CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 2: Willson Contreras #40 of the
Chicago Cubs prepares to play against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field on October 2, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
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The Chicago Cubs extended a qualifying offer to Willson Contreras who has been one of their best players for years.
He decided to decline it which will make him an unrestricted free agent. He is free to sign with any team. That is a huge development as another great player hits the market.
It is likely that he will actually leave town and go to a different team that needs a new catcher. There are plenty of those across the league.
There are spots for Contreras that many would consider a “great fit”. These are the three likeliest landing spots for Willson Contreras in free agency:
1. Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers could really use a star catcher like Willson Contreras.
The Detroit Tigers already have a few ties to the Chicago Cubs already and Willson Contreras would make a lot of sense for them. They have Tucker Barnhart leaving in free agency so they are in the market for a great catcher. Contreras is certainly a great catcher that can help them.
Going from Barnhart to Contreras would be a downgrade defensively but not enough that you’d take him over Willson Contreras because the latter is a significantly better hitter. He would be a great fit for this Detroit Tigers team that is desperate for something positive.
The Tigers also have a young pitching staff when healthy and Contreras has been great at being a catcher in a situation like that later in his career up to this point. If the Detroit Tigers truly want to try redeeming themselves in 2023, adding a stud like Willson Contreras can help that.
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