Willson Contreras, a seasoned catcher for the Chicago Cubs, had three standing ovations during Tuesday’s game at Wrigley Field. The game might be his last time in a team uniform as the trade deadline approaches.
A free agent at the end of the year, Contreras, 30, has been with the organization since he was 16 years old. He and 27-year-old outfielder Ian Happ are both possible trade targets as the Cubs begin their two-year roster renovation.
Along with Kyle Hendricks and Jason Heyward, Willson Contreras is one of baseball’s finest offensive catchers this year and one of the final members of the World Series champions from 2016. He claimed that he was ready to go.
Willson Contreras stated that if the Cubs approached him with a long-term offer, he would be open to considering it. However, this hasn’t happened. A person with knowledge of the matter claims that the parties haven’t engaged in substantive contract extension discussions since 2017.
Happ, a six-year veteran, has one more season under club control, but he could be traded along with WillsonContreras before next Tuesday’s trade deadline. This summer, both players were All-Stars.
Happ took sure to observe his surroundings during the Cubs’ brief two-game homestand against Pittsburgh even though he isn’t sure he’ll be relocated within the next week.
He claimed that on Tuesday, he received baseballs autographed for him by spectators in the left-field stands.
As he approached the plate during the afternoon, Contreras received multiple standing ovations. He took a moment to look around Wrigley Field before his final at-bat in the eighth inning as the crowd’s ovations grew louder. He gave a one-by-one embrace to each teammate after the last out.
