The Cardinals are activating veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado ahead of tomorrow night’s game against the Reds, as noted by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Arenado is on the ten-day injured list, meaning a corresponding move will only be needed to clear space for him on the club’s active roster.
Arenado, 34, was perhaps the most frequently speculated upon trade candidate of the 2024-25 offseason. Although multiple teams, including the Astros and Red Sox, were reportedly involved in negotiations to deal for him, Arenado remained in St. Louis for the 2025 season after blocking a trade to Houston and Boston’s decision to pivot towards signing Alex Bregman. Unfortunately for St. Louis, Arenado’s fifth season with the Cardinals figures to go down as the worst of his career. In 96 games this year, Arenado has hit just .235/.294/.366 with ten home runs.
That’s undeniably lackluster offensive production for an everyday player in the big leagues, and it’s surely all the more frustrating to produce at that level for an eight-time All-Star and multi-time MVP finalist like Arenado. The veteran’s bat slipping has been accompanied by a similar decline in his defense. The stalwart who once won ten consecutive NL Gold Glove awards at third base was worth just +2 Outs Above Average on the infield this year. His +6 Defensive Runs Saved is a bit more impressive than that, but still leaves him in a three-way tie for eighth in the majors among third basemen.
Arenado’s disappointing season has come alongside an equally disappointing one for the Cardinals. With a 72-77 record, St. Louis finds itself in fourth place in the division and seems unlikely to even reach .500 this year, marking their second sub-.500 campaign in three years after they pushed just over .500 with an 83-79 record last season. The team’s future is in flux somewhat with longtime president of baseball operations John Mozeliak set to step aside after this season and hand the reins of the organization off to Chaim Bloom, former chief baseball officer of the Red Sox who was announced as Mozeliak’s successor in St. Louis last year.
With a new head of baseball operations set to take over, the Cardinals are surely hoping to finish on a solid note. Those efforts will now include Arenado, who was sidelined by a shoulder strain in late July and has been on the shelf ever since. Nolan Gorman has handled every day duties at the hot corner in Arenado’s absence, but with the veteran set to return tomorrow it seems as though Gorman will move into a timeshare with super utility man Brendan Donovan at second base and perhaps pull occasional starts away from Ivan Herrera at DH. Gorman has a 95 wRC+ overall this year after he was sidelined by an injury around the All-Star break, and since his return in August has found himself mired in a slump on offense.
Hopefully he can end his year strong so we can get more in trade depth
Between his contract and his NTC, he’s not going anywhere.
The contract isn’t that bad anymore. It’s only 2/$31m, and the NTC runs out after next season. I bet they don’t have to cover much of that to get him moved. Some, but not even half.
He gets 10-5 after this season, so it doesn’t matter if the NTC expires
Just imagine, if Bregman doesn’t greedily reject Detroit’s and Houston’s contract offer last off-season then the Sox would have gotten stuck with Arenado’s disastrous season.
Of course if Breggy Beer Man leaves Boston this winter then Arenado will probably come to Boston. Breslow loves players who are injury plagued and coming off bad seasons. 🤪
If Bregman leaves i imagine Marcelo Mayer gets first crack at being the full time Third Baseman next season
Rsox – I’m thinking Mayer will play SS if Story opts out, or 2B. I don’t think KC or VG will be playing 2B.
Ceddane may be at 2B if they don’t figure out the OF logjam over the winter
Rsox – I’d be all for that, but I think it’s highly likely Abreu or Duran get moved.
Story isn’t opting out.
Yeah, I’m not sure he gets anything close to the money he would be leaving on the table to enter the open market after one healthy season in the last 4
Just in time for the playoff push.
Yeah really. Just let him get started on his golf game at this point. Isn’t there somebody else they would rather see play?
Gorman has been so bad at 3B. He can’t come in on any ball. Saggese now at short because of Winn’s absence. Not promoting Wetherholt; Prieto looked inauspicious; Fermin continues to make mistakes. So, no. Haha.
If he can be showcased and play well/healthy remaining two weeks of this season, there is a possibility he could be shopped to another team, if the Cardinals eat a bunch of the contract.
He wants a ring and the chances he’s going to get one here in the next two years are looking pretty slim.
I am guessing it’s going to take more than the remainder of this season, but at some point, things could shift in the Cardinals’ favor to move him.
Everyone is motivated to make something happen, no doubt.
Hopefully, he accepts a trade over the winter, so he can finish his career with a team, who’s ownership puts fans and winning before profits. It’s not happening in St. Louis with Billionaire Bill DeWallet.
He seems to spend when he thinks the team can win. Can’t blame a guy for not throwing money at a team that doesn’t have it
@Garywally57
Dodgers, Mets and Yankees don’t look like they’ll be in the playoffs long this year.
Mets? Don’t look like they’re making the playoffs let alone not being there long.
They’re all in the playoffs currently, I think. Unless the Mets have dropped out.
Gary – Well that rules out Boston.
When Gorman was hitting well, I would have criticized this move. But Gorman has turned back into a pumpkin anyway, so who cares? Let Arenado have the last two weeks if that’s what he wants. I just want to get the season over and start celebrating Mo’s exit.