Katelyn Mulcahy/GettyImages
The St. Louis Cardinals made it clear at the winter meetings that their intent was to trade all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado. However, after striking a deal with the Houston Astros, Arenado promptly vetoed the deal.
It’s no surprise that there aren’t many in the market for an aging player. But he’s still a valuable player. The slugger would be an upgrade at the position for many big league rosters. Recently, there have been reports that he may be willing to soften his stance to make a trade happen.
Arenado May Be Willing to Consider New Suitors
Recently, Jon Morosi reported on the MLB Network that Arenado might be willing to waive his no-trade clause to some teams that he refused to consider previously. It has been widely reported that the veteran third baseman is interested in going to the Boston Red Sox. However, the Red Sox haven’t made a strong offer as of yet. Furthermore, they probably won’t until free-agent Alex Bregman is off the market.
Morosi had this to say about the Arenado trade possibilities. “There is an open-mindedness on his part that perhaps after the Houston possibility went away, he would be willing to entertain spots that are not Boston, perhaps a team like the Mariners or a team like the Tigers, both of whom are known to be involved in the market for various bats that are still out there. Arenado is at least open-minded about places like Detroit or Seattle in a way that he might not have been a month ago when more options were there in front of him.”
Arenado Needs to Compromise or Stay With the Cardinals
The All-Star third baseman is understandably picky about where he ends up. He is interested in winning. However, he may have overestimated his market. The Cardinals aren’t interested in eating a large part of his contract either. It’s likely they would be willing to pay a small portion of the contract, but it wouldn’t make sense financially for them to take on a large chunk. He is still owed 74 million on his current deal, with the Rockies still on the hook for 10 million of that.
The amount owed to Arenado is a roadblock, but his recent decline is the bigger issue. He looked a step slower on defense, and the power just wasn’t there during the 2024 season. If the veteran slugger wants to play for someone besides the Cardinals, he may have to be more open minded.
