Willson Contreras let the grin spread across his face. There was pure delight in that look, plus a glint of mischief, an expression Cubs fans had rallied behind when Contreras was clad in blue pinstripes.
Would any part of you embrace being the villain in the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry now?
“There’s a pretty good chance,” he chuckled. “Probably the welcome back is going to be 50/50. Fifty percent is going to be happy, 50% is going to boo me. Which is acceptable.”
Contreras’ return to Wrigley Field with the Cardinals on Monday came in the middle of a tumultuous time for the player and his team. They’d lost six series in a row and just snapped an eight-game losing streak. And over the weekend, the Cardinals shifted Contreras out from behind the plate, at least temporarily.
Those themes took over Contreras’ pregame press conference, condensing the nostalgic musings that are hallmarks of the “homegrown player returns with his new team” interview genre. But because Contreras had been more than ready to stoke the flames of the rivalry, even those came with intrigue.
He hadn’t minced words in February when he told Bally Sports Midwest: “I like this better. It’s a better organization,” sparking an uproar on social media.
“If I did something in the past that [hurt] some fans’ feelings or people’s feelings, I really apologize,” Contreras said unprompted. “But I would never say anything against the Chicago Cubs or even anything against the fanbase. I’m a really humble guy, really thankful. And the memories that I created here, they’re not going to go away like that.”
That’s why Contreras wasn’t going to be mad at boos from a fanbase he said he’d always be grateful for.
“It’s completely different now,” Contreras said of returning in a new uniform. “Going back to my first home, the city that gave me the opportunity to become a developed player, to the field that watched my growth for six years, and the fanbase that watched me play every day. I’m excited. It’s been an emotional last few days for me for sure.”
Contreras, who signed with the Cubs out of Venezuela as a teenager, spent over 13 years in the organization, winning a World Series and becoming a three-time All-Star.
Frustrations rose in his last season in Chicago, as he expressed his affinity for the club, city and fanbase, and the Cubs prepared to move on. They had a trade in place with the Astros at the deadline, which fell apart in the 11th hour. After Contreras signed a five-year, $87.5 million contract with the Cardinals this winter, the Cubs signed a second defense-first catcher, Tucker Barnhart, to pair with Yan Gomes.
Now, as Contreras faces the organization that converted him from third base to catcher in the minor-leagues, it’s unclear when Contreras will be behind the plate again.
“I haven’t heard one person telling me that I won’t be behind the plate, or, ‘we don’t want you to catch anymore,’” Contreras said. “I don’t think that’s the case.
“We want to keep communicating. They signed a catcher. They have a catcher, and they have him for five years.”
Contreras wouldn’t get into the details of the team’s plan, leaving the whole saga as head-scratching as it began. The Cardinals aren’t quite six weeks into the season, albeit with an 11-24 record entering Monday, and already showing signs of panic from the top.
“I really believe in my team right now,” Contreras said. “... Yeah, we’re struggling right now. We’re finding solutions, we’re finding answers, and we’re working on that.”
A few hours later, he stood in front of the visitor’s dugout, leaning against the railing. The wind-chilled crowd held a long ovation. Contreras lifted his cap to them, tears in his eyes and a smile across his face.
The mix of boos that Contreras predicted came in his first at-bat. And he seemed to enjoy them just as much as the cheers. He hit a single up the middle, and as he reached first base, he motioned with one hand to get louder. When the boo-ers acquiesced, he raised both arms above his head and beckoned for more.