025 at his new position.
Though he never made an All-Star with the Cardinals, Contreras has been the feared presence in the lineup that the club hoped for. He smashed 20 home runs and a career-best 31 doubles in 2025, and in three seasons with the Redbirds he had a slash line of .261/.368/.459, with 55 home runs and 183 RBIs.
Like Contreras, Fajardo hails from Venezuela. He earned a $400,000 signing bonus from the White Sox in 2024 but was traded to the Red Sox a year ago. The hard-throwing 19-year-old pitched in the Rookie and Single-A levels in 2025. In 19 games (17 starts), Fajardo went 1-4 with a 2.25 ERA. He struck out 83 and walked 27 in 72 innings. He did not allow a home run.
He will be slotted in as the No. 9-ranked prospect in the Cards’ Minor League system, per MLB Pipeline.
Aita, 22, was sixth-round pick out of Kennesaw State University in the 2024 MLB Draft. He pitched at the Single-A and High-A levels in 2025, going 5-7 with a 3.98 ERA. In 23 games (19 starts), he logged 115 1/3 innings and struck out 99 while surrendering 30 walks and 13 homers.