Could Cardinals’ Desperation Open Door for Deal with Mets or Yankees?
Nolan Arenado Trade Rumors
St. Louis Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak continues to make it known that he wants third baseman Nolan Arenado off his team.
Over the weekend, he labeled the prospect of trading the veteran All-Star during the latter portions of MLB’s offseason as “priority one, two, and three.”
Arenado’s Regression
The 33-year-old Arenado is coming off his worst full season in the majors since his rookie season, batting.272 with a.719 OPS, 16 home runs, and 71 RBI in 152 games. It continued a concerning regression, which began in 2023. While he hit 26 home runs with 93 RBI, his OPS sank to.774.
From 2015 to 2022, he slashed.291/.353/.553 (.905 OPS) with averages of 34 home runs and 107 RBI.
A Return to Form?
A return to those numbers entering his age-34 season is obviously a big ask, but there is a case to be made that he could put up more production in a lineup that has more protection.
Arenado is still one of the more composed hitters at the plate. His whiff rate of 17.2% ranked in MLB’s 88th percentile, while his strikeout rate of 14.1% was in the 92nd. In a deeper lineup, he would get more to hit, which could potentially rectify the concerning 6% barrel rate, 86.3 mph average exit velocity, and 31.6% hard-hit rate.
Cardinals’ Desperation
Still, the Cardinals will have to eat some money to make a trade more appealing, even if Arenado is still one of the best defensive third basemen in the game.
He has three years and $74 million remaining on his contract, but the Colorado Rockies—who traded Arenado to St. Louis ahead of the 2021 season—are already eating some of that money, bringing it down to approximately $60 million.
That is still $20 million per season, a considerable cost for a player coming off a down season.
No-Trade Clause
Arenado’s no-trade clause adds another wrinkle to all of this. He has already blocked a trade to the Houston Astros this offseason. What is known at this time is that he would be willing to waive that no-trade clause to go to the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets.
Mets and Yankees Interest
As things get closer to spring training, the Mets’ inclusion is something to ponder.
Pete Alonso’s future with the club remains uncertain as he remains one of baseball’s biggest remaining free agents. If he does not return, the organization would likely move last year’s breakout star and starting third baseman, Mark Vientos, over to first.
That would leave an internal competition for the third-base job between Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and perhaps Luisangel Acuna.
Across town, the Yankees could use the infield stability that would come with Arenado. They have already shown interest in him this offseason, but the Cardinals shut down talks when the Yankees wanted to include starting pitcher Marcus Stroman and the $18.3 million he is due in 2025.
Conclusion
Arenado suddenly makes the Bronx Bombers’ infield look a bit more sustainable, and even if the Yankees need to clear Stroman’s contract to make a move like this happen, the Cardinals’ desperation to get Arenado out of town at least suggests that there could be a chance for talks to spark back up.
FAQs
Q: Why is the Cardinals’ general manager desperate to trade Nolan Arenado?
A: The Cardinals want to get Arenado off their team due to his recent regression and the team’s desire to rebuild.
Q: What is Nolan Arenado’s no-trade clause?
A: Arenado has a no-trade clause that allows him to block trades to certain teams. He is willing to waive this clause to go to the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets.
Q: Which teams have shown interest in Nolan Arenado?
A: The New York Mets and the New York Yankees have shown interest in Arenado this offseason.
