Willson Contreras Haunts Former Team as Red Sox Beat Cardinals

Boston's new first baseman drives in 3 runs against his ex-club in 7-1 victory.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 4:23am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game in progress, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape, capturing the dynamic energy of the matchup between the Red Sox and Cardinals.Willson Contreras' big day at the plate against his former team shows the fractured, shifting dynamics between the Red Sox and Cardinals.Boston Today

In his first season with the Boston Red Sox after being traded from the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason, first baseman Willson Contreras made sure to show his former team what they were missing. Contreras went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the fourth inning to drive in three of Boston's seven runs in their 7-1 win over the Cardinals.

Why it matters

Contreras spent the last three seasons with the Cardinals before being traded to the Red Sox in the offseason. This game gave him a chance to get revenge on his former team and prove he can still be a productive hitter, even after leaving St. Louis.

The details

Contreras, who helped Venezuela win the World Baseball Classic in March, is off to a solid start with the Red Sox, hitting .250 with 2 home runs, 8 RBIs and an impressive .419 on-base percentage through 14 games. His 3-RBI performance on Saturday was his best game so far this season.

  • Contreras went 0-for-4 in the series opener on Friday, April 11.
  • On Saturday, April 12, Contreras drove in 3 runs to lead the Red Sox to a 7-1 win over the Cardinals.

The players

Willson Contreras

A 30-year-old Venezuelan first baseman in his first season with the Boston Red Sox after being traded from the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason. Contreras is a three-time MLB All-Star who won a World Series with the Chicago Cubs in 2016.

St. Louis Cardinals

The National League baseball team that traded Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason after he spent the last three seasons with the Cardinals.

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What’s next

The Red Sox and Cardinals will wrap up their three-game series on Sunday, April 13.

The takeaway

Willson Contreras' big game against his former team shows he can still be a productive hitter, even after being traded from the Cardinals to the Red Sox in the offseason. This performance will only add to the growing rivalry between these two historic franchises.