The 2023 season is almost here.
We won’t have to wait much longer before Opening Day.
But for now, celebrating the start of spring training will do just fine.
With the offseason officially behind us, it’s time to get revved up for 2023.
Teams will finally get their first look at some of their newly signed or acquired players.
For the St. Louis Cardinals, it’s time for a new era behind the plate.
After Yadier Molina’s retirement, the team signed Willson Contreras to fill the void.
Today, Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch took a video of Contreras wearing Cards gear for the first time.
Here is Willson Contreras, first time in #STLCards gear, preparing for his first day of Cardinals spring training. pic.twitter.com/x6ujoNAh0C
—Benjamin Hochman (@hochman) February 13, 2023
For Cardinals fans, it’s a sight to behold.
For fans of the Chicago Cubs, not so much.
But with spring training beginning today, Cardinals fans got their first chance to see Contreras wearing red.
This will certainly generate some excitement within the fanbase.
Though it was a quiet offseason, the signing of Contreras was a big move for St. Louis and essentially helped them check two items off of their to-do list, replacing Molina behind the plate as well as the production lost by Albert Pujols’ retirement .
The 30-year-old will slot into an already explosive Cardinals lineup that features reigning National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt and MVP finalist Nolan Arenado.
Molina behind the plate was a constant sight that fans are going to have to get used to not seeing.
But Contreras crossing over from the Cubs and joining the other side of the historic rivalry should help soften the blow of losing Molina.
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Adam Wainwright Prepares For One Last Ride
