St. Louis Cardinals fans boastful about Willson Contreras’ breakout game with team: "Never scapegoat him again" "He loves being here. Embrace him"
Willson Contreras had his long-awaited breakout performance with the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night. The first-year Cardinals catcher hit two home runs to go with six RBIs on a 2-for-5 evening as St. Louis battered the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 16-8.
Contreras finished with a batting average of .256 this season that matches his career average. The homers were his fourth and fifth of the year, and the six RBIs were a third of his season total heading into Thursday's contest.
Take a bow, Willson!
Willson Contreras drilled two home runs and drove in SIX runs vs. the Dodgers last night!
#STLCards x @Phillips66Gas https://t.co/caGTIp3m0J
After seven seasons with the archrival Chicago Cubs, Willson Conteras joined the Cardinals as a free agent this past offseason. After agreeing to his five-year, $87.5 million contract with the Cardinals after seven seasons with the Cubs, Contreras directed several harsh comments towards his former team.
However, St. Louis seemed to make him a poster boy for the team's struggles after the Cardinals stumbled out of the gate and briefly owned the National League's worst record.
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas Never scapegoat him ever again
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas Willson made this dude cry 😢 https://t.co/LR4tqne2SQ
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas He loves being here. Embrace him.
The Cardinals briefly took Willson Contreras' catching duties away from him after the St. Louis pitching staff was torched time and again over the first five weeks of the season.
However, manager Oliver Marmol's moratorium on using Contreras stictly as a designated hitter lasted only a week. His quick heel turn coinciding with the Cardinals beginning to play less awful baseball.
Fans were quick to remind the organization of the prize it has in Contreras.
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas This fanbase will protect this man at all costs, you guys scapegoat him again I'm personally coming to Busch with a bunch of rope
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas https://t.co/5MRDhClwV2
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas Much better welcome to this team than the organization ever made him feel like. Take notes FO
The Cardinals have begun to show signs of life recently. While St. Louis is still dead last in the NL Central with a 19-26 record, the team has won eight of its last 10 games and is currently only the second-worst team in the senior circuit.
In addition to Willson Conteras' hitting, the Cardinals have also been boosted by the return of staff ace Adam Wainwright to the rotation.
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas But it is his fault our pitchers can not hit corners.
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas 🔥 https://t.co/4mV7rrEHTU
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas my catcher
And, for one lucky Cardinals fan, he got an extra souvenir on the evening: one of Contreras' home run balls.
@Cardinals @Phillips66Gas I got the ball! https://t.co/A3HCNColhx
Willson Contreras a three-time All-Star for Chicago Cubs
Contreras hit 117 home runs with 365 RBIs and a .256 batting average over seven seasons with the Cubs before signing as a free agent with St. Louis this offseason. He was named to three All-Star teams and drove in a run in the Cubs' 2016 World Series-clinching Game 7 win against the Cleveland Guardians.