Willson Contreras Keeps Making the Cubs Regret Letting Him Go
Talk about poetic justice. Every time Willson Contreras steps into the batter’s box against the Chicago Cubs, it’s like he’s got something personal to prove — and honestly? He does.
Chicago let Contreras walk after the 2022 season, the same organization he joined as a teenager. They let him go — no long-term offer, no legacy send-off — just a quiet goodbye to one of their homegrown stars. And now? He’s returned in a St. Louis Cardinals uniform and is absolutely owning them.
Heading into Monday night’s series opener, Contreras was batting .322 in his last 19 games against Chicago, with 19 hits, 8 RBIs, and a homer. Then he went 3-for-4 in an 8-2 blowout win, putting the league on notice — again — that the Cardinals-Cubs rivalry is alive and well… and Contreras is right in the middle of it.
Contreras is a fiery guy who won’t let anyone disrespect him or the Cardinals
From Fan Favorite to Public Enemy No. 1
Contreras could’ve gone down as a Cubs legend. Instead, he’s become the enemy Cubs fans love to hate. And it’s not just theatrics — his performance has real consequences in the standings.
That win pulled the Cardinals within 3.5 games of the Cubs in the NL Central, and this St. Louis team — once thought to be sellers at the deadline — is suddenly surging with a 43-36 record. They’ve flipped the script, and Contreras? He’s a huge reason why.
Despite a bumpy start to his Cardinals tenure, Contreras has turned it around in 2025. He’s slashing .248/.334/.421 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs, tied for the team lead in both power categories. No one expected this much production after his rocky debut season, but here he is, delivering exactly when it counts.
Cubs and Cards on a Collision Course
It’s not just about bragging rights anymore — the division may come down to Cubs vs. Cardinals in the final stretch. The Cubs have been riding high this season behind Kyle Tucker and breakout star Pete Crow-Armstrong, enjoying their best run since the 2016-2018 window.
Meanwhile, St. Louis hasn’t made the playoffs since 2021, but this season is starting to feel different. And if it comes down to one bat making the difference in a late-September showdown? Yeah, it’s probably going to be Willson Contreras.
Think about it: a chance to crush the Cubs’ dream season, just before the postseason? You don’t think Contreras would love that? This is the guy who’s torched Chicago every time he’s faced them in a Cardinals uniform. And if the playoff race tightens, it may just come down to his bat vs. the Cubs’ arms — one more twist in a rivalry that’s heating up again at exactly the right time.
Chicago let him go. St. Louis scooped him up. And now? Contreras might be the one who decides how this division ends.
