The Boston Red Sox on December 21 added a right-handed slugger in the form of first baseman Willson Contreras. Boston's chief baseball officer Craig Breslow pulled off a trade for Contreras by going back into business with his apparent pal, former Red Sox CBO and current Cardinals PBO Chaim Bloom.
The Contreras deal meant different things to different people associated with the Red Sox. For fans, Contreras' arrival was met with widespread excitement, though it didn't quite curtail the collective anxiety about Alex Bregman's ongoing free agency.
Virtually all of Boston's players must have responded to the Contreras news with joy, too, except maybe Triston Casas, but that's completely understandable. For what it's worth, Breslow reportedly called Casas on Monday to cheer him up and reiterate that the franchise still believes in him.
Then there's Contreras himself, who is presumably happy with his new situation. He did waive his no-trade clause, after all. And if there was any doubt about Willson's state of mind, he clarified things with a post to Instagram on Tuesday afternoon.
Willson Contreras delights Red Sox fans with Instagram post expressing his excitement to play in Boston
Contreras couldn't have shared a better message to pump up Red Sox fans. He even included "Sweet Caroline" as the musical choice for his post. In the message, Contreras referred to the Red Sox as "one of the most historic franchises in sports" and addressed the fans directly.
The gesture of an Instagram post is certainly not lost on Red Sox fans, who have been freaking out over Bregman's evolving profile picture this offseason. After Bregman changed his profile picture from a Red Sox-themed image to a cold, generic image, fans were concerned. They were then relieved on December 22 when he changed his picture back to something Red Sox-related.
Even if fans are overthinking the Bregman stuff, it's weirdly true that Instagram often reveals a player's team loyalties. Earlier in the offseason, New York Yankees fans took note when free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger went generic with his profile picture.
Meanwhile, Contreras just used the platform to leave no doubt about his new loyalties, and Red Sox fans are loving it. Contreras' willingness to reach out to the fan base in this way is just one of many reasons why he's a great fit in Boston. He's got the championship pedigree and the offensive skill set that Boston needs right now. He also appears to have the type of fiery personality that will be embraced at Fenway Park.