Baseball gossip: St. Louis Cardinals persistently attempting to swap Nolan Arenado. Could Los Angeles Dodgers be interested?
The St. Louis Cardinals are grappling with a tough start to the 2025 season, and the future of some key players, particularly Nolan Arenado, is being hotly debated. whispers about Arenado's trade have been swirling for weeks, and they've recently gathered momentum. As the team weighs its options, the eight-time All-Star could be on the move by the trade deadline.
While there appears to be some curiosity about Arenado, it's unclear if any team is actively pursuing a trade for him, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
"On the move is All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado. The Los Angeles Dodgers have yet to show keen interest, despite ongoing injuries and a hope that third baseman Max Muncy will shake off his early-season slump," Nightengale wrote.
The Dodgers have been managing injuries this season, and they seem to prefer waiting and seeing if they can get their roster back to full health before making any external moves. For the Cardinals, if they're hovering around .500 at the trade deadline, it's possible that President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak will opt to hold on to Arenado, as suggested by The Athletic's Katie Woo.
Arenado carries a full no-trade clause in his contract, giving him significant control over his destination. He's expressed a willingness to waive this clause for certain teams.
Recent discussions have questioned whether the Cardinals will trade Arenado if they decide to move on from him. According to ESPN's David Schoenfield, if the Cardinals wish to part ways with Arenado, they might need to ease some of his substantial contract to make a deal attractive.
"Will a team be enticed by him now? His annual salary of $32 million for the current season, $27 million in 2026, and $15 million in 2027 presents challenges. Nevertheless, given his strong start and superior walk-to-strikeout ratio, as well as his consistent hitting, there may be contending teams interested in adding a proven player like Arenado," Schoenfield wrote.
As the trade deadline approaches, teams in contention mode could be on the lookout for someone like Arenado to bolster their lineup. For the Cardinals, shedding Arenado's contract could mark the start of a new phase in their rebuilding plan.
[1] Enrichment Data: At present, the trade market for Arenado is lackluster due to his rejection of trades to the Astros and Angels during the offseason.[2] Enrichment Data: Recent speculations have involved teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies, though these have not gained traction. A proposed trade with the Tigers also seems stalled.
[1] Despite the rumors surrounding Nolan Arenado's potential trade, the trade market for him appears to be relatively slow, as he reportedly rejected trades to the Astros and Angels during the offseason.
[2] While teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies have been mentioned in recent speculations, none of these potential deals have gained traction so far. A proposed trade with the Tigers also seems to be stalled at the moment.
