Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras and pitcher Lance Lynn share a distinct and unmistakable quality among big league ballplayers. One way of saying it is that they’re fierce competitors. Another way of saying it is that they’ve got a knack for making opponents want to punch them in the face.

They’ve each displayed a sharp edge and ability to get under the skin of other players that makes them in some ways the ideal battery mates, assuming they don’t pummel each other.

“I know Lance because we faced each other,” Contreras said Monday during his Winter Warm-up news conference at Busch Stadium. “I know he has the same attitude I have when I play. He had the 'F (the opponent)' attitude, which I love.

“I think it’s going to be good for everybody because we’re going to feed off of him. At the same time, we’ve got to be careful with it.”

Contreras, who enters his second season with the Cardinals after beginning his career with the rival Chicago Cubs, has rubbed a lot of opponents the wrong way in his eight previous seasons in the majors. Even Cardinals players, coaches and front office acknowledged that perception of him was something they had to get past when he signed a free-agent deal with the club last winter.

Last season, Contreras showed off his ability to incite anger in his foes and their fan bases when he prompted a meltdown by former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner and successfully manipulated the pitch timer rules to play mind games with Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen. In his return to Wrigley Field, he had an entire ballpark seemingly spitting vitriol in his direction, and he egged the crowd on at times.

So it’s hardly shocking that a smile creeps across Contreras’ face when he talks about the in-your-face approach of Lynn, a pitcher known for barking at opposing batters, opposing dugouts and demonstratively celebrating strikeouts.

“I think we don’t remember if we cursed at each other, but when you become a teammate with a guy like that — it feels like you’ve known him for a little bit even though we haven’t spent any days together,” Contreras said. “I’m really glad that he came back to the St. Louis Cardinals. He wants to win. That’s the most important thing for me.”

Contreras’ first full season in the majors (117 games) with the Cubs came in 2017, Lynn’s last season with the Cardinals. They faced off as part of the National League Central rivalry. They were both part of the crosstown rivalry in the Windy City when Lynn pitched for the White Sox in 2021 and 2022.

They were certainly aware of each other as well as their similar approaches to the game and their reputations among rival teams.

“When you play against a guy and everybody hates him, that usually means that he’s a good competitor and he’s good,” Lynn said. “I remember playing against him in Chicago, and that’s what it was — you just don’t like the guy.

“But talking to him, getting to know him and getting to know him over the years since leaving, he’s got a passion of the game. He’s got a passion for winning. He’s a great teammate and a great person. So that’s what it’s all about. I said this a long time ago: If the other team hates you, then you’re doing your job.”

Lynn, who signed a free-agent deal to return to the Cardinals this winter, will look for a bounce-back performance in 2024 after he gave up the most home runs in the majors last season (44) and went 13-11 with a 5.73 ERA in 32 starts. It'll be Contreras' job to help Lynn pitch as effectively as possible.

Contreras and Lynn have already begun the initial stages of forging a pitcher-catcher relationship. They will continue to get know each other in Florida next month when spring training starts, but they already have a pretty good idea of how each other is wired and what they’re bringing to the ballclub.

“Having Lance Lynn on our team, a veteran guy, he’s going to help in any way he can,” Contreras said. “We’ve been talking about creating a chemistry and, more important, spending time together after the game. I love Lance. I love the way he pitches. I love the way he attacks batters. I know he gave up a lot of homers last year, but I’m pretty sure that he made the adjustments for 2024 and it’s going to be good.”