The St. Louis Cardinals have had a pretty uneventful offseason. With spring training already underway, the team has yet to make any major moves—no blockbuster trades, no big free-agent signings.
One name that keeps popping up in trade talks, though, is Nolan Arenado. The Cardinals have reportedly been exploring the possibility of moving their star third baseman, though the chances of it actually happening seem slim.
That said, slim doesn’t mean impossible. The main motivation behind trading Arenado would be to free up payroll and create an opening at third base for young infielder Nolan Gorman.
Could Arenado be moved before opening day?
Caleb Moody of Just Baseball still sees Arenado as a realistic trade candidate before the season begins, even though no deal has come together yet.
“This seems like a trade that’s been on the cusp of happening all winter,” Moody wrote, “however, Arenado’s no-trade clause in his contract has proven to be a tough hurdle to leap for Jon Mozeliak and co.”
From the Cardinals’ perspective, trading Arenado would clear $25.5 million in luxury tax space and open up a spot for the next generation of infielders. And given Arenado’s underwhelming 2024 season—where he hit just 16 home runs (a career low) and posted a modest .719 OPS—it might make sense to move him now rather than gamble on a bounce-back year.
One team that has shown interest in Arenado is the Houston Astros. They reportedly tried to trade for him back in December, but Arenado shut that deal down with his no-trade clause.
Even so, Houston appears to be circling back, and with the Cardinals needing to focus on their long-term future rather than banking on a 2025 playoff push, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them revisit trade talks.
Arenado, an eight-time All-Star, is bound to be at the center of trade rumors as Opening Day approaches. Whether a deal actually happens remains to be seen, but if the Cardinals are serious about retooling for the future, parting ways with Arenado might be their best move.