Willson Contreras Fantasy Stats

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (back) is starting at first base and is hitting in the two-hole in Friday's series opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers and right-hander Casey Mize at Fenway Park, according to MLB.com. Contreras suffered from back tightness earlier this week and was held out of Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Twins. With an off day on Thursday, he's feeling much better and will return to the starting nine in Beantown. Fantasy managers will be hoping that his back injury won't affect him at the plate moving forward, as Contreras has been one of the most consistent hitters in baseball in the first couple of weeks of the season. The 33-year-old three-time All-Star comes into Friday's action slashing .298/.444/.491 with a .936 OPS, three home runs, 11 RBI, and nine runs scored in 57 at-bats. Contreras has faced Mize just twice in his career and has one hit with a 1.000 OPS. Get him back into your starting lineups.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (back) is not in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the hosting Minnesota Twins at Target Field, according to MLB.com. Andruw Monasterio is drawing the start at first base and will hit sixth for the BoSox against Twins right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson. Lower-back tightness forced Contreras to leave Tuesday's 6-0 loss early, and he's now considered day-to-day with the injury. The Red Sox have an off day coming on Thursday, so fantasy managers will want to check back to see if Contreras is feeling good enough to return to action for Friday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Hopefully, the Venezuelan's back injury doesn't disrupt his timing at the plate early in the season, as he's so far hitting .298 (17-for-57) with three home runs, 11 RBI, and nine runs scored for Boston. Monasterio will be a deep DFS sleeper play on Wednesday. He's gone 2-for-14 so far with two RBI, and he's never faced Woods Richardson.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (back) has been removed from his team's Tuesday night matchup against the Minnesota Twins due to lower-back tightness, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Contreras was hitless in two at-bats before exiting the game. The 33-year-old is off to a strong start to his first season with Boston, hitting .298/.444/.491 with three home runs, 11 RBI, and nine runs scored. It doesn't appear as though this latest back ailment is particularly serious, but it will be worth monitoring for fantasy managers nonetheless. Contreras was replaced by utility man Andruw Monasterio on Tuesday, so Monasterio could be the favorite to see an increase in playing time if Contreras ends up requiring a stint on the injured list.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras is putting together a strong first impression after joining the team this offseason in a trade from the Cardinals. After hitting .257 with 20 homers and a .344 wOBA last year, the 33-year-old has gone 6-for-13 with a pair of homers in limited Grapefruit League action. He was part of the WBC-winning Venezuela team, going 3-for-12 with three RBI in four games. He is ranked as the No. 16 1B in RotoBaller's rankings and can be a solid option once the elite starters are off the board. He could get a boost from Fenway Park and a more competitive environment and lineup. He's expected to hit in the heart of the order and should be a solid source of average and power again this season.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora views first baseman Willson Contreras as the cleanup hitter for the 2026 season, according to Christopher Smith of Mass Live. If Contreras does indeed become the BoSox's cleanup hitter this year after being acquired in a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, the 33-year-old former catcher will have plenty of RBI opportunities, even if the team was unable to re-sign third baseman Alex Bregman. Outfielder Jarren Duran, shortstop Trevor Story, and outfielder Roman Anthony should hit in the top three spots to help set the table for Contreras. The three-time All-Star had an OPS under .800 for the first time in four seasons in 2025, but he also produced career highs in RBI (80), doubles (31), and runs scored (70) with more playing time (135 games) at first base. There will be plenty of RBI opportunities in the cleanup spot, but Contreras is more of an average fantasy first baseman without a high-end power profile.

The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired right-handed pitcher Hunter Dobbins and right-handed pitching prospects Blake Aita and Yhoiker Fajardo from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for veteran first baseman Willson Contreras, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. As part of the deal, St. Louis will cover $8 million of the $41.5 million remaining on Contreras' contract. The Cardinals are in rebuild mode and did not see Contreras as their first baseman of the future. Dobbins, 26, logged a 4.13 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with 45 strikeouts over 61 innings during the 2025 season before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee while attempting to cover first base. He has since begun a throwing program and is expected to be ready for spring training, where he'll compete for a rotation spot. Aita, 22, spent last season between Single-A and High-A Greenville, posting a 3.98 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and a 14.9% K-BB rate across 115 1/3 innings. He is expected to remain in the minors next season. Fajardo, the youngest of the trio at 19, recorded a 2.81 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with a 28.8% strikeout rate over 51 1/3 innings last season. Although Fajardo is a few years away from being called up to the majors, his strikeout ability gives him the highest ceiling among the three pitchers.

The Boston Red Sox are acquiring first baseman Willson Contreras in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. In return, the Cardinals will receive right-hander Hunter Dobbins along with right-handed pitching prospects Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. According to Passan, the Red Sox will be responsible for $33.5 million of the $41.5 owed to Contreras. Boston had previously pursued Pete Alonso and was rumored to be in on a few other sluggers, but the club now appears to have found its first baseman. Contreras is coming off a season in which he hit 20 home runs while slashing .257/.344/.447 across 563 plate appearances. With the Cardinals in the middle of a rebuild, the organization did not view Contreras as part of its long-term future. The 33-year-old former catcher is expected to take over for Triston Casas at first base, who struggled to a .580 OPS in 112 plate appearances last season. Casas is often hurt and has missed significant time over the years. Overall, this move is a net positive for Contreras' fantasy value, as he joins a more potent offensive lineup in a substantially better hitting environment.

Mass Live's Chris Cotillo writes that the Boston Red Sox could be pursuing a trade for St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras, according to a source. The Red Sox continue to look for upgrades to their offense after missing out on sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso this week. Boston is one of many teams interested in Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan, too, but St. Louis might not move him. Contreras, a three-time All-Star, is believed to be available with two years and $41 million (plus a 2028 option) left on his deal. He has full no-trade protection, but the 33-year-old veteran might be open to waiving it for the right situation. Acquiring Contreras would give the BoSox a steady right-handed bat while also providing insurance at first base with Triston Casas coming back from knee surgery. Contreras had career-highs in RBI (80), doubles (31), and runs (70) after moving to first base full time in 2025.

The Athletic's Katie Woo reports that St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras is open to trade offers this offseason and has "become more willing to waive his full no-trade clause." Woo goes on to explain that it won't necessarily change the Cardinals' order of operations, but they are "open to shopping Contreras." The top priority of the winter will be to trade veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado and one of their left-handed hitters. Outfielder Lars Nootbaar and infielder Brendan Donovan continue to receive interest from other clubs. Contreras handled himself very well defensively in his first season as a full-time first baseman, and although his plate discipline isn't anything special, his elite bat speed allows him to do plenty of damage as a hitter. The 33-year-old is owed $41.5 million over the next two years (with a team option for a third season). Teams such as the Padres, Marlins, Diamondbacks, and Pirates could be interested in landing Contreras.

The St. Louis Cardinals have placed first baseman Willson Contreras (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list with a strained right shoulder, retroactive to Sept. 16. The team recalled infielder Jose Fermin from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. Contreras exited a loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday with what was believed to be a biceps injury, but it turns out his shoulder will send him to the IL and keep him out for the rest of the season. The 33-year-old former catcher amassed 563 plate appearances in 2025 and slashed an above-average .257/.344/.447 with 20 homers, 80 RBI, 70 runs scored, and five stolen bases. With Contreras out of commission, Alec Burleson should get the majority of playing time at first base for the remainder of the Cardinals' season, which will leave the corner outfield to Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker.