The St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado officially reported to spring training on Sunday, arriving amid an offseason filled with trade speculation. Trade rumors aside, the eight-time All-Star and ten-time Gold Glover is still central to the Cardinals.
Arenado, 33, has a full no-trade clause, which allows him to control any potential move. Reports indicate the Cardinals engaged in trade talks with several teams, but no deal materialized. Arenado confirmed that he provided a list of approximately five or six teams where he would consider playing, but he ultimately decided against waiving his no-trade rights.
“I’m not going to talk about who the teams were because it doesn’t really matter anymore, but so, yeah, there was about five teams, five or so,” Arenado told the reporters. “I got a family now, and to be willing to pick up my family and move them, it has to be something that is worth it.
“So that’s kind of why the list was fairly small, and I don’t see myself really changing that list ever.”
Teams reportedly interested in Arenado included the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Mets. However, with the Red Sox signing Alex Bregman and the Astros opting for Christian Walker, Arenado’s trade market narrowed further.
Arenado is owed $74 million over the next three seasons, with the Colorado Rockies covering $5 million in 2025, the final installment of the $51 million they agreed to pay when he was traded to St. Louis in 2021.
Despite trade rumors, Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak made it clear that Arenado remains an integral part of the team.
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“Simply put, with Nolan on our team, we feel we’re a better team,” Mozeliak stated.
Arenado had a down year by his standards in 2024, hitting .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs, his lowest home run total since his rookie season. Over his career, he holds a .285 batting average with 341 home runs and 1,132 RBIs between his time with the Rockies and Cardinals.
Although Arenado expressed his desire for the Cardinals to be fully committed to winning, he acknowledged that the organization’s focus on long-term success might be necessary.
“Do I wish the direction was all in? Of course,” he said. “But is this what’s probably best for the Cardinals? Probably.”
As things stand, Arenado is expected to be St. Louis’ starting third baseman when they open the 2025 season on March 27 against the Minnesota Twins.
