Title: Overcoming Challenges in Proposed Nolan Arenado Deal for St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals and three-time MLB All-Star Nolan Arenado are in limbo as the offseason trade market churns along.
Eight-time All Star third baseman Arenado, 33, is still a member of the Cardinals, despite the club listing him as available in trade discussions. The Cardinals are aiming to reduce their substantial tax payroll of $126,955,554, as reported by sportrac.com.
Arenado's contract, signed with the Colorado Rockies in 2013, comes with a hefty price tag. He's got three years remaining on his 9-year, $275 million deal and is still owed $74 million for those remaining seasons. The Rockies cover $10 million of that sum, with deferrals included in the arrangement.
According to mlbtraderumors.com, the present-day value of Arenado's contract is around $60 million. His contract also comes with a no-trade clause, which he exercised to veto a proposed deal to the Houston Astros.
MLB.com lists the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Los Angeles Angels as potential trade partners for Arenado, should he waive his no-trade clause.
A potential trade of Arenado hinges on three primary factors:
- The remaining $74 million on his contract
- The Cardinals' willingness to absorb some of that cost in a trade
- Arenado's decision to waive his no-trade clause if a suitable trade offer emerges
Each of these factors must be resolved by both parties before any deal can be consummated.
To potentially enhance his trade value, Arenado has expressed an openness to shifting positions and playing first base.
A native of Newport Beach, California, a trade home would likely be welcomed by Arenado, especially if a trade to his hometown Angels or San Diego Padres materializes.
As spring training looms on the horizon, Arenado finds himself in a holding pattern, like a jumbo jet parked over a crowded city.
At 34, Arenado will turn in April. His time in the majors has taken a toll on his 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame, which has accumulated damage from 12 years in the big leagues.
If Arenado gets traded, the Cardinals will need to fill two new corner infield positions, as Paul Goldschmidt signed a one-year, $12 million deal with the New York Yankees as a free agent.
Background on Nolan Arenado:
Drafted in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Rockies, Arenado received a $625,000 signing bonus and signed out of El Toro High School in Lake Forest, California. He was the 59th overall pick.
Arenado made his major league debut with the Rockies in 2013, at just 23 years old. The Rockies would later trade Arenado, along with his freshly signed contract, to the Cardinals on February 1, 2021, in exchange for five players: infielder Mateo Gil, pitchers Tony Locey, Jake Sommers, and Austin Gomber, and corner infielder Elehuris Montero.
Arenado has been a valuable contributor to both the Rockies and Cardinals throughout his career. During eight seasons with the Rockies, he posted a stat line of .293/.349/.541/.890, with 262 doubles, 27 triples, 235 home runs, and 760 RBIs in 4,558 plate appearances.
In parts of four seasons with the Cardinals, Arenado has hit .271/.328/.470/.797, with 125 doubles, six triples, 106 home runs, and 372 RBIs in 2,288 plate appearances.
Arenado is also a seasoned defender, having accumulated 10 Gold Gloves and five Platinum Gloves during his career. With his stats, athleticism, and defensive prowess, Arenado will undoubtedly receive serious consideration for the Hall of Fame one day.
For now, the Cardinals and Arenado must wait and see if they can check all the necessary boxes before Arenado'scontractual ties to St. Louis come to an end. A February 1 trade back to the Rockies – the exact date of his initial trade to the Cardinals – would be a fitting, if ironic, coda to this ongoing saga.
The high salary associated with Arenado's sports contract could be a deterrent for potential trade partners, given his remaining $74 million obligation. Despite the financial challenge, Arenado's remarkable skills in baseball, including his 10 Gold Gloves and five Platinum Gloves, make him an attractive asset in the trade market.
