Exclusive: Cardinals’ John Mozeliak on why Willson Contreras’ move to OF is off

ST. LOUIS — Willson Contreras won’t be playing the outfield.

The Cardinals — in what is being deemed a long-term strategy to improve both inefficiency behind the plate and an underperforming starting pitching staff — have moved Contreras to the designated hitter role, revoking his starting catching duties for the time being. Their initial plan included Contreras playing some in the outfield to keep his bat in the lineup. However, as of Sunday, the Cardinals have slightly reversed course.

“We won’t have him in the outfield,” president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Sunday during a phone call with The Athletic. “I know that came out yesterday, but after talking with him, it’s basically going to be more in the DH role right now. And there’s light at the end of the tunnel to get back behind the plate.

“I don’t anticipate (Contreras in the outfield) unless there’s some sort of emergency reason,” Mozeliak added. “Everything was moving quickly yesterday. A lot of things were getting out there. His hope is he gets a chance to get behind the plate. That’s what we’re going to work toward.”

Cardinals manager Oli Marmol also addressed the matter Sunday morning.

“There are ways to make sure (Contreras’) bat is in the lineup while we execute our plan internally,” Marmol said, noting the outfield was considered one of those ways. “How long is that going to take? That I don’t have an answer for. But there’s a plan that we feel good about to make sure we get him to where he’s comfortable and our pitchers are comfortable in executing.”

Contreras approached the Cardinals on Saturday after the club lost to Detroit 6-5 in extra innings for their eighth straight loss. He understood that his role, for now, will be as the team’s primary designated hitter. However, he did express a desire to remain focused on two positions, catcher and designated hitter. The Cardinals adjusted and will no longer keep him in their tentative outfield plans.

Still, whether Contreras plays in the outfield or solely at DH takes a backseat to the primary question: Why aren’t the Cardinals using him at catcher after committing $87.5 million over the next five years?

“Obviously the Cardinals were used to one guy behind the plate for close to two decades,” Mozeliak said. “The nuances of that position, maybe very subtle, are what a lot of our pitchers were used to. What we were seeing was a lack of confidence. Normally, you would say, why didn’t you address this in spring training? But in spring training, it’s so different in terms of what people are trying to work on. Pitchers are going a couple of innings. It doesn’t really count.