Cardinals Exec Offers Nolan Areando Update Following Alex Bregman Deal

The St. Louis Cardinals have searched for a solution (a trade) for third baseman Nolan Arenado all offseason, but that quest took a hit late Wednesday night.

Arenado was one of two rumored solutions for the Boston Red Sox’s hunt for a right-handed bat before Opening Day. The Cardinals, still on the hook for $74 million owed to Arenado for the next three seasons, underwent trade talks with various clubs, including Boston and the Houston Astros. Those conversations didn’t amount to anything and with the clock ticking and spring training underway, the Red Sox got proactive.

Boston reportedly signed Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal, according to multiple reports, shutting the door on all Arenado-Red Sox rumors. Unsurprisingly, the Bregman-Boston agreement also prompted a revisit on the Arenado-trade topic from Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak.

“I think the mindset right now is he’s likely going to be a part of our club,” Mozeliak said Thursday, per MLB.com’s John Denton. “… I mean, I definitely feel like it’s a better chance than not (Arenado remains with the Cardinals for Opening Day).”

Arenado has spent the past four seasons with the Cardinals, slashing .271/.328/.470 across 601 games. St. Louis previously tried shopping Arenado, an eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, to the Astros. The Cardinals were even willing to eat up $15 million of Arenado’s contract to strike a deal with Houston, but Arenado wasn’t willing to comply and used his no-trade clause to reject the Astros.

Now, with the 2025 season right around the corner, the Cardinals are presumably short on options for parting ways with Arenado.

Arenado’s anticipated departure from St. Louis has now become an exhausting venture that continues to fall short for the organization. The Cardinals have done their part amid an ongoing race against the clock, and pending a buzzer-beating deal in the next few weeks, Arenado is just going to have to throw his Red Bird hat back on this spring.

The New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers — a club also tied to Bregman this offseason — are among those in need of a third baseman. New York has opened its wallets, signing starting pitcher Max Fried to a $218 million contract along with acquiring outfielder Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs — he’s owed $52.5 million for the next two years.

St. Louis can still find an Arenado trade suitor, but it’s unlikely.

Arenado batted .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs last season, falling short of a fourth straight trip to the MLB All-Star Game. So regardless of what uniform Arenado takes the field in next season, the 12-year veteran will be due for a comeback campaign.