With the trade deadline 10 days away, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said he plans to meet with Nolan Arenado in the coming week (relayed by John Denton of MLB.com). That’ll be an exploratory discussion to see if the 10-time Gold Glove winner has changed his mind at all regarding a potential trade. Arenado has full no-trade rights and famously invoked that clause to kill an offseason deal that would have sent him to Houston.
Arenado reportedly wanted more time to evaluate the Astros’ direction after they’d traded Kyle Tucker. Offseason reporting suggested he was only interested in approving a deal to five clubs: the Yankees, Padres, Dodgers, Red Sox and potentially Astros once he had a better feel for their competitive outlook. Aside from Houston, none of those teams seemed to show much interest. They moved on to signing Christian Walker when Arenado didn’t immediately accept a deal.
The Red Sox, Dodgers and Padres all have established third basemen. (Max Muncy is currently on the injured list for L.A., but he’s expected back in August and the Dodgers don’t intend to trade for third base help.) While Houston did just lose Isaac Paredes to a hamstring strain, they’re within a few million dollars of the luxury tax threshold and are highly unlikely to trade for Arenado. The Yankees absolutely need a third baseman, yet Jon Heyman of The New York Post wrote earlier this month that New York’s front office is concerned about Arenado’s declining offensive output in his mid-30s. That aligns with reporting from various Yankees beat writers dating back to the offseason which downplayed the team’s interest.
If Arenado’s trade preferences are unchanged, it’s very difficult to see a deal coming together. That’d probably remain the case even if he were willing to broaden his list of destinations. His bat has declined in three consecutive seasons. Arenado took a .241/.299/.381 slash line into tonight’s game — his worst numbers in a full season since his 2013 rookie year. He is playing on a $32MM salary, $5MM of which is covered by the Rockies. He’ll make $27MM next year (again with $5MM paid by Colorado) and $15MM in 2027. In this season and next, $6MM is deferred. It’s still a significant sum for a player who looks like a league average hitter at this point, even if he remains a quality defender.
Mozeliak acknowledged that as things currently stand, he “would envision (Arenado) being a part of this in the future.” That reflects the challenges of aligning on a deal, though the front office head added that “if something were to pop up, I would definitely discuss it with him.” In any case, the Cardinals appear increasingly likely to deal some veteran pieces. They’re trying to find a taker for struggling starting pitcher Erick Fedde. Reporting last week indicated they were fielding interest on impending free agent relievers Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton and Steven Matz.
That was before they got swept by the Diamondbacks in their first series out of the All-Star Break. The NL Central looks to be a two-horse race between the Cubs and Brewers. The Cards have dropped four games behind the Padres for the final Wild Card spot with the Reds and Giants in between them. They’ve gone 4-10 this month (pending the result of tonight’s game in Colorado). After outperforming expectations for much of the season, they’re hitting a skid right as the time comes for the front office to pick a direction.
Mozeliak acknowledged the downward trend, especially the recent sweep, in sounding more amenable to selling. “Clearly the weekend was not what we wanted to see, and now we’ve got to understand what the future looks like,” he told reporters (link via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). “Where we are in the standings definitely affects our decision-making moving forward at the deadline. Playing those three games and losing all three is not helpful. (We) wanted to come out of the break having a positive start to it. We didn’t. As we reflect on what’s best for the organization, there is the longer view in terms of: Are there decisions that we can make that will better situate the franchise in 2026 and beyond?”
The team still has a bit of runway to pull back into the race. They should expect to win the series against the Rockies, and a sweep isn’t outlandish. They’ll then have a direct matchup with one of their top competitors, as they host the Padres for four games to close out the week. They’ll welcome the Marlins to Busch Stadium for the final three games before the deadline.
Nolan, Helsley and Fedde to Dodgers?
Don’t see why the dodgers would have any I rest in Nolan or Fedde.
Arenado and Fedde to the Padres. Nolan can play left field and Fedde can Fedde.
:p
Bird – I think you missed the big part in the article that said Muncy is expected to return soon and the Dodgers have no interest in finding another 3B.
I wonder if Houston would reconsider Arenado if it becomes increasingly likely Paredes will be out for a long time?
More importantly, would Arenado accept a trade to Houston? He turned down a trade there last year, would he change his mind with some chance to get a ring THIS year?
More importantly would Houston want to trade for a guy with a sub .300 obp, they wouldn’t. Not at 32 million a year
Get ready to speak New York buddy
If you have a no trade it means no trade.
It’s that simple and unless the cba entices the player Va his new team/old ownership why would anyone take less/differed money on a chance vs financial security as a .240 hitter in his 30s?
Huh? A NTC to some (most?) players just means they retain the “power” on choosing where to go, and usually with a provisional bonus attached. In exceedingly rare circumstances (J-Ram?) does a NTC mean the player doesn’t want to be traded at all.
Arenado has listed the Yankees, Dodgers, Padres, Detroit, and Red Sox as possibilities. And his preferences can certainly change since the clock is running and he might have a chance at a ring THIS season.
None of those teams would be interested in Arenado.
Yankees need a third baseman and Nado’s glove is still Gold Glove caliber.
I think a deal could be made with the Yankees. Nolan(a bunch of money), helsley,romero and Burleson for schmidt(who is out awhile) and dominguez.
Personally I was thinking Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier, and Gary Sanchez for Nolan.
Jokes aside… Nolan is washed, he’s gonna be the next Josh Donaldson if he ends up in NY. Yanks do love their expensive regressing old guys tho.
Arenado is not having a good year. The Yankees do need 3b help and they tend to like older players. But he has negative trade value as is. I dont see a deal coming together.
The only value would be to the Yankees if Manfred could get the Cards to gift him to the Yankees like in 2021 when the Yankees acquired Anthony Rizzo, Joey Gallo, and Joely Rodriguez. $8.6 million worth of salary all paid for by the trading teams
Just get it done Mo. Do one thing right. GET IT DONE!
Why would you want him gone?
Why would they want to keep him? He’s 34, his numbers have dwindled every year since 2022 to the point where he has a sub-.700 OPS, and is still owed $32 million over the next 2 seasons.
The money is a non issue because its already spent. If they trade him they will have to eat salary. And he still plays good defense hes not a bum just overpaid and getting old.
Finally agree with you on something. Trading him NOW doesn’t make a lot of sense and would certainly include eating salary with little to no return. Honestly, I don’t even think Arenado wants to leave.
Matz to Mets where he’ll be a starter again then tjs. Full circle!
Can definitely see Nolan in pinstripes. Cards can have Peraza, Efforts and Carrasco. We’ll even throw in Escarra as icing on the cake!
I’ll bite. Who is the back up catcher if JCE gets traded?
Unless cardinals willing to eat more salary , unlikely to get more than mid level prospects at best .
Your not getting mid level prospects if your not beating any money. You’re probably getting a rostered player like a Stroman whose contract expires after this season because Nolan value is negative and not worth a mid level prospect.
He is owed $32 million between 2026 and 2027. Would probably have to eat a large chunk of that to even get a mid-level prospect.
It doesn’t seem realistic that with 10 days to go they would just now start discussing no trade preferences with him, more like now is when he needs to inform them of his decision. It feels to late start to contemplate them with himself and his family.
Nolan’s preferences can change day-to-day as the playoff standings change every day leading to the deadline. If he has a chance to get a ring THIS year, his list of acceptable trade partners might expand.
I posted on the other thread regarding Fedde a trade idea and was wondering how many yankee fans say yes and how many cards fans say yes.
Here it is:
Cards send :
Arenado and his 50m left
Donovan free agent 2028
Fedde
Matz
Yanks send:
Jazz Chisholm free agent 2027
Jorbit Vivas
Everson Pereira
Clayton Beeter
Stroman free agent after season to offset some money
What in the world is that awful smell….
Why would the Cardinals pay for Arenado to play for the Yankees? And give up Donovan too for a guy in Chisholm that likely would be a clubhouse problem, Stroman who is a clubhouse problem and some crap prospects?
That’s gonna be a “no”, dawg, like from any breathing person.
Why care about anything Johnny Mo wants or thinks, he’s not going to be here.
Just smile and say nope, not going anywhere Johnny MO,
you promise me Pitching Pitching Pitching if I would come here. In your face Johnny MO in your face.
Arenado kinda sucks and is being paid a ton.
Yankees will rather trade for McMahon or Eugenio.
I’m so over Mo!! Why in the hell would he tell the press, before talking to Nando?
Could’ve tried replacing him, then ask him to give up fielding, then ask him to be a 1b mid season, then use the media to bad mouth him as a clubhouse cancer, and then the Giants would want him.
It does not make sense for the Cards to trade Arenado unless he wants out. He isn’t owed all that much the rest of this season and a fair chunk of the next two seasons salary is deferred. He is still solid defensively and neither Gorman nor Walker are having seasons that indicate they would produce any better. Eating a bunch of remaining salary for at best a lottery ticket just does not make sense. Why pay him to play someplace else? Just keep him and his nearly 60 career WAR and if he retires at the end of the contract hand him a red jacket and maybe just maybe he dons a red hat in Cooperstown instead of one with purple letters if he gets the call. If the Cards are selling then sell the closer to peak value guys. That isn’t many on the team this year unfortunately. Honestly it is a wonder they are only a few games out of the wild card considering the stats most of the team is carrying on the season.
Arenado is a beautiful example of why you DO NOT GIVE PLAYERS A STUPID MONEY CONTRACT!
They do get old.
If the Yankees were really looking into Kebryan Hayes, I dont get why they are out on NA regardless of money. If the Cardinals were to pay down his salary to Hayesish money, id easily prefer Nolan.
Neither are likely to help much at the plate, but at least Arrenado has a slight chance to let it rip for a series in October ala Donny Baseball.
He should be happy if somebody wants him.