Aching back spasms prompt unexpected withdrawal of Arenado from Cardinals' lineup, silencing trade speculations
Lowdown on Nolan Arenado Trade Speculation: Is His Stint with the St. Louis Cardinals Coming to an End?
It's been a buzz around the MLB rumor mill that the Cardinals might be said their final goodbyes to Nolan Arenado, their star third baseman. With the team straddling the .500 mark and boasting a youthful roster, there are whispers that Arenado could be traded by the deadline. The commotion intensified when Arenado was a no-show against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but don't let that alarm you, it was due to a niggling back issue, nothing more.
"Arenado was a late scratch due to back spasms," Jim Hayes of FanDuel Sports Network announced on X, previously known as Twitter.
A fortnight ago, there were rumors swirling that the Dodgers might have river-lust for Arenado, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
"The Dodgers are still in the hunt to bag themselves an All-Star third baseman, Nolan Arenado, but they haven't yet expressed interest, while they're still holding out hope that Max Muncy shakes off his early-season woes," Nightengale penned down.
The challenge lies in Arenado's ironclad no-trade clause in his contract, which puts him in the driving seat in trade decisions. And he's made it clear that he'd wave the clause for some teams. So, the question remains, what's Arenado's next destination?
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If the Cardinals find themselves bobbing around the .500 mark when the trade deadline rings in, it's likely that President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak wouldn't dare trade Arenado, suggests Katie Woo of The Athletic.
"I truly believe Arenado's future depends on how the team shape’s up over the next few months," Woo predicted.
Should the Cardinals opt to move Arenado, the best move for them would be to negotiate some of his contract payment, David Schoenfield of ESPN opines.
"Is there a team out there keen on him now? His $32 million salary this year, and $27 million in 2026, and $15 million in 2027, complicates matters. He's off to an outstanding start, leading many strikeouts while batting for average, which has generated some interest. There are certainly teams that could benefit from an upgrade at third base," Schoenfield stated.
As of now, the Cardinals stand at 18-19 and languishing in third place in the NL Central, indicating they could be eyeing the .500 mark as the season progresses. If teams sense a necessity to bolster their roster with a player like Arenado, there's no doubt that they'll be dialing the Cardinals.
[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2025/04/20/nolan-arenado-cardinals-trade-latest-rumors/72615324007/[2] https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34674683/cardinals-three-options-nolan-arenado-trade-deadline[3] https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/trade-target-nolan-arenado-needs-to-be-careful-which-team-he-goes-to/[4] https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/st-louis-cardinals-trade-targets-nolan-arenado-max-muncy-albert-pujols-charlie-molina-dylan-carlson/[5] https://www.theathletic.com/mlb/cardinals/9897725/2025/04/27/the-cardinals-arent-desperate-to-trade-nolan-arenado-but-that-could-change-in-a-hurry/[6] https://www.stltoday.com/sports/columnists/tony-la Russa/tony-la-russa-cards-need-a-short-term-fix-for-gpeezo-even-if-it-costs-them-long-term/article_ce8ff602-9ddf-5c53-b89e-def9dcb68b81.html
[1] The ongoing rumors suggest that the Dodgers might harbor a desire for Nolan Arenado, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
[2] The fear of trading Nolan Arenado, their star third baseman, has been circulating among the Cardinals given the team's position straddling the .500 mark and their youthful roster.
[3] If the Cardinals find themselves positioning around the .500 mark when the trade deadline arrives, it's likely President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak wouldn't dare trade Arenado, suggests Katie Woo of The Athletic.
[4] The challenge in trading Arenado lies in his no-trade clause in his contract, which puts him in control of trade decisions.
[5] The Dodgers are still holding out hope that Max Muncy shakes off his early-season woes, but they haven't yet expressed interest in pursuing Nolan Arenado, as stated by Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
