At this point, it would be a surprise if Nolan Arenado will wear a St. Louis Cardinals uniform in 2025, but he almost certainly won’t wear the jersey of at least one other team.
The eight-time All-Star has three years left on his contract, but with the Cardinals rebuilding, Arenado is perhaps their best product on the trade market.
The problem St. Louis faces, however, is that Arenado has a no-trade clause. That’s not to say the Cardinals can’t move him.
But Arenado would need to give the team permission to do so.
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Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals follows with an RBI single during the third inning against the Miami Marlins on July 17, 2023 in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Arenado reportedly decided not to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Houston Astros.
Houston is in the market for a third baseman because Alex Bregman is a free agent. And while the Astros were willing to take on a good chunk of the $74 million Arenado is owed through 2027, Arenado apparently doesn’t want to play in Houston. The teams reportedly agreed to a trade, but it is unknown when it happened.
It’s also unclear why Arenado doesn’t want to play in Houston, but it’s worth noting that Arenado will turn 34 a couple of weeks into the season without a World Series ring, and the Astros, after trading Kyle Tucker, appear to be taking a decision. step back.
St. Louis Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 13, 2022, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Arenado’s agent, Joel Wolfe, said Arenado’s list of teams he’d be willing to trade to is “bigger than you think… but he’s not going anywhere.”
Other teams that could be interested in Arenado’s services include the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. However, the former reportedly didn’t have much of a “fit” with him earlier this month.
Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a ball hit by Kyle Farmer of the Cincinnati Reds to come out during the second inning in Cincinnati on July 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
The Cardinals were on the opposite end of a no-trade clause in 2017, when Giancarlo Stanton struck a deal with St. Louis while a member of the Miami Marlins. Shortly after, Stanton left for the Yankees.
Arenado is a ten-time Gold Glove winner. Combine that with a career .285 average and .857 OPS, and he could be on his way to Cooperstown when it’s all said and done. He is 174 hits away from reaching 2,000 in his career.
