Trading Willson Contreras would be complicated and risky but not entirely ridiculous

Yes, the veteran catcher is indeed rumored to be available in trade even though he’s in the first year of a long-term pact with the Cardinals

In the back half of Bob Nightengale’s most recent Sunday notes column, we find this: 

The Cardinals have the greatest array of talent available with outfielders Carlson and O’Neill, infielders Tommy Edman and Paul DeJong, and catcher Willson Contreras on the block too. 

Emphasis mine, but because I am generous it can be yours, too. 

This is somewhat new information. Team prez John Mozeliak has previously indicated that the club’s uncertain catching situation would likely be addressed this coming offseason. However, Nightengale’s entire piece is about the forthcoming trade deadline, which implies that the Cardinals are at least gauging current interest in Contreras. 

Before we proceed, let’s talk a moment about the reporting here. Nightengale is indeed illustrious for his Twitter pratfalls, be they grammatical errors, malapropisms, or basic mistakes of fact. He does not, however, make up things out of whole cloth. I don’t doubt that some source told him that the Cardinals were seeking or at least open to trading Contreras at the deadline. That source may be a highly dubious one, but that’s another matter. It at least somewhat passes the smell test given Mozeliak’s hints at possible change behind the plate and the prospect of mutual disaffection between Contreras and the club.