Cardinals' Willson Contreras experiment fails as Cubs react.

The St. Louis Cardinals' decision to sign catcher Willson Contreras to a five-year, $87.5 million contract in free agency is proving to be a questionable choice. The Cardinals, who typically acquire stars through trades, fell in love with Contreras during a job interview and signed him despite the Cubs' half-hearted efforts to retain him. Contreras is now being used as a designated hitter and removed as the starting catcher until further notice. The Cardinals' rotation is also struggling, and they are now crying out for help in the absence of Yadier Molina. The Braves, who acquired Sean Murphy in a trade, have the best record in the NL, and Murphy leads the NL in OPS.