​It was a tumultuous first half for the Boston Red Sox, who just three weeks ago looked to be surefire sellers ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.Among the names being floated in trade rumors ahead of the deadline were closer Aroldis Chapman, starter Sonny Gray, and first baseman Willson Contreras. A deal involving any of the three would signal a clear white flag on the 2026 season, but none more so than Contreras, who has been the best and most consistent hitter in an underwhelming Red Sox offense.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe 34-year-old is en route to one of the best seasons of his career, leading Boston in batting average (.285), on-base percentage (.379), slugging percentage (.542), home runs (20), and RBI (61). Along with being Boston’s middle-of-the-order presence in 2026, Contreras carries at least one more season of team control from the five-year, $87.5 million deal he signed with St. Louis, with the possibility of two more seasons thanks to a $20 million club option for 2028. Any deal involving Contreras would not only make the already weak Red Sox’ lineup weaker for 2026 and beyond, but would also require his approval due to a full no-trade clause in his deal.Jun 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) tosses his bat after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images“Trading him when he has two very reasonable years left on his deal and when the Red Sox intend to compete in the coming years gives them pause. Compound that with Contreras’ no-trade clause, and the feeling of other teams is that anything short of a massive overpay will make Contreras difficult to land,” wrote ESPN’s Jeff Passan on July 6, while giving Contreras a 40 percent chance to be dealt ahead of the deadline.With the Red Sox surging to a 14-2 record in the weeks leading up to the All-Star break, it looks more and more like Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow will be a buyer ahead of the deadline, but if things take a turn for the Red Sox out of the break, Contreras gave fans a hint at what his decision may be if Breslow came asking about a trade.May 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) reacts to his one run RBI triple during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park.  Eric Canha-Imagn Images“I just love it there,” Contreras told Steve Perrault of the Section 10 Podcast during All-Star media day about his time in Boston. “I told them too, just let me stay here, I want to stay here,” he continued.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe passion with which Contreras plays the game, paired with his fiery personality, is the makeup of a player who becomes a legend in a city like Boston, and Contreras is well on his way there should he stick around for the remainder of his deal.The 34-year-old will represent the Red Sox in Monday night’s Home Run Derby