The St. Louis Cardinals made a handful of moves at the trade deadline, but that’s likely not going to be the only big moves they make in the coming months.
For months now, the Cardinals have tried to trade veteran infielder Nolan Arenado, but his massive contract and no-trade clause have gotten in the way.
Still, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently listed Arenado as one of the bigger offseason trade candidates in baseball.
“The Cardinals have been trying to move Arenado since the start of last offseason, and while he blocked a trade to the Astros in December, he has never ruled out accepting a move elsewhere,” Reuter wrote. “His contract was front-loaded, so his salary drops from $32 million this year to $27 million in 2026 and $15 million in 2027, and the Rockies are paying $5 million of his 2026 salary, so the financials don’t seem quite as insurmountable as they did a year ago.
“At this point in his career, Arenado is a solid veteran presence with a reliable glove at third base, but he’s no longer the superstar he was in his prime. He has adopted more of a contact-oriented approach this season and is striking out a career-low 9.9 percent of the time, so he has shown an ability to adjust as his raw tools diminish.”
The Cardinals will almost certainly have to eat a good chunk of the money to finally deal Arenado. The money has been the catch-up in a lot of the potential trades, but as the Cardinals transition from John Mozeliak to Chaim Bloom as the team’s president of baseball operations, they could be willing to be a bit more aggressive.
Cutting ties with Arenado would be the best-case scenario for the Cardinals, as it would clear money from their payroll and free up a spot for a younger prospect.
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