With St. Louis Cardinals position players set to report to spring training this weekend, it looks increasingly likely Nolan Arenado will remain with the team to begin the 2025 season. Wednesday night’s Alex Bregman signing eliminated the Boston Red Sox, the team most linked to Arenado in recent weeks, as a potential suitor.
“I think the mindset right now is he’s likely going to be a part of our club at this point,” president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Thursday (via the Belleville News-Democrat). “I definitely feel like it’s a better chance than not (he’s with the team on Opening Day).”
Mozeliak added Arenado’s no-trade clause “would have to open up a little bit more” to get a deal done. “I think we’ve exhausted the others (as possibilities),” Mozeliak added (via the Belleville News-Democrat). Arenado is reportedly willing to accept a trade to only a handful of teams, the Red Sox and San Diego Padres among them.
Of course, the Cardinals had an Arenado trade in place with the Houston Astros earlier this offseason, though he used his no-trade clause to block the deal. Houston then pivoted to Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes. The New York Yankees reportedly offered a Marcus Stroman for Arenado swap early in the offseason. Those talks didn’t go anywhere.
Arenado, 33, is owed $74 million over the next three years, with the Colorado Rockies covering $10 million. The Cardinals were reportedly willing to pay down another $15 million as part of the failed trade with the Astros, meaning Houston would have absorbed $49 million over three years, or just $16.3 million per year.
The Yankees and Detroit Tigers are third base-needy teams that would make sense for Arenado, though it’s unknown whether he would accept a trade to either team. The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers both need a third baseman as well, but trades with division rivals are always difficult.
Ignoring the shortened 2020 season, Arenado is coming off the worst season of his career. He hit .272/.325/.394 with 16 home runs in 2024, a battling line that barely qualifies as average, and his third base defense has slipped from all-world to merely very good.
The Cardinals went 83-79 last year and have been inactive this offseason. Mozeliak said the team is entering a “reset” soon after the season ended.
