Trade talks involving Nolan Arenado, the St. Louis Cardinals’ future Hall of Fame third baseman, have taken an unexpected turn.
The Cardinals want to reset their roster for 2025. They let former National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt depart, saying they will not re-sign him in free agency. They’ve also been looking to trade Arenado, an eight-time All-Star.
The 10-time Gold Glove winner is owed $74 million over the final three years of his contract. Despite regressing over the last two seasons, he has maintained respectable performance, with an OPS+ of 108 and 101, and WAR of 2.4 and 2.5.
Several teams have been connected to Arenado, but he has a no-trade clause and can block any trade. According to MLB insiders, he has now activated the clause.
MLB insiders reveal Nolan Arenado nixed trade to playoff team
Mark Feinsand, John Denton, and Brian McTaggart of MLB.com report that Arenado has declined a trade to the Houston Astros.
According to MLB.com, the Cardinals would have handed the Astros $15-20 million to cover Arenado’s payroll. It’s unclear what St. Louis would have received in return.
“All I can say is that we were in talks with multiple teams, and we still are, but I have nothing pending,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. “We’re still working on a lot of things, and hopefully we have clarity as we get into the new year.”
A source told MLB Insiders that they “aren’t holding out much hope that a deal will get done.”
Arenado’s agent, Joel Wolfe, has stated that his client would waive his no-trade clause in the appropriate circumstances. Apparently, Arenado did not think Houston would be a suitable fit for him. He’s seeking for a win-now position, and the Astros just traded All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Cubs. Alex Bregman, a Houston native, is also still available for free agency.
The New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies are among the other teams reportedly interested in Arenado.
