Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras says he won’t waive his no-trade clause and that he wants to finish his MLB career in Boston.
Contreras is in Philadelphia this week as part of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game festivities, in which he participated in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday night, where he had a standout performance.
Willson Contreras Won’t Waive NTC
On Tuesday, Contreras spoke to reporters and was asked if he would be willing to waive his NTC to go to another team. The Venezuelan native said no, and that he wants to finish his career in Boston.
“Willson Contreras says he went to the Red Sox and told them he would not be willing to waive his no-trade clause. He wants to finish his career in Boston. Joked that he got out ahead of potential rumors by making his stance clear,” wrote Red Sox reporter Chris Cotillo on X.
According to Cotillo, Contreras has made it clear to Red Sox management that he’s found his home and that he doesn’t want to go anywhere.
“Contreras smiled through it and said it wasn’t a ‘direct”’ thing but he’s made himself clear to them. ‘I’ve found my family’ in Boston, he said,” wrote Cotillo.
Willson Contreras Has Been Fantastic for Boston
It’s fair to say that Contreras has been fantastic for Boston in his first season with the team. The fact he’s an All-Star says it all.
Through 88 games, Contreras has hit 88 home runs, has a .285 batting average, a .921 OPS, and a 159 OPS+, indicating his bat has been 59% above league average. He also has a 3.5 bWAR so far, so he could very well get that up to about 6 by the year’s end if he continues to hit the way he’s hitting.
In addition, he’s become a fan favorite in Boston, as his fiery personality fits the city well. He’s also a leader in the Red Sox locker room and a veteran for the team’s younger players to look up to.
It’s fair to say that Boston is loving the trade they made with the St. Louis Cardinals this past offseason to bring Contreras to Boston, as they sent a few prospects to St. Louis in exchange for someone who is one of the very best first basemen in the entire league.
Overall, the fit between Boston and Contreras has proven to be a good one, so it makes total sense why he has decided that he wants to stay and is refusing to waive his NTC. It’s just a very good pairing between the team and player, and he doesn’t want to go anywhere.
Contreras has one more guaranteed season left on his Red Sox contract past this one, followed by a team option after that. Given how well he has played this year, picking up that team option will likely be a no-brainer for the Red Sox, and it’s even possible the team could work out a contract extension with the player, given he’s an excellent fit.
Willson Contreras Not Willing to Waive NTC, Wants to Stay in Boston