NL WILD CARD SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS BREWERS

October 3, 2023

Carlos Santana

William Contreras

American Family Field

Milwaukee Brewers

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Carlos, question for you. Back in 2016, you were on a team that lost some of its best pitchers late in the season and even into the postseason. Do you remember how that team came together? Was it the pitchers who stepped up, the hitters who stepped up, the manager? How did you guys get through that moment?

CARLOS SANTANA: I mean, 2016 where we definitely lost a few pitchers right before the playoffs, and now we lost one of the best pitchers in the league. Obviously that hurts, but you just have to stay positive. You have to look forward. Things happen for a reason. God makes things happen for a reason, so you just have to stay positive, stay connected, and just try and go forward and do the best you can do to help your guys around you.

Q. William, Corbin was caught by Victor a lot this year. How comfortable have you felt in these last couple of starts with him and going into a playoff game?

WILLIAM CONTRERAS: Yeah, obviously didn't catch Corbin most of the year, but we were able to work together the last three or four outings. I feel very confident in trusting him. We felt confident with him the last few starts, and we feel like we have a good communication going.

Like I said, we just try to enjoy these big games and go out there and play hard and help each other the best we can.

Q. William, how did you get through a long season? It's the most you've played in the Major Leagues. Do you feel like you've gotten the credit around the league for the season that you have?

WILLIAM CONTRERAS: I mean, I feel very happy with what I've done this year. I came in day one, Spring Training, kind of went for a new team, so it's a lot of work from the start trying to get together with all the pitchers, getting to know the staff, getting to know the coaches, the players around you. I feel very happy for what I've been able to do.

From day one, they told me I was going to be the every day catcher, and I was going to get a chance to catch a lot. I was happy that I was able to do that and put a good effort in and show what I can do when I play every day. And now, you know, that's part of a good season that we kind of turned the page and continue the work going into the postseason.

Q. (Question in Spanish)

WILLIAM CONTRERAS: Freddy, we know how good of a pitcher he can be. He went for a rough spot earlier in the season. We know what he is capable of. He is able to fight through and continue to work and continue to show what he can do, and that's why he got to 200 strike-outs even with a rough beginning of the season. We know what he is capable of. We know he is one of our horses, and that's part of baseball.

Whether you are a rookie or veteran, you are going to go through hard times, and Freddy was able to go through those hard times and continue to work hard and continue to improve and show what kind of pitcher he is.

Q. Carlos, you've played in a lot of postseason games, and I'm wondering what your experience brings to this team and what you would tell your younger self in your first postseason like a lot of the rookies that are on this team getting ready to experience their first postseason? What should they be ready for? What do you glean from your postseason experience?

CARLOS SANTANA: Yeah. I mean, I've been very lucky to be able to experience a lot of playoffs, and what I tell younger guys like William and some of the rookies, is the game doesn't change. At the end of the day, it's the same game when you go out there. It's just more cameras, more media. They notice everything you do a little more.

But at the end, you have to play the same game you've been playing all year. You just have to calm down. It's going to be a lot of emotions. Playoffs are a lot of emotions on and off the field. Being able to control those emotions is a big part of it, so that's what I try to tell the young guys to just enjoy it, to be able to control emotions and just play the game that we've been playing all year.

Q. For William. Your reputation was more as a hitter when you got here, and you've had a great year as a defensive catcher. How do you feel you've grown as a defensive catcher, and when did you start getting more confident, feeling more comfortable about that part of your game?

WILLIAM CONTRERAS: Yeah. I think my confidence definitely grew as the year went on. Playing every day and having the confidence of the skipper telling me I was going to play every day. That obviously builds your confidence, and that's part of it. You know, playing every day, getting the confidence to go out there and work with the pitchers every day, I think that's been part of it.

I've been able to continue to work hard from the beginning, Spring Training to now, both in the relationship and the confidence every day. Yeah, like you said, I've been fortunate to have a good -- really good defensive season, and I've been able to match it up with a good offensive season. So it's been a really good season overall, but the season is not over right now. We just have to continue to work towards our main goal and continue to play hard.

Q. (Question in Spanish)

CARLOS SANTANA: Every time I play in the playoffs, I feel like it's going to be my last one. I've been very blessed to continue to get another one year after year, but I just feel like it's my last one. I play hard. I go all-out because it's the playoffs. It's what you play for to win it all.

So I just have been very blessed that I've been given the opportunity to continue to play. Like I said, I play every time like it's my last one, so I just have to enjoy it and play hard.

WILLIAM CONTRERAS: Yeah, I mean, I figure that question was coming, so it's hard when you play -- when your brother is the caliber of player that he is, and I feel like I have been able to put my name up there, right? I feel very happy for what I've been able to accomplish this year being my second full year, and just kind of now, I'm not as much in the shadows of my brother. I'm more of -- I'm William Contreras, Wilson's brother, not just Wilson's brother.

It's been a great feeling for me personally being able to show what I can do. I know many people never believe in me because I was always the little brother, but that's part of it, being able to show what I can do.

I'm very happy because me and my brother, we're able to put our names up there. We both consider ourselves stars in this game with our family. Being able to put your name up there is very grateful that I was given the opportunity and continue to show what I can do myself.

Q. What's the challenge of facing a rookie pitcher that you guys didn't see in the regular season this year?

CARLOS SANTANA: I was actually able to face him when I was with the Pirates, so I have seen him before. You don't take it like that. You take it like another pitcher.

We're in the playoffs. It doesn't matter if you are a rookie or a veteran. We're at the same level and competing for the same thing. We're all here for a reason. We're all able to perform at this level, so you just take it as another pitcher, prepare yourself, understand what you are going to see and just go out there and play hard and compete.

WILLIAM CONTRERAS: Yeah. I mean, you take it as another pitcher. You do your homework. You prepare. You try and make your adjustments during the game and stay to the plan.

Like I said earlier, it's just another game. You try to enjoy it as much as you can, but also playing hard and continue to compete while you're out there.

Q. William, when you think on the field or off the field, what did Carlos bring to the team when he came? What stands -- what comes to your mind first?

WILLIAM CONTRERAS: I think it's not only for the team, but for me personally, it's been a big help. You know, he has been -- he is a veteran who has been around who understands the game and gives you a lot of advice, not only to me, but the rest of the young guys.

He is a guy that from the beginning, he made it seem like he wanted to play here. When we were playing the Pirates earlier in the year, you know, he told me a few times how great the energy we had, how he would love to come over here.

I think early on, he went to Brizuela and some of the front office and said, hey, if he needs a first baseman, he wants to come here.

I'm very glad that he was able to come here. He is a guy that works hard, works a lot, and just like me, I like to work a lot too. So I'm able to grab him and go work, go hit on the cages for a while. Just a guy that plays hard every day. He is going to bring it no matter what. He is always going to be positive, always going to be working hard whether he is having a good day or a bad day, you can't tell because he is staying positive. He is working hard. Always trying to help everyone around him.