Willson Contreras Injury News & Updates

The Cardinals placed Contreras on the 10-day injured list Thursday with tendinitis in his left wrist, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Contreras' move to the injured list will officially put an end to his season, opening the door for Andrew Knizner and Ivan Herrera to log a few extra starts before the end of the year. Contreras will finish the season with a .264/.358/.467 slash line alongside 20 homers and 67 RBI across 495 plate appearances.

Contreras, who is out of the lineup Thursday against the Brewers, has been sent for an MRI on his injured left wrist, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Contreras has been bothered by wrist discomfort for a while and felt "acute pain on a swing" during Wednesday's loss to the Brewers, per Jones. This could all potentially lead to an early shutdown for the 31-year-old catcher, who has put up an impressive .309/.402/.557 batting line with 10 homers and 31 RBI in 46 games since the All-Star break. Andrew Knizner and Ivan Herrera are the fill-in options behind the plate in St. Louis.

Contreras (wrist) is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Brewers.

Contreras had to be lifted from Wednesday's loss to Milwaukee with left wrist soreness, so it's no surprise he's sitting out Thursday's afternoon tilt. He's considered day-to-day for the time being. Andrew Knizner will do the catching for Miles Mikolas on Thursday.

Contreras was removed from Wednesday's game against the Brewers due to left wrist discomfort.

Contreras' wrist caused him to leave the game in the sixth inning, but fortunately it doesn't seem to be a very serious issue. The Cardinals may hold him out for a day or two so he can recover, but an extended absence is unlikely.

Contreras is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Brewers.

Contreras slugged a solo home run in the Cardinals' 1-0 defeat of the Brewers on Monday, but he'll take a seat Tuesday as Andrew Knizner starts behind the plate and bats eighth. Paul Goldschmidt is filling the DH role with Alec Burleson handling first base.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's 1-0 win over the Brewers.

Contreras has gone 13-for-28 (.464) with four homers and 12 RBI during his active eight-game hitting streak. The catcher's fourth-inning blast Monday accounted for the lone run in the contest, and it was the Cardinals' only extra-base hit. Contreras has reached the 20-homer mark for the fifth time in his eight-year career, and he's added 67 RBI, 55 runs scored, six stolen bases and a .265/.358/.469 slash line over 124 contests.

Contreras is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.

Contreras started the past two contests after dealing with a bruised hand, and he'll take a seat Sunday after going 3-for-7 with a double and three walks in the first two games of the series. Andrew Knizner will work behind the plate and bat eighth.

Contreras (hand) is at catcher and batting fifth Friday versus the Phillies in his return to the lineup, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Contreras exited Tuesday's game and didn't play Wednesday because of a bruised right hand, but he's back in there Friday following Thursday's off day. The 31-year-old carries a .940 second-half OPS into play Friday.

Contreras (hand) is not in the lineup Wednesday at Baltimore.

Contreras made an early exit from Tuesday's win over the Orioles because of a right hand contusion and is presumably day-to-day. Andrew Knizner will start at catcher and bat seventh for the Cardinals in Wednesday's series finale at Camden Yards.

Contreras was removed from Tuesday's game against Baltimore with a right hand contusion, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

It's unclear what exactly caused Contreras' removal, but he was replaced by Andrew Knizner after the fifth inning. Contreras should be considered day-to-day going forward.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with two RBI in Monday's 11-5 loss to the Orioles.

Contreras has multiple hits in five of his last nine games, going 13-for-35 (.371) with six home runs and 15 RBI in that span. It's a strong push for the catcher, who has struggled to adjust in his first year with the Cardinals. He's at a .261/.353/.461 slash line with 19 homers, 66 RBI, 53 runs scored, six stolen bases and 26 doubles over 120 contests, and he appears set to close out the season strong.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game at Cincinnati.

Contreras started the first two games of the series against the Reds and will receive a day off after going 3-for-8 with two homers and six RBI. Andrew Knizner will step in behind the plate to catch for Miles Mikolas.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Saturday's 4-3 win over Cincinnati.

Contreras came up with a couple big hits early for the Cardinals, plating a run with a first-inning single and adding a two-run homer in the third. It was third straight contest with a long ball for the veteran catcher, and he's knocked in exactly three runs in each of those contests. With 19 homers on the year, Contreras needs one more the rest of the way to record his fourth straight full season (excluding the shortened 2020 campaign) with at least 20 long balls.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored in Friday's win over the Reds.

Contreras opened the scoring in the first inning with a mammoth 113.6-mph, 440-foot blast off Andrew Abbott. It was his ninth career home run at Great American Ball Park, his favorite park to hit homers in behind Wrigley Field (66) and Busch Stadium (12). Contreras may finally be settling into his new home in St. Louis as he has hit .268 with seven home runs, 13 runs and 18 RBI over 93 at-bats since Aug. 1.

Contreras is not in the lineup Thursday at Atlanta.

Andrew Knizner will start at catcher and bat eighth as the Cardinals aim to pull off a surprising three-game sweep of the runaway NL East leaders. Contreras went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in Wednesday night's 11-6 victory.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk and three total RBI in an 11-6 win against Atlanta on Wednesday.

Contreras recorded an RBI in each of the first and third innings before slugging a solo homer in the seventh. The long ball was his fourth over his past six contests, a stretch during which he's gone 7-for-23 with seven runs and seven RBI. Contreras needs three more long balls this season to reach 20 for the fifth time in his career.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Contreras will get a well-deserved day off after catching both of the past two days and starting behind the plate or at designated hitter in each of the Cardinals' last 15 games. Andrew Knizner will handle the catching duties in Sunday's series finale.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 4-2 extra-inning loss to the Pirates.

Contreras recorded a single in the bottom of the second inning before taking Mitch Keller deep for a game-tying solo homer in the bottom of the sixth. The long-ball was his 16th of the season and third over the last three games.Contreras has produced a .280 average with five homers, 15 RBI, 11 runs scored and a stolen base over 82 at-bats in 24 games since the beginning of August.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with two homers, three RBI and a third run scored in Tuesday's victory over the Padres.

Contreras cut the Cardinals' deficit to 4-3 with a solo homer off Seth Lugo in the sixth inning before tying the game in the eighth with a two-run blast off of Robert Suarez. The 31-year-old Contreras had gone 13 games without a homer prior to Tuesday's contest, batting just .186 (8-for-43) in that span. Overall, he's slashing .253/.348/.436 with 15 homers, 54 RBI, 46 runs scored and six stolen bases through 442 at-bats this season.

Contreras was ejected from Tuesday's game against the Pirates after arguing about the strike zone, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Contreras struck out swinging to end the top of the seventh inning with the bases loaded, though he appeared to be upset about a call earlier in the at-bat. Andrew Knizner took over behind the dish in his place.

Contreras (hip) is playing catcher and batting cleanup versus the Mets on Thursday.

Contreras left Monday's game early after he appeared to suffer the injury tagging up from first to second base. As a result, the catcher has been dealing with hip tightness, which has sidelined him the last couple of games. He was available off the bench Wednesday, but now he is ready to go.

Contreras, who is out of Wednesday's lineup against the A's due to hip tightness, is feeling better and could be available off the bench, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

The 31-year-old is out of the starting nine for the second straight game due to the hip issue, but he could make an appearance as a reserve. The Cardinals open a four-game series with the Mets on Thursday, and Contreras' improvement Wednesday could point to him returning to action for the series opener.

Contreras (hip) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Athletics, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

He'll be on the bench for a second straight game while he manages a tight right hip. Despite Contreras being banged up, the Cardinals haven't called up another catcher from the minors, so the team is seemingly optimistic the hip issue isn't serious enough to send him to the 10-day injured list. Andrew Knizner will pick up another turn behind the plate Wednesday while Contreras turns his focus toward a return to the lineup at some point during this weekend's four-game series with the Mets.

Contreras (hip) is out of the lineup Tuesday versus the Athletics.

Contreras made an early exit from Monday's series opener due to right hip tightness and will take at least one full day off for rest and treatment. Andrew Knizner is starting at catcher and batting seventh for the host Cardinals.

Contreras left Monday's game against Oakland with right hip tightness, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Contreras had a noticeable limp on his way off the field, and he'll be considered day-to-day until the team sends him for additional testing. Andrew Knizner would be in line for more opportunities behind the plate if Contreras is forced to miss time.

Contreras went 3-for-3 with one double, a home run, a walk, five RBI and two runs scored in Friday's loss against the Royals.

Contreras' three-run double put the Cardinals on the board in the third and his two-run homer in the ninth served as the final runs the Cards would score on the night. Following reaching base in 35 of his 64 plate appearances in July, Contreras has remained hot in August with a .370 average to go along with two home runs and eight RBIs.

Contreras is not in the lineup Thursday versus the Rays.

This looks to be a routine day of rest for Contreras, who has slashed .394/.482/.662 with four homers and seven doubles over his last 23 games (85 plate appearances) dating back to July 3. Andrew Knizner is catching and Nolan Arenado is serving as the Cardinals' designated hitter. Taylor Motter will play third base.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's loss to the Rays.

Contreras cut the Cardinals' deficit to 4-2 in the ninth inning with a solo homer off Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks on the 11th pitch of the at-bat. Contreras is now 14-for-39 (.359) over his last 15 games with a .960 OPS, though the home run was his first since July 14. Overall, the 31-year-old catcher is slashing .252/.346/.432 with 12 homers, 43 RBI, 40 runs scored and six steals across 379 plate appearances this season.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democratreports.

Contreras went 2-for-7 with a double, two RBI and a run across the first two games against the Rockies and will take a seat for Sunday's series finale. Andrew Knizner is starting behind the plate and batting eighth.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Contreras started the first two games of the series versus Minnesota and went 2-for-4 with a stolen base Wednesday, but he'll take a seat for Thursday's finale. Andrew Knizner will step in behind the plate to catch for Matthew Liberatore.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 7-3 win over the Twins.

This was Contreras' third multi-hit effort in his last 10 games, a span in which he's gone 9-for-24 (.375). The catcher is up to a career-high six steals this season. He's maintained a .249/.344/.423 slash line with 11 home runs, 40 RBI, 38 runs scored and 22 doubles through 92 contests.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Contreras has a .947 OPS in 11 games since the All-Star break and will take a seat for Sunday's series finale versus Chicago. Andrew Knizner will step in behind the plate to catch for Steven Matz.

Contreras (head) will serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter Friday against the Cubs, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Although it doesn't seem Contreras is quite ready to get back behind the plate after getting hit in the head Thursday by Ian Happ's backswing, the Cardinals will not be without his bat in the lineup. Andrew Knizner will start at catcher Friday and bat eighth.

Contreras (head) is expected to be in the lineup Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Contreras exited Thursday's game against the Cubs after being hit in the head by the backswing of Ian Happ. He passed a concussion test and his headaches have dissipated, clearing the path to his return to the lineup with a more protective mask.

Contreras exited Thursday's game against the Cubs due to a scalp laceration and is considered day-to-day, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Contreras was hit in the back of the head by Ian Happ's back swing in the first inning and immediately exited the game. A stint on the injured list certainly seems possible, but for now, the team is hoping he can return more quickly.

Contreras was removed from Thursday's game against the Cubs after getting hit in the head by Ian Happ's back swing, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Contreras was bleeding from the right side of his head and went through concussion protocols on the field before exiting with trainers. The Cardinals will take a closer look at Contreras and provide more information shortly, but it's possible the 31-year-old backstop misses a few games.

Contreras is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Diamondbacks.

Contreras returned to action Tuesday after missing two games with a hip issue, but he'll sit this one out with it being a day game after a night game. Andrew Knizner will catch Jack Flaherty.

Contreras went 2-for-4 in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Contreras missed a couple of games while tending to right hip tightness. He was the only Cardinal to log multiple hits in this contest, though they had just five as a team. The catcher is batting .442 (19-for-43) in July, a surge that has him up to a .248/.343/.429 slash line with 11 home runs, 40 RBI, 37 runs scored and five stolen bases through 87 games overall.

Contreras (hip) is starting at catcher and batting fifth Tuesday versus Arizona, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Contreras will return to the lineup after he missed the last two contests with right hip tightness. The 31-year-old has gone 6-for-20 with a homer, two doubles, four RBI and two runs scored over seven contests since the All-Star break.

Contreras (hip) isn't in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Diamondbacks, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

The Cardinals will give the backstop another day to recover from a right hip issue that has held him out since Saturday. Andrew Knizner draws another start behind the dish and will bat ninth.

Contreras (hip) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

The 31-year-old exited Saturday's contest with right hip discomfort and will be held out of the starting nine for at least one game. Ivan Herrera will take over behind the plate Sunday with Contreras banged up.

Contreras was pulled from Saturday's game against the Cubs due to right hip tightness, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Contreras hit a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the top of the third inning and an RBI double in the top of the fifth before getting replaced at catcher by Ivan Herrera to begin the bottom of the sixth. Contreras can be considered day-to-day until the Cardinals provide further information on the hip issue.

Contreras is not in the starting lineup Wednesday versus the Marlins.

Contreras will take a seat after he went 0-for-7 with a walk and four strikeouts over the first two contests of the series. Ivan Herrera will draw the start at catcher and bat sixth as St. Louis goes for the sweep over Miami.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.

Contreras has collected multiple hits in four of his last five games and is slashing .514/.600/.919 over his last 11 contests. The Cardinals are now carrying three catchers with Andrew Knizner (groin) back from the injured list, but Contreras seems to have regained his confidence and should have the clear edge in terms of playing time down the stretch.

Contreras isn't in the Cardinals' lineup for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against Washington, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

After a 2-for-4 performance that included a home run during Game 1 of Saturday's activities, Contreras will take a seat for the nightcap. Ivan Herrera will take over behind the dish and bat ninth.

Contreras went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run, a walk and a hit-by-pitch in Sunday's 4-3 extra-inning win over the White Sox.

Contreras missed two games while recovering from a tooth procedure and made a big impact in his return. After a tumultous first three months in his Cardinals tenure went 11-for-17 (.647) over his last five contests heading into the All-Star break. The surge has him up to a respectable .240/.334/.419 slash line with 10 homers, 36 RBI, 35 runs scored, five stolen bases and 20 doubles through 79 contests overall.

Contreras (mouth) will start at catcher and bat cleanup in Sunday's game against the White Sox.

Contreras sat out both of the past two days while recovering from a tooth procedure, but he'll check back into the starting lineup for the final game before the All-Star break. Ivan Herrera will return to the bench to make room in the starting nine for Contreras.

Contreras isn't in the Cardinals' lineup Saturday against the White Sox, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Contreras underwent a tooth procedure that caused him to miss Friday's game, and he'll remain held out of Saturday's lineup. Ivan Herrera will once again fill in behind the dish and bat eighth.

Contreras will sit Friday versus the White Sox, Bally Sports Midwest reports.

Contreras will get a breather after he went 9-for-15 with a homer, four doubles, three RBI and four runs scored while starting all four games of the team's series with Miami. Ivan Herrera will take over behind the plate and bat eighth in the series opener with Chicago.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's 10-9 loss to the Marlins.

Contreras has rattled off three straight multi-hit efforts, going 8-for-12 with three doubles and a home run in that short span. The catcher has shown brief flashes of breaking out at times this season, but his valleys in production have tended to be much longer than his peaks. For the season, he's at a .234/.324/.401 slash line with nine home runs, 34 RBI, 34 runs scored, 19 doubles and five stolen bases through 77 contests. Contreras may actually face more of a challenge for playing time while Andrew Knizner (groin) is out, as prospect Ivan Herrera will need some at-bats while in the big leagues.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with a solo homer, a double, two runs scored and a walk in Monday's loss to Miami.

Contreras' ninth long ball of the year was a solo shot in the sixth inning. It was his first home run since June 16 and he appears to be turning a corner; he's collected at least three hits in three of his last nine games. Still, Contreras is slashing .222/.314/.387 with 26 extra-base hits through 75 games on the year.

Contreras is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Contreras sat for Game 1 of Saturday's twin bill and is back out of the starting nine for Sunday's series finale. He's 2-for-12 in four games since he went 4-for-4 against the Cubs on June 25 in London. Andrew Knizner will step in behind the plate to catch for Jordan Montgomery.

Contreras is not in the lineup for the first half of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Unsurprisingly, the Cardinals won't ask Contreras to catch two games in one day. Andrew Knizner starts behind the plate for the first game of the day, but Contreras will presumably return to the lineup for the nightcap.

Contreras went 4-for-4 with one double and two runs scored in Sunday's win over the Cubs.

Contreras went 0-for-4 against the Cubs during Saturday's loss, but he bounced back Sunday and notched his first four-hit game of the season against his former team. It's been a struggle for the 31-year-old backstop during his first season with St. Louis, and even after his big offensive day in London, he's still slashing just .216/.304/.372 across 70 games (283 plate appearances).

Contreras went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's win over the Nationals.

Contreras tallied RBI in the fifth and seventh innings while notching his first three-hit game of the season and his first game with multiple extra-base hits since May 18. The 31-year-old now has six hits in his last four games but is still trying to turn things around at the plate as a whole. For the year he's now slashing .210/.303/.370 with eight homers, 31 RBI, 28 runs and a 27:62 BB:K over 271 plate appearances.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.

Contreras started the first two games in New York but will take a seat for the finale after going 2-for-7 with a solo home run. Andrew Knizner will step in behind the plate and bat eighth.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-1 loss to the Mets.

He spoiled New York's shutout bid by taking Tylor Megill deep in the fifth inning, but not much else went right for St. Louis in this one. Contreras had gone just 3-for-30 to begin June, and the multi-hit performance was his first since May 18. The veteran catcher does have eight homers and five steals in 64 games this season, but his .204/.296/.363 slash line has him on pace for career-worst numbers in all three categories.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants.

Contreras will effectively get two days to rest up, as the Cardinals are off the schedule Thursday before returning to action Friday versus the Mets. Andrew Knizner will step in behind the dish in place of Contreras, who went 0-for-9 with three walks and two runs while starting at catcher in each of St. Louis' previous three contests.

Contreras will sit Saturday against Cincinnati, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Contreras has seemingly fully re-earned the Cardinals' trust, as he started eight of the last nine games behind the plate heading into Saturday's contest. He's slumped at the plate for the last several weeks, however, grabbing just five hits in his last 16 games, slashing .088/.175/.193 over that stretch. Andrew Knizner will be the Cardinals' catcher on Saturday.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's loss to the Rangers.

Contreras took Dane Dunning deep to left center for his second home run in three games. Though he's found some power in his swing lately, Contreras has just four hits total over his last 14 games dating back to May 19, and for the year, he's slashing just .213/.299/.372 with seven homers, 27 RBI, 24 runs and a 24:55 BB:K over 234 plate appearances.

Contreras went 0-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Rangers.

Contreras got aboard on an error in the second inning, stole third and scored on a Paul DeJong single. Over his last 11 games, Contreras has gone an awful 2-for-40, though one of those hits was a home run. The prolonged slump has him down to a .211/.296/.358 slash line with five steals, six homers, 26 RBI and 23 runs scored through 56 contests. He could begin to cede some playing time to Andrew Knizner if he can't get his bat going again.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.

Contreras had started behind the dish in each of the Cardinals' last four games, so he'll be getting a breather Sunday with the series finale beginning at 11:35 a.m. ET. Andrew Knizner will step in as St. Louis' starting catcher, working in a battery with Miles Mikolas.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Pirates.

He took Luis Ortiz deep in the second inning to get the Cardinals on the board. It was a welcome sight for those with Contreras shares, as the veteran catcher had gone a miserable 2-for-40 (.050) over his prior 11 games. The 31-year-old's first campaign with St. Louis has not gone according to plan so far, and through 55 contests he carries a career-worst .215/.301/.365 slash line with six homers, four steals, 22 runs and 26 RBI.

Contreras is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.

Contreras has struggled mightily at the plate as of late, and he hasn't picked up a hit since May 20 against the Dodgers. He'll get a chance to rest against Cleveland on Sunday with Andrew Knizner handling catching duties and hitting ninth.

Contreras is not in the lineup for Thursday's game in Cincinnati, 101 ESPN St. Louis reports.

It's a day game after a night game, so Andrew Knizner will do the catching for Miles Mikolas. Contreras is in the midst of a 1-for-24 slide at the dish.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base in Saturday's 6-5 win over the Dodgers.

Contreras has gone 5-for-24 (.208) with two homers, seven RBI and two steals in six games since he returned to being the primary catcher. He's now slashing .250/.333/.415 with four steals, five homers, 26 RBI and 21 runs scored through 45 contests this year. He's hit well enough to maintain a spot in the middle of the order.

Contreras went 2-for-5 with two homers and six RBI in Thursday's 16-8 win over the Dodgers.

Contreras opened the scoring for the Cardinals with a three-run shot in the third inning. Then he provided insurance with another three-run homer in the eighth. It was the catcher's second multi-homer game of the season, as he has gone deep in just three different games this season. He has a solid .772 OPS thanks to a .256 average and 12 doubles. He also ranks second among catchers with three stolen bases in 2023.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a double, two walks and a stolen base in Tuesday's loss to the Brewers.

Contreras drew multiple walks for the first time since April 23 and notched his third extra base hit over his last five games with a double in the ninth. He wound up stealing second after walking in the fifth for his first stolen bag since April 17. He's put up pretty standard numbers at the plate thus far, slashing .252/.343/.395 with three homers, 18 RBI, 19 runs and a 20:35 BB:K over 169 plate appearances.

Contreras is starting at catcher and batting fifth for the Cardinals on Monday versus the Brewers, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

As expected, Contreras is starting at catcher for the first time since May 4 following a run at designated hitter as the team asked him to work on his defense. He'll be tasked with helping to coax better results out of Jack Flaherty, who brings a 6.18 ERA into action Monday.

Contreras will be back behind the plate Monday to catch Jack Flaherty against the Brewers, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

The Cardinals publicly criticized Contreras' catching last week and moved him to the designated hitter spot for an unclear amount of time while he worked on his defense. He's evidently shown enough improvement already that the team is comfortable returning him to his natural position. The Cardinals have allowed 5.4 runs per game since moving Contreras out from behind the plate, up from 5.1 runs per game prior to that point, so it's not clear that the decision had the desired effect.

Contreras went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Friday's 8-6 win over the Red Sox.

Contreras had gone 19 games without a homer, hitting. 275 with six doubles and nine RBI in that span. His long ball Friday helped spark the Cardinals' rally in the sixth inning. He's slashing .263/.340/.406 with three homers, 18 RBI, 18 runs scored, two stolen bases and 10 doubles over 37 contests this season.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in Monday's win over the Cubs.

Making his return to Wrigley Field, Contreras knocked in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning with an RBI double and brought home an insurance run in the eighth. He has multiple hits in four of his last eight games, going 10-for-34 (.294) during that stretch. Contreras improved his season slash line to .273/346/.405 with 12 extra-base hits and 16 RBI through 136 plate appearances.

Contreras is starting at designated hitter and batting fifth for the Cardinals on Monday versus the Cubs, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

In his first game back at Wrigley Field since signing with the Cardinals, Contreras will occupy the DH spot which will be his new home in the coming weeks. Andrew Knizner will catch Miles Mikolas.

Contreras will spend most of his time in the outfield or at designated hitter over the next couple of weeks, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Contreras has been seen as a bat-first catcher throughout his career, but to see the Cardinals go from giving him five years and $87.5 million over the winter to not trusting him at all behind the plate a little over a month into his first season is quite a surprise. His framing numbers have been sub-par this season, but presumably that's not a shock to St. Louis, as that's nothing new. It remains to be seen how often he'll play until he regains his team's trust as a catcher, since the Cardinals already have a depth chart crunch in the corner outfield and at designated hitter. Expect Andrew Knizner to see an uptick in playing time behind the plate in the meantime.

Contreras is not in the starting lineup Thursday at San Francisco.

This would appear to be a routine breather for Contreras as the Cardinals wrap up a four-game set at Oracle Park. Andrew Knizner is catching and batting eighth. Nolan Gorman is serving as the designated hitter and hitting third.

Contreras was ejected from Sunday's game against the Mariners in the top of the fifth inning for snapping his bat after striking out, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Contreras started Sunday's matchup as the designated hitter and went 0-for-1 with two walks and a strikeout prior to his ejection, the seventh of his career. It seems unlikely that the ejection will lead to further discipline, so the 30-year-old should be available for the Cardinals' upcoming four-game series in San Francisco.

Contreras went 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI in Tuesday's 8-7 loss to the Diamondbacks.

A brutal fourth inning put the Cardinals in a five-run hole, but Contreras nearly hit them out of it. He went yard in the seventh and ninth innings, but the comeback fell one run short. The catcher has strung together three multi-hit games, tallying two homers, three doubles and five RBI in that span. He's up to a .254/.323/.424 slash line through 65 plate appearances, and he's also logged two stolen bases over 17 games.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, one RBI and a stolen base in Monday's 6-3 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Contreras was the only Cardinal to log a multi-hit effort. He also swiped third base after his RBI double tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth inning. Aside from a noticeable drop in power (.074 ISO), Contreras is off to a decent start in his St. Louis tenure. He's slashing .241/.317/.315 with no home runs, five RBI, five runs scored, four doubles and two steals through 16 contests.

Contreras went 2-for-5 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 5-4 extra-innings' win over the Pirates.

Contreras notched his first multi-hit game since April 2 and tallied his second RBI over the last three games. It's been a slow start to the year for the three-time All-Star, as he raised his slash line to .200/.286/.240 with his efforts Sunday afternoon and will look to find more of a groove at the plate heading into the new week.

Contreras is not in the starting lineup Saturday versus the Pirates.

It's a routine day of rest for Contreras, who finally broke out of an extended slump Friday. Andrew Knizner will catch and bat ninth.

Contreras went 0-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base in Thursday's 5-0 loss to the Pirates.

Contreras is 0-for-15 over his last five games, though he has managed four walks in that span. He was on the front of an unlikely double-steal with Nolan Gorman in the fourth inning of Thursday's game. Contreras has shown some solid speed for a catcher, though he's never stolen more than five bases in a season. He's off to a sluggish start in 2023 with a .171/.261/.195 slash line, two RBI, four runs scored, one double and no home runs through 12 contests.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against Atlanta, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Contreras gets the day game off with Andrew Knizner getting the start behind the dish and hitting ninth. The veteran backstop had an injury scare early in the campaign, but has picked up six hits in his first 17 at-bats as a member of the Cardinals.

Contreras (knee) went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Sunday's 9-4 win over the Blue Jays.

Contreras looked to be in considerable pain and potentially headed for a trip to the injured list after taking a 102.7 mile-per-hour pitch to his right knee in Thursday's season opener, but he ended up missing just one game. He was back behind the plate Sunday and caught all nine innings while producing on the offensive end, alleviating any concern fantasy managers may have had about his status heading into the Cardinals' upcoming six-game week.

Contreras (knee) is starting at catcher and batting fifth Sunday against the Blue Jays, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

The 30-year-old sat out Saturday's matchup with Toronto after he suffered the knee injury during Thursday's season opener, but he was diagnosed with a bruise after being evaluated and will miss only one contest. Contreras made a strong impression in his debut with the Cardinals prior to the injury, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Contreras (knee) will not start Saturday against the Blue Jays.

Contreras was hit in the knee by a Jordan Hicks fastball while catching the flamethrower on Opening Day. X-rays and an MRI didn't turn up anything worse than a bruise, but he'll nonetheless sit for at least one game. Andrew Knizner takes over behind the plate.

Contreras is considered day-to-day with a right knee contusion after undergoing multiple tests.

X-rays and an MRI both came back clean and Contreras went through additional testing Friday, none of which revealed anything beyond a bruise. The catcher is surely still sore after taking a 102.7 mph Jordan Hicks fastball off the shin guard, but he could be back in action sometime this weekend.

An MRI on Contreras' right knee came back negative, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

X-rays and an MRI have now both come back clean, but the Cardinals are still doing some additional testing on the catcher's knee just to be safe. Contreras took a 103 mph Jordan Hicks sinker off the shin guard during Thursday's game and looked to be in considerable pain while exiting, but it appears, at least for now, that he's avoided serious injury.

Contreras will have an MRI on his right knee, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Contreras was forced to exit Thursday's game with a right knee contusion. X-rays came back negative, but he will still undergo additional testing. It appears as if Contreras has dodged a serious injury, though his timeline for a return should become clearer in the next day or so.

Contreras exited Thursday's game against the Blue Jays with a right knee contusion.

Contreras was hit by a Jordan Hicks offering in the knee but managed to walk off the field under his own power. The Cardinals have an off day Friday, so it's unclear if he will be forced to miss any additional time. Andrew Knizner entered the game in Contreras' place and would likely be a playing time beneficiary.

Contreras exited Thursday's game against the Blue Jays after being hit by a pitch in the knee, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Contreras was catching Jordan Hicks and got crossed up, which resulted in him being hit in the knee with the pitch. He left the field shortly thereafter with a notable limp but under his own power. It's unclear how serious the injury is at this point.

Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said Wednesday that Contreras is likely to bat fifth this season, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Marmol added that Paul Goldschmidt will likely hit third, with Nolan Arenado handling cleanup duties. Brendan Donovan figures to serve as the primary leadoff man and Tyler O'Neill could open as the No. 2 hitter. Lars Nootbaar might factor into that top-of-the-order mix as well. Contreras signed a five-year, $87.5 million contract with St. Louis in December and has posted a .367 batting average and .891 OPS through 33 plate appearances this spring in Grapefruit League play.

Contreras is hitting .250 with one double, one RBI and six strikeouts over six Grapefruit League games.

Contreras stayed in camp rather than going to the World Baseball Classic to get to know the pitcher on his new team. The catcher signed a five-year deal in December to become the Cardinals' new No. 1 backstop after the retirement of Yadier Molina. Contreras won't enjoy the friendly confines of Wrigley Field as often as he used to, but he's a four-time 20-homer hitter and should continue to return solid numbers at a position where those are scarce.

Contreras' signing of a five-year, $87.5 million contract with a club option for 2028 with the Cardinals was formally announced by the team Friday.

The deal was first reported Wednesday and made official accompanied with a press conference Friday. Contreras has big shoes to fill in replacing future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina, whose 19-year reign as the Cards' catcher has come to an end following retirement. There will undoubtedly be a downgrade defensively, especially in the framing department where Contreras is lacking. It's difficult to overstate how much more offense Contreras is likely to bring, though. His OPS over the last four seasons sits at .816, a number Molina reached twice in his career and not since 2013. There will be a ballpark downgrade for Contreras, although Busch Stadium is more favorable for right-handed batters than it is lefties.

Contreras and the Cardinals agreed Wednesday on a five-year, $87.5 million contract, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

In bringing aboard Contreras, St. Louis has found a replacement for longtime catcher Yadier Molina, who retired following the 2022 campaign after 19 seasons with the Cardinals. With Molina's production having waned in recent years, the 30-year-old Contreras will provide a major upgrade at the position, particularly on the offensive end. Over the past two seasons, Contreras' 121 wRC+ ranks third among all catchers who have logged at least 500 plate appearances over that stretch. While joining a strong Cardinals lineup that includes Nolan Arenado and reigning National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt in the heart of the order, Contreras should have a good chance at improving upon the run and RBI totals he logged with sub-.500 Cubs teams both of the last two years.

Contreras declined the Cubs' $19.65 million qualifying offer and became a free agent Tuesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Contreras slashed .243/.349/.466 in 2022 -- a very good individual season -- but he will now join the list of star players to depart from Chicago in the last couple of years as the Cubs enter a rebuild. Contreras is known as a great two-way catcher and should garner plenty of interest from teams looking to add a high-quality piece to their lineup.

Contreras isn't starting Wednesday against the Reds.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and a strikeout Tuesday against Cincinnati, and he'll retreat to the bench for Wednesday's season finale. P.J. Higgins is starting behind the plate and batting seventh.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Reds.

Contreras is now up to 22 home runs with one more game on the schedule Wednesday. If the catcher plays in the afternoon contest, he'll need two long balls to tie his career high of 24, set back in 2019. Either way, it's been a solid season for Contreras, as the veteran has an .815 OPS across 113 games. It'll be his first OPS above .800 since that 2019 campaign, when he finished with a career-best .888 mark.

Contreras isn't in the lineup Monday against Cincinnati.

Contreras started the last two games and went 0-for-6 with a run and two walks. He'll get a breather while Yan Gomes starts behind the dish and bats eighth.

Contreras is not in the starting lineup Friday versus the Reds.

Contreras will take a seat after he went 2-for-12 with a double and four strikeouts over the three-game series with the Phillies. Yan Gomes will take over behind the plate and bat seventh in the series opener.

Contreras will start at catcher in Thursday's game against the Phillies.

Contreras served as the designated hitter in the first two games he appeared in after being activated from the injured list, but he will be back behind the plate Thursday afternoon. The Cubs' regular leadoff hitter of late, Zach McKinstry, is not in Thursday's lineup, and Contreras will replace him atop the order.

Contreras (ankle) was activated from the injured list Tuesday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Contreras just resumed full baseball activities Friday, and the Cubs did not have a target date for his return at that point. However, they did not need to see much before adding him back to the active roster. It's unclear if Contreras will handle an everyday role right away, but fantasy players can plan on having him available for the homestretch.

Contreras (ankle) resumed full activities Friday but there is still no return date in mind for him, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Contreras has been held out of action since the end of August due to issues with his left ankle. It sounds like he's beginning to feel better, but with the end of the season fast approaching and the Cubs sitting well outside the postseason race, there doesn't seem to be much urgency to rush the star catcher back into the lineup.

Contreras (ankle) recently began doing light agility work in his running progression, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Contreras has been on the injured list with a left ankle sprain since Sept. 6 and will spend more than the minimum of 10 days on the shelf. A timetable for his return to game action isn't yet clear, but the catcher seems to be trending in the right direction.

Contreras (ankle) underwent an MRI on Wednesday that didn't reveal anything too concerning, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Contreras' test results were consistent with an ankle sprain, and he's expected to rest for a few days prior to resuming baseball activities. It's possible that the 30-year-old spends more than the minimum of 10 days on the injured list, but it doesn't appear as though he's dealing with a particularly significant injury.

Contreras is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his injured left ankle Wednesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The Cubs placed Contreras on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, but the extent of his left ankle injury isn't yet known. The MRI should shed more light on the matter, and once the results are available, the Cubs will have a better idea regarding whether he'll be able to return from the IL when first eligible Sept. 13. Yan Gomes is expected to serve as the Cubs' No. 1 catcher in the interim.

Contreras (ankle) was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Sept. 3, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Contreras was not ready to start following a team off day Monday, so the Cubs decided to deactivate him and open up a roster spot. Yan Gomes will presumably serve as the Cubs' regular catcher until Contreras returns.

Contreras (ankle) remains out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds.

Contreras has not started a game since the calendar flipped to September, and despite a team off day Monday, he will open on the bench for a fifth straight game. Yan Gomes will get the nod behind the plate Tuesday night.

Contreras (ankle) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

Contreras will be on the bench for a fourth consecutive game while he nurses a a sore left ankle. No. 3 backstop P.J. Higgins will get a turn behind the plate Sunday after Yan Gomes caught the Cubs' previous three contests.

Contreras (ankle) isn't starting Saturday against the Cardinals.

Contreras was removed from Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays due to left ankle soreness and will be out of the lineup for a third consecutive matchup. Whether he's available off the bench remains to be seen, but Yan Gomes will start at catcher and bat seventh.

Contreras (ankle) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals.

The 30-year-old will sit for a second straight game after exiting Tuesday's contest with left ankle soreness. Contreras was cleared of any serious issues after he underwent X-rays and an MRI on Wednesday, but he'll still require some additional time off after Chicago's scheduled day off Thursday. Yan Gomes will work behind the plate in Contreras' place in the series opener at St. Louis.

Contreras (ankle), who is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Blue Jays, had X-rays come back negative and was cleared of structural damage after undergoing an MRI, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The 30-year-old exited Tuesday's contest due to the ankle soreness he's been battling over the past week-plus, and it appears he'll continue to play through the injury since there's no serious concerns. According to manager David Ross the team will "look out for him and his career and his long-term health," though the skipper also said Contreras is "a baseball player and likes to play baseball." Contreras' playing time could be managed down the stretch if the ankle continues to bother him.

Contreras (ankle) isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Blue Jays.

Contreras exited Tuesday's loss to the Blue Jays due to a sore left ankle and will be held out of the lineup for the series finale in Toronto. It's not yet clear whether he'll be available off the bench, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Cubs try to avoid using him since the team has a scheduled day off Thursday. Yan Gomes is starting at catcher and batting seventh.

Contreras was removed from Tuesday's loss to the Blue Jays with left ankle soreness, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The 30-year-old went 1-for-2 with a solo home run before being replaced by a pinch hitter during the sixth inning due to the lingering ankle issue. Contreras missed four games last week with the injury, and he's not fully healthy despite returning to action over the past few days. He'll receive treatment Wednesday and be re-evaluated to determine his availability for the series finale in Toronto.

Contreras went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Tuesday's loss to the Blue Jays.

Contreras was lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning, but he still managed to hit his 21st home run of the season in the fourth inning. The Chicago catcher hit a career-best 24 long balls back in 2019, and he seems poised to challenge that figure if he stays healthy the rest of the way.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.

Contreras looks to be healthy again after a recent four-game absence due to an ankle sprain, but he'll give way to Yan Gomes behind the dish for the series finale in Milwaukee. After returning from the injury Friday, Contreras picked up two straight starts at catcher and went 0-for-8 with five strikeouts.

Contreras (ankle) is starting behind the plate and batting second Friday against the Brewers.

Contreras hasn't seen the field since Monday due to a left ankle sprain, but he'll rejoin the lineup for Friday's series opener in Milwaukee. Through 16 games in August the 30-year-old has a .230/.310/.574 slash line with six home runs, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored.

Contreras (ankle) is not in the starting lineup Thursday against the Cardinals.

Contreras will miss a fourth consecutive game after waking up Tuesday morning with left ankle stiffness. P.J. Higgins will remain in the lineup at catcher and bat sixth in the series finale.

Contreras (ankle) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The 30-year-old didn't see the field during Tuesday's twin bill due to left ankle stiffness, and he won't rejoin Chicago's starting nine Wednesday. Contreras has been playing through the issue the past couple weeks, and he's now being forced to miss some time after aggravating the issue last week.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cardinals due to left ankle stiffness, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Contreras was held out of the lineup for Chicago's victory in Game 1 after waking up with the stiffness, and he's expected to be available off the bench in the nightcap. The 30-year-old initially suffered the injury during the Field of Dreams Game against the Reds on Aug. 11 and aggravated the issue last week versus the Orioles on a play at the plate. P.J. Higgins will start at catcher in Game 2 for the Cubs.

Contreras is out of the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader with the Cardinals.

Yan Gomes will be behind the dish for the opening game of the day while Contreras gets a breather. Expect Contreras to check in at catcher for the nightcap.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.

He'll be getting some routine maintenance after going 4-for-11 with three home runs, two walks and six RBI while catching each of the past three contests. Yan Gomes will spell Contreras behind the dish.

Contreras went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and an RBI single in Saturday's win over Milwaukee.

Contreras launched a two-run shot in the fifth inning that scored Nick Madrigal. He also knocked in Rafael Ortega for what would turn out to be the game-winning run on a single in the 11th inning. The home run was the 20th of the year for the catcher and comes two days after a two-homer outing against Baltimore. Contreras has gone 4-for-11 with no strikeouts over his last three games, raising his batting average to .250 for the year.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs Thursday against the Orioles.

Contreras accounted for the majority of Chicago's offense, going yard in the sixth and eighth innings. He now has 19 home runs for the season, five of which have come since Aug. 4. In that 12-game span, Contreras has also chipped in 10 RBI and nine runs scored. For the campaign, he has maintained a .249/.358/.472 line across 433 plate appearances.

Contreras isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Reds.

Contreras went 0-for-9 with a run, an RBI and four strikeouts over the last two games and will take a seat for Wednesday's series finale in Washington. Yan Gomes is starting behind the dish and batting eighth.

Contreras is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.

Contreras started the first two games against Cincinnati but will get the series finale off. Yan Gomes will do the catching Sunday, with Franmil Reyes slotting in as the DH. Contreras has had another good season behind the plate, supplying an .831 OPS and 17 home runs across 96 games so far.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 7-2 victory over Cincinnati.

Contreras launched a solo shot in the top of the ninth inning Saturday. He now has three homers in August after hitting just one in July. It gives him 17 home runs on the year to go along with a .253 batting average. The veteran catcher put together his third multi-hit outing in 10 games this month, giving him 10 hits to six strikeouts in 38 at-bats.

Contreras isn't starting Wednesday against the Nationals.

Contreras is getting a rare day off after he hit .250 with a home run, five RBI, two runs and a stolen base over the last five games. Yan Gomes will start behind the plate and bat seventh.

Contreras went 2-for-8 with a walk, a double, a solo home run and two runs scored across both games of Thursday's doubleheader against the Cardinals.

Contreras did his damage early in Game 1, taking St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas deep in the first inning. The catcher, who perhaps surprisingly didn't leave Chicago before the trade deadline, now has 15 home runs and an .835 OPS this season. He should be primed for a strong finish to the season in a familiar environment, though the 41-63 Cubs may opt to mix in some rest days moving forward.

Contreras is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Phillies.

Contreras will get a breather after he went 3-for-7 with a homer, two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored in the first two contests of the series. Yan Gomes will draw the start at catcher and bat seventh in the series finale.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with two walks, a double, a solo home run and two runs scored in Friday's 15-2 win over the Phillies.

Contreras had two of the Cubs' 19 hits in the easy win. The catcher now has 14 home runs, which is second on the team to Patrick Wisdom, to go along with a solid .843 OPS. With Chicago sitting at just 36-57, the veteran Contreras remains a likely trade candidate before the upcoming deadline. The Cubs moved all of Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez before the deadline last year, leaving Contreras, Jason Heyward and Kyle Hendricks as the lone remaining players from the 2016 championship squad.

Contreras will be on the bench for the second half of Saturday's doubleheader against the Mets.

Contreras went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in the first game of the day. He may not have many games left in a Cubs uniform, as he's on an expiring contract and could be of use to several playoff contenders.

Contreras (hamstring) went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Dodgers.

Contreras missed four games with a tight left hamstring, and it appears his timing was a bit off in his return. The 30-year-old could continue to see some time as the designated hitter as he works back to full strength. He hit .333 with a home run, four doubles, seven RBI and six runs scored in 10 games prior to his injury, so it shouldn't take the catcher long to regain his momentum at the plate.

Contreras (hamstring) is serving as the designated hitter and hitting second Saturday against the Dodgers.

Contreras has missed the team's last four games due to a tight left hamstring. Yan Gomes will remain behind the dish, with David Bote heading to the bench.

Contreras (hamstring) isn't starting Friday against the Dodgers.

Contreras continues to deal with a tight left hamstring and will be excluded from the lineup for a fourth consecutive game. David Bote is serving as the designated hitter and batting ninth.

Contreras (hamstring) isn't starting Thursday's game against the Dodgers.

Contreras worked on the field prior to Thursday's matchup and remains day-to-day, but he'll be held out of the lineup for a third consecutive game due to left hamstring tightness. Rafael Ortega is serving as the designated hitter while Andrelton Simmons enters the lineup at second base.

Contreras (hamstring) isn't starting Wednesday against Milwaukee.

Contreras has been dealing with left hamstring tightness since Monday, and he'll be out of the lineup for a second consecutive game. Ian Happ is serving as the designated hitter while P.J. Higgins starts behind the plate.

Contreras (hamstring) is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Milwaukee, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Contreras exited Monday's game with the hamstring injury, and it's unclear how long he'll be sidelined-the Cubs could be extra cautious with their trade asset as the deadline nears. Yan Gomes catches and Rafael Ortega serves as the designated hitter Tuesday.

Contreras was removed in the 10th inning of Monday's loss against the Brewers due to hamstring tightness, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Contreras was curiously replaced in extra innings, but manager David Ross explained after the game that the backstop was pulled due to the injury. He'll be considered day-to-day and figures to be re-evaluated Tuesday morning.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a two-run home run and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Reds.

Contreras was electric in this one, and he now has three straight multi-hit games. It was the backstop's third three-hit effort in June, pushing his batting average this month to .295. He also has five home runs and 16 RBI across 25 games in June. Contreras has been a fantasy bright spot in Chicago and is certainly enhancing his trade value before the deadline next month.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Reds.

Contreras extended his hitting streak to four games and is now batting .272 for the season with a solid .881 OPS. The Chicago backstop is likely headed toward his third All-Star Game selection this season. Contreras has been a bright spot for the 28-46 Cubs, and he remains a key trade candidate before the deadline due to his expiring contract.

Contreras went 2-for-5 with three RBI in a 6-5 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.

Contreras continued his excellent first half with a three-RBI performance to give him 31 total on the year. His two-RBI single in the fourth tied the game at 5-5, and then he put the Cubs ahead for good with an RBI-single in the 10th inning. The Cubs' starting catcher was playing DH in this day game, as manager David Ross likes to keep Contreras' dependable bat in the lineup any way possible. Conteras has five home runs and is slugging .426 over the past 15 days.

Contreras went 3-for-5 with a double, a steal, a run and an RBI Saturday against Atlanta.

This was Contreras' third steal of the season, which ties him with Keibert Ruiz for fourth among all catchers -- J.T. Realmuto has eight while Daulton Varsho and Christian Bethancourt have four apiece. Contreras is in the midst of a six-game hitting streak.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with a double, two home runs, three runs scored and three RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Padres.

Contreras started the game with a bang, taking San Diego starter Sean Manaea deep in the first inning with the bases empty. The Chicago catcher then went deep again off Manaea two innings later with a runner on. Contreras now has 12 home runs this season, which is tied for the team lead with Patrick Wisdom. He also has a superb .949 OPS, and he should remain a top fantasy option behind the plate, though he could get moved to a new team before the trade deadline.

Contreras and the Cubs agreed to a one-year, $9.625 million contract for the 2022 season Thursday to avoid arbitration, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

The two parties were slated to have an arbitration hearing Thursday, but Contreras landed a new deal shortly before the deadline. The 30-year-old has been productive early in the season, slashing .277/.403/.530 with 10 homers, 35 runs, 23 RBI and two stolen bases over 47 games. He's slated to become a free agent during the offseason but is a candidate to be traded by the rebuilding Cubs this summer if he doesn't reach a long-term agreement with the team.

Contreras (ankle) is starting the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Cardinals.

Contreras was out of the lineup for Thursday's matchup against St. Louis, but he was available off the bench if needed. However, he'll start behind the dish and bat second during Saturday's matinee. The 30-year-old is riding an eight-game hitting streak, and he's slashed .367/.486/.833 with four homers, two doubles, eight runs, seven RBI and a stolen base during that time.

Contreras (ankle), who isn't starting Friday against the Cardinals, will be available off the bench if needed, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

The 30-year-old was hit by a pitch above his left ankle Thursday, but manager David Ross said that the backstop's absence from Friday's lineup is a scheduled day off. Even if Contreras doesn't appear off the bench Friday, Ross is confident that the catcher will be back in the lineup Saturday. P.J. Higgins will start behind the plate and bat seventh Friday.

Contreras (ankle) is not in the starting lineup for Friday's contest with the Cardinals.

The catcher was hit in the ankle with a pitch Thursday night, causing him to be unavailable Friday. Fortunately the X-rays came back negative and he is considered day-to-day. Contreras currently owns an eight game hit streak, batting .367 with four homers, seven RBI, eight runs and stolen base over those contests. P.J. Higgins will get the start behind the plate and bat seventh Friday.

Contreras exited Thursday's game against the Cardinals after being hit by a pitch in the ankle, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.

X-rays showed no structural damage, so Contreras can be considered day-to-day for the time being. The Cubs have a short turnaround before a day game on Friday, so it's likely that Contreras won't be in the lineup. P.J. Higgins would take over as the primary catcher if Contreras is in for a lengthy absence, as Yan Gomes (oblique) is also sidelined.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base in Monday's 4-3 victory against the Brewers.

Contreras helped the Cubs get off to a strong start in the contest, knocking a single in the first inning and succeeding on a double steal with Christopher Morel. The backstop moved to third on an error and came around to score on a double play. Contreras later knocked in a run in the fifth inning with a single to right field. This was his third straight two-hit performance and his seventh consecutive contest with at least one base knock. Over that stretch, he is batting .370 (10-for-27) with three homers, five RBI and seven runs.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a double, a solo home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Tuesday's win over the Brewers.

Contreras continued his good recent stretch of games, as he's now batting .346 over his past eight contests with three home runs, four RBI and six runs scored. Overall, the catcher has a solid .907 OPS, which would represent a new career high if it holds up. His previous best in that category was the .888 OPS he recorded in 2019, which is also when he blasted a career-high 24 home runs. Contreras has eight home runs through 41 games this year.

Contreras went 2-for-2 with a solo home run and two walks in a 3-1 loss to the Brewers in the second game of Monday's doubleheader.

Contreras accounted for the Cubs' lone run in the fourth inning, taking Brewers starter Aaron Ashby deep. In the matinee, Contreras went 1-for-5 with a run scored as the designated hitter. The 30-year-old catcher has been solid in 2022 with a .264/.387/.486 slash line, seven homers, 16 RBI, 28 runs scored, a stolen base and eight doubles through 40 games.

Contreras went 1-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run in Thursday's loss to the Reds.

The Cubs lost 20-5, and Contreras was replaced by P.J. Higgins in the eighth inning of the blowout, but he was still able to do a little damage. The Chicago backstop is up to six home runs on the season, with half of those coming in his past 12 games. Contreras also has a solid .869 OPS, as he's been a good fantasy contributor despite some of Chicago's struggles as a team.

Contreras (hamstring) is starting behind the dish and batting second Thursday against the Reds.

He missed four games in a row with a strained hamstring, but it was apparently a very minor strain. Contreras is hitting .264/.409/.491 with three home runs and one steal in 17 games this month.

Contreras (hamstring) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game in Cincinnati.

Contreras' strained right hamstring will keep him on the bench for the fourth straight game, but his health at least appears to be a lesser concern than that of fellow backstop Yan Gomes (oblique), who was placed on the 10-day injured list. The Cubs could consider deactivating Contreras if he doesn't show more improvement heading into the weekend, but for now, he's being viewed as day-to-day. P.J. Higgins will pick up the start behind the plate Wednesday.

Contreras (hamstring) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game in Cincinnati.

Per Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs manager David Ross said Contreras is on track to avoid the 10-day injured list, but the star catcher will be on the bench for the third game in a row due to a right hamstring strain. P.J. Higgins will fill in for Contreras behind the dish Tuesday.

Contreras (hamstring) isn't starting Monday's game against the Reds.

Contreras suffered a right hamstring strain during Saturday's loss to the Diamondbacks, and he's considered day-to-day. With Contreras out of the lineup for a second straight game, Yan Gomes will start behind the dish and bat fifth.

Contreras (hamstring) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Per Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com, Contreras is considered day-to-day after straining his right hamstring in Saturday's 7-6 loss, but the Cubs had enough concern about the backstop's health to recall another catcher (P.J. Higgins) from Triple-A Iowa ahead of Sunday's series finale. Higgins will draw the start behind the plate in place of Contreras, who will hope to return at some point during the Cubs' upcoming four-game series in Cincinnati that begins Monday.

Contreras was removed from Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks due to right hamstring tightness, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Contreras started Saturday's game as the designated hitter and went 1-for-2 with a stolen base. While he singled and swiped a bag in the bottom of the third inning, he apparently tweaked something since Rafael Ortega took over as a pinch runner. The severity of the 30-year-old's injury isn't yet clear, but Yan Gomes should see increased work behind the dish if Contreras misses additional time.

Contreras is serving as the DH and batting first in Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks.

After catching and batting second Friday, Contreras gets a break behind the plate Saturday, though the Cubs will keep his bat in the lineup. He's 2-for-7 in his career against Arizona starter Madison Bumgarner and has pounded lefties so far this season to the tune of a .618 slugging percentage, so it could be an advantageous matchup. Contreras has also been solid this month with a .913 OPS.

Contreras went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and four RBI in Monday's win over the Pirates.

Batting first for the Cubs, Contreras started the game with a solo shot, and Chicago didn't look back in the 9-0 romp. The catcher is up to five home runs this season, with three of those coming in the past nine games, so he seems to be finding his power stroke. Contreras also has a strong .283 average and .906 OPS, and he should remain one of the top options at his position so long as he stays healthy.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and three runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Padres.

Contreras has heated up this month, as he's now batting .458 in May with two home runs, three RBI six runs scored. For the season, he's up to a robust .935 OPS with four total home runs, as he's been the Cubs' best offensive player. The Chicago catcher should remain a strong fantasy asset as long as he stays healthy.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a solo homer, three runs and a walk in the victory over the Padres on Wednesday.

Contreras launched a solo shot off Nick Martinez in the first inning and later singled and walked, coming around to score in both instances. He now has four long balls on the season and two in his last five games. The catcher has notched four multi-hit performances in his last five contests, raising his average from .227 to a team-best .304 over that stretch. Contreras continues to operate as one of the best fantasy catchers in 2022, producing a .304/.413/.522 slash line with 10 RBI and 19 runs over 92 at-bats in 25 games this year.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Monday's win over the Padres.

All three hits were singles, but fantasy managers aren't complaining about the recent hot stretch by Contreras. He's gone 9-for-21 over his last six games, which has raised his batting average for the year to .279. If that holds up, it would be the highest mark for the catcher since he batted .282 during his 2016 rookie season.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in Sunday's 7-1 loss to the Dodgers.

The Cubs are scuffling at just 9-18, but Contreras has played well lately, going 6-for-17 across his last five games with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. He should remain a solid fantasy catcher, though run-producing opportunities may be somewhat limited moving forward if the team continues to struggle as a whole. As it stands, Contreras looks like Chicago's most proven offensive commodity at the moment.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with a triple, a solo home run and two runs scored in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Dodgers.

Contreras was an effective leadoff hitter in Saturday's nightcap but the Cubs still fell 6-2 as they dropped both games in the doubleheader. Despite his team's struggles, the Chicago catcher is playing pretty well with an .820 OPS and three home runs across 20 games. Contreras could be a trade candidate, however, if the Cubs continue to fall out of contention, as he's in the last year of his contract.

Contreras is starting at catcher and batting first in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Dodgers.

The Cubs are struggling at just 9-15, so manager David Ross will mix things up and bat Contreras leadoff for the first time this season. The catcher did bat first 34 times last year, so he has some experience in the role. Contreras has a .236/.337/.403 slash line so far in 2022.

Contreras (undisclosed) is starting Wednesday against the White Sox.

Contreras missed the last two games with an unspecified injury but will start behind the plate and bat fourth Wednesday. Over the three games prior to his absence, he went 2-for-9 with two walks and three strikeouts.

Contreras is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury but is available off the bench, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Manager David Ross mentioned Contreras' injury as the reason for his second consecutive absence Tuesday but declined to specify exactly what was wrong, citing "competitive" reasons. Yan Gomes will start behind the plate Tuesday, but the fact that Contreras is available off the bench suggests that he could be back in the lineup soon.

Contreras will sit Tuesday against the White Sox.

Contreras sits for the second straight game. It's possible he's dealing with a minor injury or illness, as his .250/.354/.426 slash line doesn't suggest he deserves to lose playing time. Yan Gomes remains the starter behind the plate.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.

Contreras will head to the bench after starting the past nine games, and he hit .273/.385/.364 with three doubles, six walks, four RBI and six runs during that stretch. Yan Gomes will take over behind the plate in Sunday's series finale at Milwaukee.

Contreras went 3-for-5 with a walk, a double, three runs scored and three RBI in Saturday's win over the Pirates.

Contreras was one of the engines in Chicago's easy 21-0 win Saturday. The catcher came into the contest with only three RBI this season, though he managed to double that number. He also pushed his OPS to .848, which would be the highest for Contreras since he recorded an .888 OPS back in 2019.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Thursday's loss to the Pirates.

Chicago mustered only four hits and three runs, making Contreras arguably their most effective hitter on the night. The catcher is now batting .237 this season, which was his final average last season, and his .815 OPS is a bit ahead of his .778 mark from 2021. Fantasy managers look to Contreras for some pop, as he supplied 21 home runs a season ago and a career-best 24 back in 2019. He has two long balls through 10 games this season.

Contreras isn't starting Wednesday against the Rays.

Contreras drew starts in the last five games and hit .182 with a homer, two doubles, two runs and two RBI. Yan Gomes will start behind the dish and bat eighth Wednesday.

Contreras went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI in Friday's loss to the Rockies.

Contreras got a breather for Thursday's series opener, but he quickly took advantage of Coors Field on Friday. The Chicago catcher is off to a nice start, batting .389 with a 1.222 OPS through five games. He's only driven in two runs across those contests, but if Contreras keeps hitting like this, the counting stats should follow.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rockies.

He'll sit for the second time in six games this season while Yan Gomes gets a turn behind the plate. Contreras turned in his best game of the season in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to the Pirates, hitting a thunderous solo home run while coming around to score the Cubs' other run of the day after reaching base on a double.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and two runs in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to the Pirates.

Contreras opened the scoring in the contest, taking the Pirates' starter Zach Thompson deep for a solo-shot in the top of the first inning. He later ripped a ground-rule double off of Thompson, narrowly missing an opportunity to leg-out a three-bagger. The multi-hit effort was his first of the season as he added his first couple extra-base knocks of the 2022 campaign as well. Contreras continues to represent an elite fantasy option at the shallow catcher position.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Sunday's game versus Milwaukee.

Contreras started behind the plate the first two games of the season and will take the day off in the series finale against the Brewers. Yan Gomes will catch for Marcus Stroman on Sunday as both veterans make their debut in Chicago.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, a walk and a hit-by-pitch in a 9-0 win Saturday over the Brewers.

Contreras walked and scored in the first and singled and scored in the sixth. The two-time All-Star was beaned on a 3-0 pitch by Brandon Woodruff in the fourth, the second consecutive game he's been hit by a Milwaukee pitcher. Barring a surprise extension, the 30-year-old is expected to reach free agency for the first time following the season. Since making his debut in 2016, Contreras has been one of the best catchers in baseball and he will likely receive a healthy payday if he puts up numbers similar to his career .806 OPS this year.

Contreras went 1-for-1 with a walk and a two-run home run in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks.

Contreras is only batting .222 this spring, though his 1.089 OPS is much more impressive. The veteran catcher did not reach a deal with the Cubs before the arbitration deadline earlier this month, so he will have a hearing coming up in the near future. Contreras is under team control through the end of 2022, though Chicago could of course trade him at some point during the season. For now, he profiles as the team's everyday backstop, with Yan Gomes serving in a reserve role.

Contreras and the Cubs did not reach a deal Tuesday and will head to an arbitration hearing, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Tuesday marked the deadline for arbitration-eligible players to reach a deal with their teams without a hearing. With no deal between the Cubs and Contreras, contract talks will now drag into the season due to the lockout pushing back the entire process. Of course, Chicago could also decide to trade its top catcher after moving cornerstone players Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez before last season's trade deadline. Contreras is under team control through the end of this year, so he'll be a logical trade candidate as long as no extension is in place.

Contreras will likely be one of several players that Chicago manager David Ross rotates into the designated hitter spot this season, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

Contreras missed a month last season with a knee injury and still finished seventh in the league in innings behind the plate, so his workload was certainly heavy while he was healthy. The Cubs will likely try to ease up on the 29-year-old a bit in 2022, and the DH spot will allow them to keep him fresher. Ian Happ (elbow), Clint Frazier and Nick Madrigal were also identified as likely DH candidates, and Ross figures to rotate players in and out of the role.

Contreras and the Cubs could work out a contract extension before the start of the regular season, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

Contreras was one of the only veterans the Cubs didn't trade at the deadline last season, as Kris Bryant, Javier Baez and Anthony Rizzo all got moved. Heading into the offseason, a Contreras extension was a hot topic, as 2022 is his last year under team control. The lockout put a pause on any negotiations, but with the luxury tax threshold going up in the new agreement, the Cubs might be willing and able to spend on their star catcher. If the sides can't reach a deal, Contreras will be a likely trade candidate this summer on his expiring contract.

The Cubs placed Contreras (hip) on the 10-day injured list Sunday, Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Chicago called up Tyler Payne from Triple-A Iowa to provide catching depth behind starter Erick Castillo in Sunday's season finale in St. Louis. Though he'll close the campaign on the shelf, Contreras' inflamed right hip shouldn't provide any major complications during his offseason training program heading into 2022. Contreras remained one of the top fantasy options at catcher this season, batting .237 with 21 home runs, 61 runs, 57 RBI and five stolen bases across 483 plate appearances.

Contreras exited Saturday's game against the Cardinals with right hip tightness, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Contreras exited in the third inning with the injury, though he walked and struck out in two plate appearances prior to the issue. Though there has been no official word, there is a strong possibility that Contreras will be forced to miss Sunday's season finale and that his 2021 campaign is complete. Erick Castillo took over behind the plate to replace Contreras.

Contreras, who is under team control through 2022, said he would "love to stay here" when asked about the possibility of a contract extension this offseason, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Now the team's longest-tenured player following midseason trades of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez, Contreras said he would like to stick around in Chicago as the club rebuilds, though he admitted he'd like to see the organization approach that process aggressively before deciding on an extension. "I'm not sure how long it's going to take," Contreras said. "I wish I could have a timeframe for that rebuild, but I'm here to help this team to win in as many ways as I can." The 29-year-old catcher has a .778 OPS and 21 home runs this season, and he should remain among the top fantasy options at the position next year at age 30.

Contreras isn't starting Friday's game against the Cardinals.

Contreras returned to the lineup in each of the last two games and went 4-for-8 with two doubles, four RBI and two runs. Erick Castillo will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Pirates.

Contreras hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to put the Cubs up 1-0. Then with Chicago down 2-1 in the seventh, the catcher doubled in two more runs to help snap his team's seven-game losing streak. Contreras has been locked in lately, as he's batting .310 across his last 10 games. The 29-year-old looks primed to finish the season on a positive note and turn his attention toward 2022, when he should again be one of the top fantasy options at his position.

Contreras (wrist) is starting Wednesday's game against the Pirates.

Contreras didn't start Tuesday's contest due to wrist soreness, but he appeared off the bench and went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter. He'll start behind the plate and bat third Wednesday.

Contreras isn't starting Tuesday's game against the Pirates due to wrist soreness, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Although Austin Romine is starting at catcher in Contreras' place Tuesday, the 29-year-old's injury isn't considered serious. Manager David Ross said Tuesday that he's hopeful the backstop will be able to return to action Wednesday.

Contreras isn't starting Tuesday's game against the Pirates.

Contreras started each of the last two games and went 3-for-8 with a double, two runs, two RBI and a walk during that time. Austin Romine will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Contreras will sit for the second half of Friday's doubleheader against the Cardinals.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in the first game of the twin bill. He won't be asked to catch twice in one day, so he'll rest in the nightcap while Austin Romine starts behind the plate.

Contreras isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBI, a walk and a strikeout in Tuesday's loss to the Twins, but he'll retreat to the bench for the second time in the last three games. Robinson Chirinos will start at catcher and bat sixth.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional RBI against Minnesota in a loss Tuesday.

The backstop put Chicago on the board in the first inning with a sacrifice fly, and he gave the Cubs their first lead two innings later with a solo shot to left field. The homer was his 21st of the campaign, good for second among National League catchers behind Will Smith. Contreras has blasted three long balls in his past five games, going 5-for-16 with six RBI over that span.

Contreras is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a home run Saturday and is now hitting .206 with three home runs and seven RBI in his last 10 games. Austin Romine starts behind the dish and bars eighth Sunday.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run and two total RBI in Saturday's loss to the Brewers.

Contreras is batting just .206 over his last 10 games, though he does have three home runs in the stretch, giving him 20 long balls for the year. It's the third time the catcher has reached the 20-homer plateau in his six-year MLB career. His career high is the 24 home runs he blasted back in 2019, so Contreras has a shot at reaching or surpassing that mark in the Cubs' final 13 games.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Thursday's loss to the Phillies.

Contreras missed some time recently due to a knee injury, but he's still been able to reach 19 home runs in 115 games of action. If the catcher pops one more long ball down the stretch, he'll hit the 20-homer mark for the third time in his six-year MLB career. His career high is 24 home runs, which he recorded across just 105 games back in 2019. Contreras should have a few more chances to go deep this year, though the 66-81 Cubs will likely give him some rest days too as they turn their attention to 2022.

Contreras isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.

Contreras will get a breather after he went 3-for-17 with two runs, two RBI and two walks across his last five appearances. Robinson Chirinos will start behind the plate and bat fifth.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with two RBI in Saturday's loss to the Giants.

Contreras made his return from a knee injury a week ago and has been understandably rusty after missing nearly a month. The catcher came into Saturday's contest with just three hits in 19 at-bats since coming off the injured list, so it was good to see him string together multiple hits. With the Cubs sitting at 65-78 and outside the playoff picture, Contreras will likely receive plenty of rest days down the stretch as the team turns its attention to 2022.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Reds on Tuesday.

The homer was Contreras' first since July 29 and it came in his fourth game back from a knee injury. He was batting leadoff against a lefty, which should be expected to be the norm down the stretch. While it's been a disappointing season overall for Contreras, only Will Smith of the Dodgers has more home runs among NL catchers.

Contreras is not in the lineup Sunday against the Pirates.

Contreras went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run in his return from the injured list Saturday, and he'll head to the bench for the series finale. Robinson Chirinos will catch for Zach Davies and bat seventh Sunday.

Contreras went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and two strikeouts in Saturday's 7-6 win over Pittsburgh.

The catcher missed over three weeks with a right knee sprain, and he wasn't able to knock off the rust immediately. Contreras is still likely to serve as the Cubs' primary catcher for the final month of the season. He's slashing .224/.332/.414 with 17 home runs, 40 RBI, 49 runs scored and four stolen bases in 105 games.

Contreras (knee) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Saturday.

Contreras has been deemed good to go after completing a three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa, during which he went 2-for-11 with a pair of homers. He has been on the shelf since Aug. 11 with a right knee sprain. It's been a disappointing past couple seasons for Contreras, but he's a two-time All-Star and there are no questions about his role down the stretch. Next season will be his last before free agency.

Contreras (knee) reported to Triple-A Iowa to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday.

Contreras progressed to catching bullpen sessions and taking part in baserunning drills over the weekend, which were apparently some of the final hurdles before starting a rehab stint. The 29-year-old has been sidelined nearly three weeks by the knee sprain, and he should be able to rejoin the big-league club after a few appearances in the minors.

Contreras (knee) caught a bullpen session and participated in baserunning drills Saturday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Contreras has been on the injured list for just over two weeks, but he's been increasing his activity level recently. Manager David Ross said the backstop is expected to begin a rehab assignment early next week, which would likely put him on track to return to the major-league club late in the week or over the weekend.

Contreras (knee) will likely require a rehab assignment before he's reinstated from the 10-day injured list, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Contreras has been going through his full pregame routine recently, but the Cubs will likely choose to give him at-bats in the minors before he rejoins the major-league club. He's unlikely to require many rehab appearances, but the team will be able to use him as a designated hitter if he returns during the current road trip.

Contreras (knee) could return Friday as the designated hitter for the upcoming series against the White Sox and Twins, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

Contreras has already missed the minimum 10 days with a sprained right knee, but it doesn't sound as though he'll have to miss too much more time. He may not be ready to catch yet, but as long as the Cubs trust him to run the bases, he could return to the roster as an offense-only player until his knee fully heals.

Contreras was spotted Sunday testing his sprained right knee by running the bases, Brian Sandalow of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

According to manager David Ross, Contreras has been able to do some catching in addition to running, but his knee hasn't healed enough for the backstop to take part in blocking drills behind the plate. Sandalow speculates that if Contreras is activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of next weekend's road series versus the White Sox, he could be deployed as a designated hitter before catching in games.

Contreras (knee) played catch and went through some agility drills before Monday's game against the Reds.

Contreras first sustained his knee sprain during pregame catching drills Thursday, so it's good to see him get in some activity before a game, even if it's light. The catcher will be out until next week at least, and with the team squarely outside of the playoff hunt, they likely won't rush him back into a heavy workload anytime soon.

Contreras' knee sprain isn't considered a serious one, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The injury was bad enough to send him to the injured list, but the Cubs called that move precautionary. The team has little reason to risk any further injury for Contreras, who's one of the team's only remaining regulars following a major sell-off at the deadline. The team now sits 14 games out of a playoff spot and has very little to play for down the stretch, so the last thing they'll want to do is risk long-term injury to one of their best remaining players.

Contreras was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain Thursday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Contreras went 0-for-2 with a strikeout Wednesday, and he's apparently dealing with a knee issue that will force him to miss additional time. It's not yet clear whether he'll be sidelined longer than the minimum of 10 days, but Robinson Chirinos is in line to see increased playing time, while Austin Romine (wrist) was also reinstated from the 60-day IL.

Contreras will be on the bench for the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Brewers.

Contreras went 0-for-3 in the first half of the twin bill, dropping his batting average to .228. He unsurprisingly won't be asked to catch two games in one day, so he'll sit in favor of Robinson Chirinos for the nightcap.

Contreras is not in the lineup Friday against the White Sox.

Contreras started the past three games and will receive a day off after going 3-for-12 with a double, a walk, three RBI, three runs and five strikeouts. Robinson Chirinos will work behind the plate in his place.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored Thursday against the Rockies.

Contreras contributed to a four-run rally for the Cubs in the fifth inning by doubling home two. That his was lone hit of the day, though he tallied a hit in each of the team's games at Coors Field and collected three RBI and three runs scored in the three-game set. Overall, Contreras is now hitting .233/.341/.430 across 387 plate appearances this season.

Contreras is not starting Sunday against the Nationals.

Contreras started the last three games and will take a seat after going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts Saturday. Robinson Chirinos will start behind the plate and bat seventh in his place in the series finale.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's loss to the Reds.

Contreras popped his 17th home run of the season in the fifth inning against Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo with a runner on. The Chicago catcher should remain a key part of the team's lineup, unless he's moved before Friday's deadline, as the Cubs already traded Anthony Rizzo Thursday and could continue to move on from some of their core players.

Contreras isn't starting Wednesday against Cincinnati.

Contreras drew starts in each of the last four games, but he'll get a chance to regroup after he went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts Tuesday. Robinson Chirinos will start behind the dish and bat seventh.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Saturday against the Diamondbacks.

Contreras delivered a leadoff home run in the fourth inning, his 15th long ball of the campaign. He was also ejected from the game arguing a call against Jason Heyward, though it was in the bottom of the ninth inning so did not cost him any plate appearances. Contreras has been on a modest power surge of late, delivering two home runs and two doubles across his last six starts. For the season, he is hitting.239/.350/.433 across 346 plate appearances.

Contreras is not in the lineup Friday against the Diamondbacks.

Contreras started the past four contests and will take a seat after going 3-for-15 with two doubles and a walk during that stretch. Robinson Chirinos will work behind the plate in his absence.

Contreras is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.

A 3-for-4 effort with a home run and two RBI on Saturday raised Contreras' average to .306 since the start of July. He's also drawn seven walks in that 10-game span. Robinson Chirinos will catch and bat eighth Sunday.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 4-2 win over Arizona.

Contreras scored the Cubs' first run of the game when he scored on a sixth-inning double by Javier Baez. In the ninth, Contreras put the Cubs ahead for the first time with his two-run blast, and that stood up for a win. The catcher has hit safely in eight of his 10 games in July, going 11-for-36 (.306) in that span. He's slashing .241/.350/.431 with 14 homers, 33 RBI, 38 runs scored and three stolen bases through 322 plate appearances overall. His homer Saturday was his first since June 24.

Contreras is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

The 29-year-old has gone 1-for-4 in four consecutive games en route to a .286 average with one RBI in 29 at-bats this month. Robinson Chirinos will catch and bat eighth in Sunday's series finale.

Contreras isn't starting Thursday's game against the Phillies.

Contreras had started in each of the last eight contests, and he reached base safely in each of those appearances. During that time, he went 8-for-26 with two doubles, a run, an RBI and 10 walks. Robinson Chirinos will start behind the plate and bat fifth.

Contreras isn't starting Monday's game against the Brewers.

Contreras will get a day off after he went 0-for-10 with seven strikeouts across the last three games. Jose Lobaton will start at catcher and bat eighth.

Contreras took a fastball off his left hand in Friday's game against the Dodgers but was able to finish out the contest and seems to have avoided a serious injury, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

Contreras took a 98 mph pitch from Los Angeles reliever Joe Kelly off his left hand in the sixth inning but was not lifted for a pinch runner. The Chicago catcher had one more at-bat, striking out in the eighth inning. Manager David Ross said it was a "good sign" that Contreras "got through the game and was still able to compete at a high level," but the team will know more after checking him out on Saturday. It's possible that Contreras gets a day off to let his bruise heal, but at this point, it looks like he avoided a more serious injury.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 4-0 victory over the Dodgers on Thursday.

Contreras provided some insurance with his sixth inning home run to left off Walker Buehler, though Chicago wouldn't need it as the staff threw a combined no-hitter. It was his second straight game with a home run as Contreras has put together a nice three-game stretch, going 5-for-11 with two doubles and two home runs.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Tuesday's win over Cleveland.

Contreras made it 5-0 Chicago on an RBI single in the sixth inning, then hit his 12th home run of the season in the eighth to make it 6-1. The catcher is having another solid campaign with a .766 OPS and the dozen long balls, which is good for third on the team, though his .237 batting average would be a new career low.

Contreras isn't starting Saturday's game against the Marlins.

Contreras has gone 0-for-7 with a walk and two strikeouts across his last three appearances, and he'll retreat to the bench for the second time in the last four games. Jose Lobaton will start at catcher and bat eighth.

Contreras is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Mets.

Contreras started the previous five games and will receive the day off Wednesday in New York. Jose Lobaton will work behind the plate in his place for the Cubs.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and two runs scored in Friday's win over the Cardinals.

Contreras hit his 11th home run of the season in the eighth inning, giving the Cubs their final run of the day in the 8-5 victory. The catcher is third on the team in long balls, trailing Javier Baez (14 home runs) and Kris Bryant (13). Contreras is one of the best-hitting backstops in the game and should remain a strong fantasy asset.

Contreras isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Padres.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's win over San Diego, but he'll get a breather in Wednesday's series finale. P.J. Higgins will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run as Chicago beat San Diego 7-1 Tuesday.

Contreras opened the scoring with a 419-foot bomb to left off starter Dinelson Lamet but failed to make any other offensive impact. The home run ended an 0-for-11 skid for the backstop as a starter and he's now slashing a quality .245/.341/.435 in 55 games.

Contreras is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Giants.

Contreras will rest up Sunday after starting the first three games of the series in San Francisco. P.J. Higgins will get the start behind the plate, though Contreras could be an option to pinch hit later in the contest.

Contreras isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Padres.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double and a strikeout in Tuesday's win over San Diego. P.J. Higgins will start at catcher and bat eighth.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run home run in Tuesday's win over the Padres.

Contreras led off in this one and provided a much-needed offensive boost in the 4-3 win. The Chicago catcher now has nine home runs and 24 RBI through 49 games, and he should continue to be a reliable fantasy backstop the rest of the way.

Contreras (wrist) is starting Wednesday's game against the Pirates.

Contreras took a pitch to the wrist while catching Sunday and was held out of Tuesday's lineup as a result. However, he underwent X-rays that came back negative, and he'll start behind the plate and bat fifth Wednesday.

Contreras is expected to take swings in the cage Tuesday after X-rays on his wrist came back negative according to manager David Ross Maddie Lee of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

The catcher is not in the lineup against the Pirates after taking a pitch to the wrist while catching Sunday. However, he does not appear destined to miss prolonged time given Tuesday's positive news. It's unknown if the backstop could be a pinch hit option Tuesday.

Contreras (wrist) is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Pirates.

Contreras took a fastball to the wrist while catching in Sunday's game against the Cardinals but was able to stay in the game. However, with the backstop out of the lineup for Tuesday's series opener, it seems fair to reason that his wrist is not 100 percent. It's unclear at this point if Contreras will be available off the bench Tuesday.

Contreras suffered a left wrist injury late in Sunday's win over the Cardinals, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Contreras was hit on the wrist by a 99 mph fastball while catching in the bottom of the 10th inning Sunday, but he was able to remain in the game after he was examined by trainers. The Cubs have a scheduled day off Monday, and Contreras will be monitored in the coming days to determine the extent of the issue.

Contreras will sit Thursday against the Nationals.

Contreras has handled a very heavy workload behind the plate this season but will sit for the day game after playing Wednesday evening. P.J. Higgins will catch Trevor Williams in his absence.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored in Monday's 7-3 win over the Nationals.

Contreras batted leadoff in this one and he made his presence felt in his second at-bat, taking former teammate Jon Lester deep for his eighth home run of the season. The slugging catcher has now batted first in three of the Cubs' last four games, and Contreras had the day off in the other contest, so it looks like manager David Ross is comfortable with him in the role. Contreras doesn't offer the speed of a more traditional leadoff hitter, but he's adept at getting on base and should be able to score plenty of runs.

Contreras will sit Saturday against the Tigers.

Contreras has handled one of the heaviest workloads among all catchers this season, but even he can't start every game behind the plate. He'll get a rest after starting seven straight contests, with Tony Wolters taking over in his absence.

Contreras went 4-for-5 with four singles and a strikeout in Wednesday's 2-1 extra-inning loss to Cleveland.

Contreras did his part to keep the line moving Wednesday. He's rebounded after a tough stretch to start May -- the catcher has gone 7-for-14 with a pair of RBI and a run scored in his last four games. For the season, he's posted a .248/.349/.459 slash line with seven home runs, 18 RBI, 18 runs scored and two stolen bases in 129 plate appearances.

Contreras will be on the bench for the second half of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Dodgers.

Contreras went 0-for-3 with a walk in the afternoon game. It's no surprise to see that he won't be asked to catch two games in one day. Tony Wolters will take over behind the plate in his absence.

Contreras (thigh) will return to the lineup for Monday's game against the Dodgers, catching and batting fifth.

Contreras sat for two straight games with a minor thigh issue, though he did appear off the bench Sunday. He'll be involved from the start this time around and will look to build on his .238/.333/.512 slash line.

Contreras (thigh) is not in the lineup Sunday against the Reds.

The 28-year-old will be sidelined for the second consecutive contest after exiting Friday's game with mild tightness in his right thigh. Contreras should be considered day-to-day while Tony Wolters receives another start behind the plate for Chicago.

Contreras (thigh) isn't starting Saturday's game against the Reds.

Contreras exited Friday's series opener against Cincinnati due to mild right thigh tightness, and he'll be out of the lineup Saturday as a result. Tony Wolters will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Contreras exited Friday's game against the Reds due to mild right thigh tightness, Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Contreras hit a single in the fifth inning Friday, but he exited with a trainer once he reached first base. While the Cubs described his injury as minor, it's not clear whether Contreras will be forced to miss additional time. Prior to his departure, Contreras went 2-for-3 with a double.

Contreras went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run and two runs scored in Monday's 8-7 loss to Atlanta.

Contreras is only batting .239 but he has an .894 OPS, which has been boosted significantly by his seven home runs in just 21 games. The catcher's career high in home runs is 24, which he recorded across 105 games back in 2019. Contreras looks poised to surpass that number if he stays healthy this year. He's already matched his 2020 long ball total, and it took him 57 games to reach the figure a year ago.

Contreras is not in Sunday's lineup against the Brewers.

Contreras has started five consecutive games so will get a breather Sunday in the series finale with the team squaring off against Brandon Woodruff. Austin Romine will take over behind the plate and bat eighth.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run, one walk and two strikeouts in Friday's win over the Brewers.

Contreras struck out in his first two at-bats Friday, but his three-run blast in the sixth inning gave the team a 15-2 lead over Milwaukee. The 28-year-old has now reached base safely in each of his last 15 games, and he's slashing .267/.384/.583 with six home runs and 13 RBI this season.

Contreras went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in Wednesday's 16-4 win over the Mets.

Contreras has playing well lately, as he's now 11-for-30 across his last eight games with four home runs, six RBI and seven runs scored. The catcher has primarily been batting second for the Cubs, so he should be able to keep scoring runs in bunches, though he might not see as many RBI opportunities as he did in previous seasons when he batted a bit lower in the order.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with two home runs in Saturday's win over the Braves.

Contreras took Huascar Ynoa deep twice, launching a solo shot in the first inning and adding another solo bomb in the third. The star backstop has six homers on the year and has been one of the few bright spots in the Cubs lineup this season, hitting safely in seven games in a row while posting a .282 average through his first 13 contests.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a strikeout in Friday's loss to Atlanta.

Contreras was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat Friday, but he responded with his third home run of the year in the fifth inning. The 28-year-old is now slashing .257/.413/.514 with seven runs and four RBI to begin the season.

Contreras isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Brewers.

Contreras blasted a key home run in Tuesday's win over Milwaukee, but he'll get a breather for Wednesday's series finale. Austin Romine will start behind the dish, batting eighth.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and two runs scored in Tuesday's win over the Brewers.

The Cubs were stymied by Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff, scoring just one run across six innings, but Contreras hit a two-run shot off of Brent Suter in the eighth that ultimately gave Chicago the 3-2 win. It was the second home run of the season for the catcher, who has recorded a hit in five straight games to raise his season average to .226. That number should continue to climb, and Contreras can be counted on for solid production at his position if he stays healthy.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a walk in Monday's loss against the Brewers.

Contreras has hit safely in each of the Cubs' last four games, but he hasn't produced a lot of offense with only one homer and three RBI across his first 10 contests. The star catcher is hitting just .214 thus far, though the entire Cubs lineup has been struggling early in the year.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers.

After being drilled by a pitch for the second time in as many days in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 4-0 loss to Milwaukee, Contreras took exception and exchanged words with Brewers pitcher Brad Boxberger, inciting a benches-clearing confrontation between both clubs. Though no ejections were made and no discipline from MLB is expected, Contreras will nonetheless get some time on the bench to cool off while Tony Wolters pick up a start behind the dish in the series finale. Contreras should check back into the lineup for Thursday's series opener in Pittsburgh.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Monday's win over the Brewers.

Contreras went deep against Milwaukee starter Brett Anderson during a four-run fourth inning, giving the Chicago catcher his first long ball of the season. Contreras had seven home runs in 57 games last season and posted a career-high 24 homers in the team's last full season back in 2019. He could certainly surpass that figure in 2021 if he stays healthy.

Contreras is starting at catcher and batting second in Sunday's game against the Pirates.

Contreras led off Saturday's game with Ian Happ out of the lineup, going 0-for-2 with two walks, but he'll bump back to second with Happ back in there Sunday. It's also the third straight start behind the plate for Contreras to start the season, so the Cubs do seem intent on riding their 28-year-old backstop, though he'll likely see an off day fairly soon.

Contreras is starting at catcher and batting first in Saturday's game against the Pirates.

It's not every day that a catcher bats leadoff, but Contreras was already batting second for the Cubs, and he'll now move up a spot with Ian Happ out of Saturday's lineup. Contreras doesn't offer a ton of speed atop the lineup, though he's good at getting on base and could score a handful of runs if the Chicago bats behind him are able to get going after a sluggish season opener Thursday.

Contreras went 0-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and a stolen base in Thursday's 5-3 loss to Pittsburgh.

It was a productive, albeit hitless performance for Contreras who reached base on an error, and then a fielder's choice, before finishing the contest with a sacrifice fly late. Contreras has been an inconsistent hitter the last few years, excelling in 2017 and 2019, but struggling considerably in 2018 and 2020. Manager David Ross clearly has faith in the catcher's ability to bounce back in 2021 as Contreras hit second in Thursday's order. The 28-year-old figures to start the majority of Chicago's games largely because of backup catcher Tony Wolters' lack of offensive potential.

Contreras went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two runs scored in Monday's Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks.

The catcher finished the exhibition schedule with a flourish, bringing his spring slash line to a robust .317/.440/.756. Contreras batted second in this one and looks likely to slot in there during the regular season. With the likes of Ian Happ, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant around him in the order, Contreras should be able to post strong numbers in 2021.

Contreras, who slotted in as the No. 2 hitter for Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Padres, could hit there regularly this season, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Wednesday's lineup could be a preview of Opening Day for the Cubs, with Ian Happ first and Contreras second, followed by Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Joc Pederson and Javier Baez. Rizzo hit second 38 times last season to lead the team, but manager David Ross said he'll "definitely consider" moving Contreras up and having Rizzo and Bryant hit 3-4. Contreras should post strong numbers no matter where he slots into the lineup, but hitting second should give him more at-bats over the course of the season than if he hit lower in the order.

Contreras, who is under team control through the 2022 season, said he is open to a contract extension during spring training, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Contreras and the Cubs avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $6.65 million contract last month, and the catcher will be arbitration eligible again next offseason. He said he is "willing to listen to whatever they have" in terms of extension offers, though the team is also dealing with similar decisions around star players Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez. Contreras will look to bounce back and prove his value after a subpar 2020 season in which he posted a .763 OPS in 57 games, down from his .888 mark in 2019.

Contreras and the Cubs agreed to a one-year, $6.65 million contract Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Contreras has been the subject of trade rumors this winter, but he remains in Chicago for now. Wherever he winds up, he'll remain one of the top offensive catchers in the game, as he's posted an average or better slash line in each of his five big-league seasons, including a .243/.356/.407 line last season.

The Cubs scratched Contreras from the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox, Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Contreras was in line to serve as Chicago's designated hitter in the regular-season finale, but those duties will now fall to Javier Baez instead. Manager David Ross noted that nothing is physically wrong with Contreras; the skipper just decided that he wanted to get Baez some more at-bats heading into the postseason.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a walk, two home runs, three runs scored and four RBI in Friday's 10-0 win over the White Sox.

Contreras had a huge game and was instrumental in the big win over the Cubs' crosstown rivals. The catcher now has seven home runs and 26 RBI this season, and he'll look to carry some momentum into the playoffs, which start next week.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in Friday's 1-0 win over the Twins.

Rich Hill and Caleb Thielbar limited the Cubs to just three total hits, but Contreras managed two of them, and the Chicago catcher drove in the game's only run. Contreras is now batting .256 with a .760 OPS and 22 RBI in 49 games.

Contreras went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a walk, an RBI and two runs in a victory over the Reds on Thursday.

Contreras reached base five times in the win, tying his career high with four hits. The offensive display continued a strong month for the backstop, who is hitting .457 (16-for-35) with 10 runs scored and eight RBI in September.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and four total RBI in Friday's 4-1 win over the Cardinals.

Contreras hit a two-run single in the first inning to open the scoring. He added an RBI single in the third and then went yard in the sixth to cap off a strong overall performance. Contreras has found his touch in September -- he's 8-for-17 (.471) with five RBI and six runs scored in his last four games. The 28-year-old is now slashing .234/.329/.411 with five homers, 17 RBI, 26 runs scored and a stolen base through 37 contests overall.

Contreras went 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored in Wednesday's 8-2 win over the Pirates.

Contreras slotted in second in the order with Kris Bryant out of the lineup, and the Chicago catcher responded. It's been a rough go of it so far for Contreras, as he entered the night batting under .200. The three-hit effort bumped his average up to .216, and perhaps it will get him going at the plate for a sustained period of time.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's loss to the Reds.

Cincinnati's Robert Stephenson threw a high fastball in the ninth -- not too high for Contreras, who put the ball out to center field on a line drive. Contreras' season numbers are not impressive, but he now has two home runs in his last three games and we're still at the point where a few big games can change the narrative quickly.

Contreras is the designated hitter and batting fifth in Friday's game against the Cubs.

Contreras will get a night off behind the plate, with Victor Caratini handling catching duties. After a strong summer camp, Contreras has yet to really get going for the Cubs, as he's slashing just .207/.321/.370 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 29 games so far.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to Detroit on Tuesday.

Though Contreras' long ball was an afterthought on the scoreboard -- it came with Chicago down by seven runs in the ninth inning -- it could help the backstop get back on the right track as he had last gone deep Aug. 4. Since that date, Contreras went 7-for-52 (.135) with only one extra-base hit and 19 strikeouts before his 418-foot blast Tuesday. His season slash line of .216/.333/.386 is well below his career norm.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a walk, a double, a run scored and an RBI in Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader against the Cardinals.

Contreras played a key role in a four-run sixth inning that rallied the Cubs to a 5-4 victory. His one-out double brought home Javier Baez and trimmed the St. Louis lead to 4-2. He then came around to score on David Bote's go-ahead three-run home run. It's been a tough few days for Contreras, who was ejected from Wednesday's game against Cleveland and came into Monday hitless in his last five contests. The 28-year-old backstop is now batting .231 with a .753 OPS, and both of those figures should continue to climb.

Contreras was ejected from Wednesday's game against the Indians during the fifth inning, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

The 28-year-old was unhappy with a check-swing call during his third at-bat and was subsequently tossed from the contest. Contreras went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts prior to exiting. Backup catcher Victor Caratini took over behind the plate, but since he was already serving as the designated hitter, the Cubs lose the extra bat for the remainder of game.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a single, an RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Royals.

Batting cleanup as the DH, Contreras drove in a run in the eighth and then stole second off Gabe Speier and Salvador Perez, matching his stolen-base total from all of last season. Contreras also has a couple homers already and is batting north of .300 through 11 games.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Royals.

Contreras extended the Cubs' lead to 5-2 in the eighth inning and they ended up needing the insurance run. The Chicago catcher has been locked in with a 1.013 OPS through 10 games, and he should continue to post strong numbers from the middle of the team's lineup.

Contreras isn't starting Tuesday against the Reds.

Contreras had started in each of the Cubs' first four games this year, but he'll take a seat Tuesday after putting together multi-hit performances in the past two games. Victor Caratini will start behind the plate, batting second.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's win over the Brewers.

Contreras was scorching hot in summer camp with six home runs, and now he has his first long ball that counts in 2020. The 28-year-old caught two of the Cubs' first three games, with an appearance at DH in between. That formula could be used the rest of the way to limit the wear and tear on Contreras behind the plate.

Contreras is the designated hitter and batting fifth in Saturday's game against the Brewers.

In Friday's season opener, Contreras started at catcher while Victor Caratini served as DH. The two are simply flipping roles Saturday, and the Cubs could do this regularly throughout the season to keep both players in the lineup while limiting their time behind the plate.

Contreras went 3-for-3 with two solo home runs in Wednesday's scrimmage against the Twins.

Contreras has been on fire in summer camp, Counting intrasquad games as well as scrimmages against other clubs, the catcher now has six home runs. If Contreras can carry this into the regular season, he should be very productive over the 60-game slate.

Contreras homered in Tuesday's intrasquad game and now leads the Cubs with three home runs during summer camp, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Contreras is off to a strong start in camp and seems poised to post good numbers in the 60-game regular season if he stays healthy. The team has already announced that Victor Caratini will be the personal catcher for Yu Darvish, which should ease the burden on Contreras behind the plate.

Contreras, who has consistently performed better in the first half of seasons, could excel during a shortened 2020 slate, Max Goodman of SI.com reports.

For his career, Contreras has posted better offensive numbers across the board in the first half of seasons. Last year, he led the Cubs with a .294 average and .965 OPS through 82 games. This isn't particularly surprising, given the wear and tear that comes with playing catcher. Contreras could end up benefiting from a shortened schedule, especially if teams are allowed to operate with expanded rosters and Chicago decides to keep a third catcher on the roster.

Contreras went 3-for-3 with a solo home run and two runs scored in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Giants.

Contreras has been chugging along this spring, posting a .292 batting average and .930 OPS in Cactus League play. The 27-year-old catcher had a solid 2019 campaign with 24 home runs and 64 RBI, and he should once again be one of the top options at the position in 2020.

Contreras agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Cubs, avoiding arbitration, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

This is his first of three years as an arbitration-eligible player, and $4.5 million is a pretty good haul for such a player. There have been trade rumors surrounding Contreras for much of the offseason, and interested teams can now be certain how much they would have to pay Contreras in 2020.