The Boston Red Sox made a handful of deals throughout the offseason ahead of the 2026 Major League Baseball season and the very best one may have been the trade to acquire Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals.
Boston sent Hunter Dobbins and prospects Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita to the Cardinals in exchange for Contreras and some cash to help out with his contract. Dobbins hasn't pitched in a game in the majors for the Cardinals yet, although Boston fans know what he is capable of. Fajardo is the Cardinals' No. 13 prospect and Aita isn't in the top-30.
In exchange, the Red Sox got at least two years with a legit All-Star slugger. Plus, the Red Sox have a 2028 club option with the veteran.
Contreras has been the Red Sox's best right-handed hitter so far this season so far and is slashing .298/.444/.491 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 17 games played, while also playing elite defense over at first base.
Contreras is in the 98th percentile in outs above average. So, for Boston, it got a legit, All-Star-level talent making an impact in the majors in multiple ways in exchange for two prospects and a solid hurler who likely would've been in Triple-A as rotation depth or in the bullpen for Boston. That certainly looks like a Boston win here.