8:06pm: At the very least a trio of “mid-market” groups have reached out to the Cardinals about Arenado’s availability, writes Katie Woo of the Athletic. She provides that the Yankees do certainly have curiosity within the star third baseman, although it’s not recognized if Arenado would waive his no-trade rights to go to the Bronx.
6:17pm: Nolan Arenado’s identify has been floated as a pure commerce candidate for the reason that Cardinals try to scale back payroll to some extent, and maybe aren’t making a full-fledged run at competition. Regardless of the numerous obstacles concerned in transferring Arenado, Playing cards president of baseball operations John Mozeliak outright said “It’s my intention to strive” to maneuver Arenado this season when talking at the moment with Jeff Jones of the Belleville Information-Democrat (hyperlinks to X), Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Submit-Dispatch, and different reporters. A commerce may come comparatively quickly, throughout the subsequent 7-10 days however in all probability not through the Winter Conferences.
It’s uncommon to see any govt be so forthcoming in discussing a participant’s commerce availability, notably a participant who remains to be underneath contract for the subsequent three seasons. Nonetheless, at the same time as Mozeliak just lately walked again the thought of 2025 as a pure rebuilding yr for the Cardinals, it appears as if the crew want to open up the third base spot for youthful gamers, along with getting a few of Arenado’s wage off the books.
Arenado has a full no-trade clause, so he in the end has the ultimate say over the place he performs in 2025 and past. The truth that Mozeliak feels a commerce is comparatively shut would indicate that Arenado has already provisionally agreed to a deal to a selected crew or to some groups, so now the Cardinals are sorting via the very best affords from this crew or groups. It’s already recognized that Arenado is even keen to maneuver off third base if that’s a greater roster match for a selected membership, although it will appear uncommon for the 10-time Gold Glover to maneuver away from his accustomed place.
Past the no-trade safety, Arenado is owed $74MM over the three remaining years of his contract, although $10MM of that determine is roofed by the Rockies as per the phrases of the commerce that despatched Arenado from Colorado to St. Louis through the 2020-21 offseason. The Playing cards may try to tackle one other unfavorable contract as wage offset, although that wouldn’t a lot assist the membership’s bigger-picture plans.
Discovering a commerce associate to soak up all of that $64MM can be simpler if Arenado was nonetheless in his prime All-Star type, although his numbers have fallen off within the final two seasons. Arenado has hit .269/.320/.426 with 42 residence runs in 1247 plate appearances since Opening Day 2023, which remains to be above common (104 wRC+) manufacturing, but not at his previous commonplace. His Remoted Energy metric plummeted to .123 in 2024, the bottom of his profession and drastically under his .241 common within the earlier 11 seasons.
Place change however, Arenado’s market might be helped by the truth that the pickings are slightly slim for groups in search of third base assist this winter. Alex Bregman is definitely the best choice obtainable in free company, and the Phillies’ Alec Bohm may be the highest third baseman obtainable on the commerce entrance. If a membership feels a change of surroundings can produce a bounce-back yr for Arenado, a commerce may be attainable, offered that Arenado is equally obsessed with this new location to okay a deal. Reviews point out that the Yankees are one crew that has been approached by the Cardinals about Arenado, although New York’s stage of curiosity isn’t recognized.
Talking of Cardinals gamers with no-trade safety, Miles Mikolas instructed Goold that he would like to remain in St. Louis for the ultimate yr of his contract. Mikolas is owed $16MM in 2025, and discovering a taker at that full worth might be tough anyway since Mikolas struggled to a 5.35 ERA over 171 2/3 innings final season. Whereas the 36-year-old nonetheless brings loads of sturdiness, the Playing cards would possibly choose such an innings-eater in their very own rotation, for the reason that crew has already parted methods with Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson.
