{"id":121618,"date":"2025-11-16T15:56:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T15:56:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=121618"},"modified":"2025-11-16T15:56:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T15:56:45","slug":"sad-news-cardinals-prepare-to-trade-nolan-arenado-amid-major-roster-shakeup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=121618","title":{"rendered":"SAD NEWS: Cardinals Prepare to Trade Nolan Arenado Amid Major Roster Shakeup"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

IMAGE: St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) salutes the fans after he was ceremonially removed before the start of the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. \/ Jeff Curry \/ Imagn Images<\/div>\n

Nolan Arenado Trade Watch: Cardinals\u2019 Cornerstone Could Be on the Move-And His Contract Might Not Be the Obstacle It Once Was<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s starting to feel more like when<\/em>, not if<\/em>, Nolan Arenado will be traded this offseason. The St.<\/p>\n

Louis Cardinals are signaling a full-scale roster reset, and one of the biggest names potentially on the move is their veteran third baseman. Arenado, once thought to be immovable due to his hefty contract and no-trade clause, has reportedly opened the door to a broader list of trade destinations.<\/p>\n

And with the Cardinals ready to turn the page, the groundwork is being laid for a major shift in St. Louis.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s unpack where things stand-and why Arenado\u2019s contract, long considered a major trade hurdle, might not be the roadblock it used to be.<\/p>\n

\n

Cardinals Committed to a Rebuild<\/h3>\n

The Cardinals aren\u2019t just tweaking around the edges anymore. After a disappointing stretch that left them outside the playoff picture, the front office is embracing a legitimate rebuild. That means tough decisions-and potentially saying goodbye to cornerstone veterans like Arenado.<\/p>\n

Chaim Bloom, brought in to reshape the organization, is expected to overhaul the roster and create financial flexibility. Arenado, with two years and $31 million remaining on his deal, is a natural trade candidate. He\u2019s still owed a sizable chunk of money, but in today\u2019s MLB economy, that number doesn\u2019t hit quite as hard as it once did.<\/p>\n

\n

What About the Contract?<\/h3>\n

For a while, the general consensus was that the Cardinals would have to eat salary to move Arenado. After all, his average annual value (AAV) still sits at $30 million-a figure that once put him in the \u201cuntradeable\u201d category.<\/p>\n

But the market has shifted. Salaries have climbed, and what used to be a burdensome figure for a declining vet now looks a lot more manageable.<\/p>\n

In fact, Arenado didn\u2019t even crack Bleacher Report\u2019s latest list of the \u201c10 Most Untradeable Contracts\u201d in baseball. That\u2019s a telling sign of how perception-and the financial landscape-has changed.<\/p>\n

At $15 million per year in actual salary (thanks in part to the Rockies still footing part of the bill), Arenado suddenly looks like a mid-tier investment for a team in need of a veteran presence at the hot corner.<\/p>\n

\n

Still Valuable-Even If the Bat Has Slowed<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s be real: Arenado\u2019s 2025 season wasn\u2019t his best. He hit just .237\/.289\/.377 with an 84 wRC+, marking his weakest offensive output since the 2020 shortened season. But that doesn\u2019t tell the whole story.<\/p>\n

Defensively, he\u2019s still a plus player. Arenado posted three Outs Above Average and six Defensive Runs Saved this year-proof that even if his range isn\u2019t what it was during his Gold Glove heyday, he\u2019s still a dependable glove at third.<\/p>\n

And offensively, there\u2019s reason to believe he still has something left in the tank. Just last season, he put up a 103 wRC+, and in 2022, he was in the thick of the MVP race with a 149 wRC+. That kind of track record matters, especially for teams looking for a bounce-back candidate with leadership chops.<\/p>\n

\n

The Market: Who\u2019s Buying?<\/h3>\n

Third base isn\u2019t exactly a deep position in this year\u2019s free-agent class. Outside of names like Alex Bregman or Eugenio Su\u00e1rez, there aren\u2019t many high-end options available. That opens the door for Arenado to be seen not as a contract dump, but as a viable, cost-controlled alternative.<\/p>\n

Could the Cardinals actually sell<\/em> Arenado as a value play? That might be stretching it. But it\u2019s no longer unthinkable that a contending team with a hole at third base might see him as a worthwhile investment-especially with only two years left on the deal.<\/p>\n

\n

Short-Term Flexibility Adds Appeal<\/h3>\n

Another factor working in Arenado\u2019s favor: the short-term nature of his contract. He\u2019s signed through 2027, and while that used to be a deterrent, it now offers flexibility in an uncertain economic environment. Teams facing the possibility of a lockout or collective bargaining shakeups may actually prefer shorter deals with proven players, rather than long-term commitments to less established talent.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, Arenado wasn\u2019t the only Cardinal left off the \u201cuntradeable\u201d list-Sonny Gray and William Contreras also avoided that designation. That speaks to how the Cardinals\u2019 roster, while underperforming, still holds pieces that could be attractive to buyers.<\/p>\n

\n

What\u2019s Next?<\/h3>\n

As the offseason heats up, Arenado\u2019s name will be one of the most closely watched in trade talks. He\u2019s no longer untouchable. In fact, he might be one of the more realistic targets for teams looking to shore up third base without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n

The Cardinals are clearly ready to make bold moves. And if Arenado is indeed on his way out, it could mark the start of a new era in St. Louis-one that prioritizes youth, flexibility, and a long-term vision over sentiment and legacy contracts.<\/p>\n

For now, one thing\u2019s clear: Nolan Arenado\u2019s trade market is real. And it might be stronger than anyone expected just a few months ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nolan Arenado Trade Watch: Cardinals\u2019 Cornerstone Could Be on the Move-And His Contract Might Not Be the Obstacle It Once Was It\u2019s starting to feel more like when, not if, Nolan…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":121619,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-121618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nSAD NEWS: Cardinals Prepare to Trade Nolan Arenado Amid Major Roster Shakeup - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=121618\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SAD NEWS: Cardinals Prepare to Trade Nolan Arenado Amid Major Roster Shakeup - 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