Wong backtracks on earlier trade comments: 'I want to be a Cardinal'
It appears St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong doesn't want to be traded after all.
On Sunday, the 26-year-old infielder was outspoken and forthright with Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Dispatch when discussing his disinterest in forming a platoon at second base.
"One hundred percent," Wong told Frederickson when asked if he'd rather be traded than form a platoon. "One hundred percent. I don't want to be here wasting my time. I know what kind of player I am. If I don't have the belief here, then I'll go somewhere else."
His comments came to the forefront after manager Mike Matheny said Jedd Gyorko and Greg Garcia could also see playing time at second base as part of a platoon.
Related: Wong wants out of St. Louis if he's not everyday 2B
But Wong backpedaled less than an hour later, admitting he's more interested in remaining in St .Louis than being traded.
"I'm not trying to sell myself to any other team," Wong explained. "My play speaks for itself and what kind of player I can be. I want to be that player for the Cardinals. If the worst-case scenario comes down, I understand there are a lot of good guys on this team right now. If it's my time to get moved, it's my time to get moved. But at the end of the day, I want to be a Cardinal. And that's the most important thing."
Wong went on to describe the news as surprising, which is why he initially "blew off the top."
The former first-round draft choice signed a five-year, $22.5-million extension last March but has only amassed a .182/.265/.250 slash line this spring. Although Wong's struggles seem concerning, he admits they are more the result of him trying to make adjustments to his swing and he believes he'll work through them over time.
Over the course of his four years in the big leagues, Wong owns a .248/.309/.370 hitting line with 28 home runs and 126 RBIs.