As Willson Contreras powers Cubs, he prays for Venezuela: 'Evil ways never prevail'

Willson Contreras’ growing list of accomplishments – budding recognition as one of the game’s top catchers, a key role in the Chicago Cubs’ second-half surge and most recently National League player of the week honors – would be noteworthy for any player in his first full season in the majors.

The achievements become truly remarkable when considering the burden Contreras carries off the field.

Like so many Venezuelan players, Contreras needs to shunt aside concerns about the well-being of his relatives before performing every day, even as news reports paint an increasingly grim picture of his native country as it grapples with a dire political and economic crisis.

Contreras’ parents and older brother are back home in Puerto Cabello, a northern coastal town of 190,000 people about 130 miles west of the capital city of Caracas. Puerto Cabello’s once thriving port, the country’s largest, now sits mostly empty of boats as Venezuelan imports have dwindled by up to 50% in the last two years, yet another sign of the economic deterioration that has driven residents to scavenge for basic necessities like food and medicine.

“It’s very hard to play like this, taking the field knowing all of Venezuela, or all of your family, could be in danger,’’ Contreras told USA TODAY Sports in Spanish. “It’s hard to go out and play baseball when a lot of people are dying trying to liberate your country.’’

Not only has Contreras played through the anguish, he has raised his game to new heights in helping fuel the Cubs’ emergence from a disappointing first half.

The defending World Series champions entered the break at 43-45, a startling 5½ games back in an NL Central they dominated last year, and paid for their uninspired play by having only one All-Star Game representative in closer Wade Davis.

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Since then, Chicago has righted its course by going 16-7 to take over first place, if only 1½ games ahead of the upstart Milwaukee Brewers. Contreras has been in the middle of the action, getting promoted to the cleanup spot and responding by batting .315 with 13 homers and a 1.094 on-base plus slugging percentage as the No. 4 hitter.

Last week his bat heated up even more, as he hit .455 with five homers, 13 RBI and a 1.660 OPS to earn the weekly honors. For the season, he’s batting .277 and has an .868 OPS while ranking tops among major league catchers with 21 home runs (tied with Salvador Perez) and 70 RBI.

“I made it a personal point to lift this team in the second half,’’ said Contreras, 25. “I love this team. I’ve been here (with the organization) since 2009, and that’s the biggest blessing God could give me. If they need energy, I have energy to bring every single game.’’

Indeed, that’s one the traits that sets Contreras apart, along with rare athleticism for a catcher and a rifle arm that serves as a weapon, nabbing runners who stray too far off a base. He’s picked five runners off base this season, ranking second behind Milwaukee’s Manny Pina in the major leagues.

At times Contreras gets too aggressive, which partly accounts for his 13 errors, the highest figure among all catchers. But Fangraphs has him tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yasmani Grandal atop its comprehensive defensive rankings at the position.

Contreras began his pro career at 17 as a third baseman and did not try catching until 2012, switching on a full-time basis the next year. As a rookie last season, manager Joe Maddon started him in left field 21 times to keep his bat in the lineup while juggling two other catchers, Miguel Montero and David Ross.

As a late-comer to the position, Contreras had to work extra hard at learning his team’s pitchers and opposing batters, which he cites as the biggest challenge in the transition. His dedication to the task was not unlike the effort he put into learning English, which he now handles well, facilitating communication with the pitching staff.

“This guy has a fire inside of him that not many guys do,’’ starter Jake Arrieta said after Monday’s victory over the San Francisco Giants. “When I gave up that home run in the sixth inning, he was more mad than I was. That’s something I love to see. He has a lot of faith in the guy who’s on the mound, and when things don’t work out, he takes it personal, like he threw the pitch himself.’’

Arrieta has transitioned smoothly to Contreras – registering a 2.98 ERA with him behind the plate this season – after mostly pitching to Montero the previous two years, including his Cy Young Award-winning season in 2015.

Montero’s tenure in Chicago ended in late June when he criticized Arrieta’s slow delivery after the Washington Nationals stole seven bases against them in one game. The Cubs traded away Montero, which had a direct impact on Contreras because the veteran served as a mentor to his fellow Venezuelan.

“It was a tough loss, especially for (Contreras), because they were always together in the dugout and Miguel would advise him, but those are things that happen in this sport,’’ said quality control coach Henry Blanco, a former major league catcher who has helped nurse Contreras’ development as a receiver along with catching coach Mike Borzello.

But Montero’s departure – he has since been replaced by Alex Avila – also increased Contreras’ responsibilities and accelerated his learning curve. Maddon said he has noticed him taking a leadership role on the team.

It was Contreras, in fact, who declared, “We’re back to where we were last year,’’ after the Cubs swept the Baltimore Orioles in their first series of the second half, a perhaps-hasty but ultimately accurate forecast of their turnaround.

Impressed with Contreras’ ability to maintain his approach with runners in scoring position, Maddon moved him to cleanup permanently after the break, behind reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. Contreras has 29 RBI in 21 games since then.

“He’s really taken to it,’’ Maddon said. “Moving to the four-hole, I think he liked that emotionally, internally, and I think he liked the responsibility.’’

Contreras is not shy about expressing his desire to become the league’s best catcher. To that end, he assiduously watches eight-time Gold Glover Yadier Molina, looking to pick up tips that might help him polish his game, and he admires the respect the St. Louis Cardinals’ star commands from his teammates.

While reaching Molina’s exalted status may be within his grip, helping Venezuela overcome its turmoil is beyond Contreras’ sphere of influence. His voice takes on an extra gravity as he talks about the pain of realizing so many youngsters in his native land won’t have a chance at improving their lives that he did.

“People are dying every day, young kids who are 14, 15 and are trying to find a better future,’’ Contreras said. “If one day Venezuela is free again the way it was in the past, all the millions of Venezuelans who have emigrated will return to their country, because we all love where we’re from. That’s what we’re waiting for. I have faith in God that a solution for Venezuela will be found. It has to happen sooner or later, because evil ways never prevail.’’

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