The St. Louis Cardinals’ offense has been electric to start the 2025 season, leading the majors with a team batting average of .297. However, one player expected to have a breakout year has yet to find his rhythm at the plate.
Willson Contreras is off to a rough start, managing just 4 hits in 43 at-bats, resulting in a .093 average. According to Cardinals analyst Brad Thompson, Contreras has struggled with pitch recognition—especially breaking balls moving away from him—missing on 47.2% of those he’s swung at.
This year, the Cardinals shifted Contreras from catcher to first base to reduce the physical demands on him. Combined with his improved conditioning entering the season, many writers at Redbird Rants had pegged him as a strong candidate for a bounce-back campaign.
How will the Cardinals handle Contreras if these problems continue?
The Cardinals demonstrated in 2023 that they’re not afraid to make bold decisions regarding Willson Contreras, having moved him to a full-time designated hitter role just a month into the season before quickly returning him to catching duties.
That history suggests the team wouldn’t hesitate to shake things up again—whether that means dropping him lower in the lineup or increasing his rest days.
First base is a crowded spot for St. Louis, with Alec Burleson and Luken Baker also vying for playing time. If the team is serious about its ongoing “retool,” giving more at-bats to those younger options at first base and DH would make sense.
However, Contreras’ hefty $87.5 million contract—which still has two more guaranteed years after this one, plus a club option for 2028—means he’ll likely continue seeing consistent playing time, regardless of performance. The investment alone ensures the Cardinals will try to get value out of that deal.
Still, it’s early in the season, and while Contreras hasn’t looked sharp so far, it’s premature to assume this slump will define his year.
Early struggles are often magnified because there’s no prior stretch of success to fall back on, making fans quicker to panic. Masyn Winn offers a perfect example—after a slow start, he quickly flipped the narrative with a 9-for-17 hot streak.
Chances are, Contreras will settle in at the plate before long. And if he doesn’t, the Cardinals have ample depth to adjust—especially in a season where development of the young core takes priority over chasing immediate wins.
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