Is Willson Contreras the Best First Baseman in the AL?
Willson Contreras is having a career year for the Boston Red Sox, but is he the best first baseman in the American League?
It’s hard to overstate how important Willson Contreras has been to the Boston Red Sox. Through all the ups and downs Boston has had, Contreras has been one of the few consistent spots on the team, all while having a career year.
His leadership and fire are present every game. He flips his bat not just after a 450-foot home run over the Green Monster, but even after drawing a walk. After delivering a clutch hit, he’ll point to his chest. Taking the blame for an error or not running hard.
What Contreras has done both on and off the field for Boston has been critical in their turnaround and hunt for the postseason. He’s even found himself in the MVP conversation, with MLB ranking him fourth in its AL MVP poll.
In his age-34 season, Contreras is cementing himself as one of the top first basemen in the American League, and might just be the best.
Contreras’ Offensive Onslaught
Contreras has been one of the best bats in MLB this season. His wRC+ of 155 and batting run value of 39, both career highs, are second in MLB, only behind Yordan Álvarez. His 26 home runs this season are another career high. Even with this increase in power, he’s still hitting for average, too, sitting at .281, a .024 increase from 2025.
His fWAR of 4.1, a career best, is second in MLB and first in the American League. A few changes to Contreras’ game have helped him reach these career highs. First, the change in home ballparks. Playing at Fenway means Contreras can use the Green Monster to his advantage, and he certainly has been.
Contreras’ splits at home are .318/.424/.579 with 14 home runs and a 1.003 OPS. For the first time in his career, his home batting average is over .300 in a full season. Safe to say that his new home might be his favorite.
He’s also greatly increased both his launch angle (17.9 degrees) and Pull AIR% (26.3%) this season. These new career highs can be attributed to his late-career surge in power. His bat speed of 77.1 MPH is also a career best since it was tracked starting in 2022. He still ranks high in barrel% too at 13.8%, good for the 91st percentile.
Hitting the ball up more than ever, with a much shorter left field than he’s used to, is resulting in more home runs and more power for Contreras.
Is He the Best in the AL?
Comparing him to the other first basemen in the American League, he certainly has a strong case for being the best of the bunch.
| PLayer | fWar | home runs | batting average | wrc+ |
| willson contreras | 4.1 | 26 | .281 | 155 |
| pete alonso | 4.1 | 32 | .276 | 147 |
| jonathan aranda | 2.3 | 16 | .280 | 121 |
| nick kurtz | 2.6 | 21 | .256 | 138 |
| munetaka murakami | 2.6 | 29 | .219 | 138 |
Out of the four others included in this chart, Pete Alonso is the only one really contesting Contreras for the title of best in the American League. His fWAR of 4.1 ties Contreras, and he has more home runs so far. For some, that can be why Alonso is the better first baseman. However, you still have to consider their defense.
When looking at FRV and OAA, Contreras has +2 OAA and +3 FRV, while Alonso sits at +1 OAA and -2 FRV. While neither are Gold Glovers, Contreras does have the slight edge.
Even if you look at their offensive stats when they’re playing first, and not DHing, Contreras takes a more commanding lead. While playing first, Contreras has 4 fWAR, and Alonso sits at 3.2. Contreras’ wRC+ is just about the same at 154, but Alonso’s takes a bit of a hit, dropping to 138.
If you consider who the best first baseman in the American League is all-around, Contreras is the clear choice. He leads Alonso defensively, even if it’s not Gold Glove level. Offensively, it’s close, but the wRC+ Contreras has gives him an edge.
While team record doesn’t tell the full story of how valuable a player is, it can still play a part. Contreras is part of a Red Sox squad that was once dead last in the AL East. But over the past month, in part because of Contreras’ play, Boston has crawled out from the bottom and is now eight games above Alonso’s Baltimore Orioles.
Stats can’t measure leadership, but Contreras would rank near the top if they could. After a check-swing call that Ceddanne Rafaela didn’t agree with, in the next inning you saw Contreras with his arm around him, calming him down.
Contreras is likely going to end this season with MVP votes and is a key piece to the Red Sox’s success this year. He has established himself as the American League’s best first baseman in his first season and should compete for the title for years to come.
Become a Member of Just Baseball
Subscribe and upgrade to go ad-free!
* Save 25% by subscribing annually.
Written by