Another Team Joins Mets In Sweepstakes For Cubs Catcher Willson Contreras

Where will Willson Contreras land with just hours until today’s MLB Trade Deadline?

For a while now, it’s seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Cubs backstop will be dealt prior to today’s deadline, and now that Juan Soto has been dealt to the Padres, perhaps the attention will shift to Contreras.

Reports have been linking Willson Contreras to the Mets for some time, but now someone else has joined the mix: the Tampa Bay Rays.

According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the Rays and Mets are the two teams most likely to land Contreras.

Rays in mix along with Mets for Cubs’ Willson Contreras, sources tell @TheAthletic. Possible fallback for Padres, too, if SD does not land Soto.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 2, 2022

Willson Contreras started the All-Star Game this season as the catcher for the National League, and is currently in the midst of one of his most productive seasons despite a recent slump.

He’s currently hitting .252/.365/.453, 14 home runs, 38 RBI, 20 doubles, and a wRC+ of 132.

The Chicago Cubs’ catcher is set to become a free agent at season’s end, so whichever team that pulls the trigger on a deal would only be guaranteed his services through the end of the season.

It seems like a Willson Contreras trade could occur at any moment, and we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for updates.

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