MILWAUKEE – Last offseason, the Braves’ priorities seemed somewhat clear. Figure out who will start at shortstop. Add to the bullpen. Bring in outfield depth.
They had three catchers they liked.
And yet, they improved that position with a trade that shocked everyone – including one man involved in it.
“Yeah, obviously I was surprised when it happened,” William Contreras, who went from Atlanta to Milwaukee, recalled on Friday at American Family Field, through Brewers interpreter Carlos Brizuela.
But Contreras had to turn the page. He knew he was entering a new chapter.
“It probably took a month or two, but once you get to spring training, you know it’s time to work,” Contreras said. “It was time to work. Baseball is a business, that’s part of it. It’s gonna happen no matter (what). You can’t control it. Once it happens, you kind of focus on your new team and find ways to help this team win.”
This weekend marks the first time Contreras will face his former team since the Braves completed their most impactful move of the offseason – a trade that also was one of the biggest offseason occurrences in the sport. Contreras seemed to love it in Atlanta. The fans loved him back. It made the trade a tough day, especially because Contreras blossomed before everyone’s eyes offensively in 2022.
This is a story about Contreras, but this should be mentioned: Sean Murphy, the catcher the Braves acquired, was an All-Star this season. His .950 OPS entering Friday led all catchers with at least 249 at-bats. His 17 homers were second, as were his 57 RBIs. And his defense is far superior to that of Contreras, who is young and still developing.
It is not difficult to see why the Braves made this trade.
It also might have benefited Contreras, who is now playing every day for the Brewers, who are in first place in the NL Central. Travis d’Arnaud – still with the Braves – has noticed as much.
“Now, watching him from the TV side, where I see him now, everything looks a lot slower,” d’Arnaud said of Contreras.
And what things tell d’Arnaud that?
“His eyes. Also, his body language,” d’Arnaud said. “Now, it’s more relaxed and his eyes, you can tell he’s a lot more observant of things going around him. Who knows what goes on in young catchers’ heads, but you can tell he’s slowing things down really well.”
Asked if he noticed the game slowing down, Contreras said: “I don’t know if I noticed, but I think it’s just the experience. You play more. That’s part of growing as a player and I think just preparing and knowing what’s gonna happen, it helps you as well. I think that’s been the biggest thing for me.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Contreras’ defense has seemingly improved. Between 2021 and 2022, according to FanGraphs, Contreras had -11 Defensive Runs Saved over 934 1/3 innings as a catcher. This season, he has 8 DRS over 554 2/3 innings behind the plate for the Brewers. His framing grades out much better this year, too.
As of Friday, Contreras was batting ..274 with a .798 OPS as a 25-year-old catcher. He had 10 home runs and 36 RBIs. And then he smoked a run-scoring double off Michael Soroka in the first inning of the series opener between the teams.
Last year, much of his production came as a designated hitter. This season, he’s Milwaukee’s starting catcher.
“The biggest difference is I’m playing every day,” Contreras said. “Getting a chance to play every day, it helps you grow. You’re gonna grow when you play every day, so I think that’s been the biggest help for me and the thing I’m most grateful for with coming over here (is) that I get a chance to play every day.”
And this is why the trade might have helped Contreras as much as it made the Braves stronger.
“I think it’s a good opportunity for him to come to a really solid organization and get a chance to play every day and showcase his skills,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We all knew that he was a very talented young man. And they need to play. Guys like that need to play. I think it’s worked out really good for everybody concerned, and how that transpired.”
Contreras still keeps in touch with some of his former teammates, especially the Latin-American players. He’s grateful for their friendship.
But this weekend, they are his opponents.
“You can say I have an advantage because I know those guys pretty well,” Contreras said. “But everyone knows those guys over there, they’re a bunch of good hitters, so you still gotta focus and get the job done, and make pitches.”
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