Injury to Boston Red Sox's star hitter creates potential for St. Louis Cardinals to trade Nolan Arenado.
Slugging it Out: Nolan Arenado and the Boston Red Sox Connection
The St. Louis Cardinals have been bent on unloading Nolan Arenado this offseason, eyeing teams he was willing to waive his no-trade clause for. Unfortunately, they struck out in their attempts to deal the third baseman, either due to other teams' lack of interest or Arenado's reconsideration of the destination, with one of the possible teams being the Boston Red Sox.
A brutal blow to Boston's roster might have them reconsidering their options and perhaps turning to Arenado.
Triston Casas, the Red Sox's first baseman, suffered a season-ending knee injury following a collision at first base. This terrible turn of events left Boston frantically searching for a long-term replacement at the position. Persistent rumors suggest the Red Sox might move Star third baseman Rafael Devers to first base, accelerating that transition and creating a gaping hole at third.
Arenado's 2024 season was less than stellar but showed signs of improvement compared to his worst year's performance across the board. Despite the remaining years in his contract, Arenado may hold some appeal for a team ready to absorb some financial responsibility, especially considering the Red Sox's current winning streak. The Cardinals were adamant about making any trade partner shoulder a significant portion of Arenado's salary, which may give them the upper hand in any deal with the Red Sox.
Chaim Bloom, the incoming president of the Cardinals' baseball operations, spent four seasons in charge of the Red Sox, so he likely has an insider's knowledge of the team's prospects — many of whom were drafted under his watch. Although John Mozeliak remains the head of the Cardinals' front office, Bloom will play a crucial role in any deals involving Arenado and the Red Sox.
Bonus Nugget: The Red Sox recently landed the third spot in MLB.com's semiannual farm system rankings, with promising pitching prospects like Luis Perales and David Sandlin, who have been earmarked as fireballers that the Cardinals seem to be in need of.
Mozeliak hinted at aiming for a 2025 comeback, but the Cardinals, currently fourth in the NL Central with a 17-19 record, face a tough uphill battle to make the postseason. A Wild Card team emerging from the division seems highly unlikely, meaning the Cardinals must win the entire division to compete in the playoffs. With that in mind, the Cardinals can't let unrealistic dreams of contending in Mozeliak's final season cloud their judgment. If the Red Sox come calling for Arenado, the Cardinals ought to pick up the phone and make a deal happen in a jiffy.
[1] https://www.mlb.com/red-sox/news/romy-gonzalez-makes-third-majors-start-at-first-base-since-triston-casas-injury[3] https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/06/01/sports/red-sox-heat-wave-recaps-nicks-sogard-boston/
The Red Sox might consider acquiring Nolan Arenado to fill the gap at third base, given Triston Casas' season-ending injury.
As the Cardinals are willing to trade Arenado and are looking for a team that can absorb part of his salary, negotiations with the Red Sox could potentially be fruitful.
