Boston Red Sox All-Star slugger Willson Contreras isn't ready to be on the move again.
Despite speculation that the Red Sox may sell at the trade deadline amid what's been a roller-coaster season, Contreras strongly hinted that he won't waive his no-trade clause if presented with a move.
"They know the answer. The front office knows the answer," Contreras told reporters ahead of Tuesday's All-Star Game in Philadelphia, according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo. "I already spoke about it. I don't think I'm interested in going nowhere."
Contreras clarified that he did not explicitly state to Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow that he'd flat-out refuse any deal.
"I didn't say, 'Don't ask (me) for a trade.' I just told him, I would trade something to stay here," Contreras said. "That's what I said.
"I like it here. I like Boston. I think it's a great place to play. It's not easy to get traded again, so I think I found my family."
The Red Sox acquired Contreras last December from the St. Louis Cardinals, with the 34-year-old waiving his no-trade clause to facilitate the deal. Moving to Fenway Park has revived his bat, as he's hitting a career-best .285/.379/.542 with 20 homers and 61 RBIs over 88 games.
Contreras, who's earning $18 million this season, has one guaranteed year left on his contract at $17 million along with a $20-million club option or $7.5-million buyout in 2028. While he currently has full no-trade protection, Contreras will only be able to block trades to 10 teams of his choosing after this season.
The Red Sox currently sit a half-game behind the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners for the final AL wild-card spot after winning 17 of 22 games heading into the All-Star break. Boston is one of several Junior Circuit clubs that are firmly in contention despite owning losing records. The team had been scuffling in spite of Contreras' production until the mid-June surge.
