Nolan Arenado's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

The Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals were in talks on a potential trade involving third baseman Nolan Arenado, but Arenado informed the Cardinals that he will not waive his no-trade clause to go to the Astros. The Cardinals were set to sent $15-20 million to the Astros in the deal to pay down Arenado's salary, as the eight-time All-Star will earn $74 million in the next three years. "It's definitely not close," a source said. As Arenado's offensive prowess continues to decline, the Cardinals have already acknowledged its "intention to try" to trade the defensive whiz as they look to get younger going into 2025. It's unclear exactly which teams Arenado would approve a trade to, but his agent, Joel Wolfe, said last week that his client would waive his no-trade clause to play for a team he thinks is ready to win now. The Phillies, Yankees, Mets and Red Sox could be in play.

The Houston Astros have emerged as a serious suitor for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, according to multiple league sources. No deal is believed to be imminent, but talks between the two clubs have increased since this week's winter meetings started. The Cardinals have already acknowledged they are trying to trade Arenado, and the Astros' interest in the clearest sign that they aren't planning to re-sign Alex Bregman this offseason. Arenado has a no-trade clause, though, and it's unclear if he'd waive it to join Houston. The veteran third baseman is owed $74 million across the next three years. The 33-year-old is a 10-time Gold Glove winner and an eight-time All-Star. While his defense is still top notch, he continues to dip offensively, as he had a 101 OPS+ with only 16 homers in 2024.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB Network, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado would approve of a trade to the New York Yankees. While the Yankees were not on Arenado's six-team wish list, a source told Feinsand that the former Gold Glover would approve of a trade to New York. The Yankees have been rumored to be in the market for a third baseman this offseason, including free agent Alex Bregman. Acquiring a new third baseman, would allow Jazz Chisholm Jr. to shift primarily to the keystone. Arenado saw his power production drop last season, posting a career-low .394 SLG and hitting just 16 home runs. However, he did still hold a strong .272 AVG. If Arenado is traded to the Yankees, fantasy managers should expect him to have prime RBI opportunities batting in a competitive lineup.

St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak recently acknowledged that the team was interested in trading third baseman Nolan Arenado, but with Arenado's full no-trade clause in his contract, the 10-tim Gold Glover would have to approve of any trade. The 33-year-old already has said he would be willing to switch to first base if needed, but now the veteran has reportedly whittled down the list of teams he would rubber-stamp a trade to down to six -- the Dodgers, Padres, Angels, Phillies, Mets, and Red Sox. Perhaps the Phillies and Red Sox make the most sense on that list, but only time will tell. The eight-time All-Star can still play terrific defense, but his offensive numbers have been heading south in St. Louis over the last couple of years. Last season, he hit just 16 home runs and posted a 102 wRC+, both the lowest outputs since his rookie season in 2013 (excluding 2020). If there is some optimism on the offensive side of things, the likely future Hall of Famer's contact rate was near a career-high (84.4%), and his strikeout rate fell two percentage points over the prior season to a well-below-average 14.5%, so he can still put the bat on the ball.

St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged at this week's winter meetings that the team is interested in trading third baseman Nolan Arenado this offseason. "Ultimately, he's not demanding a trade. He's not telling me I have to do it," Mozeliak said. "But I think in the best interest of both sides, I'd like to find him someplace." However, Arenado has a limited list of teams the Cardinals can trade him to as they look to prioritize playing time for their younger players in 2025. Arenado, though, is open to the idea of joining a contender and is even willing to shift to first base to facilitate a deal. The 34-year-old eight-time All-Star is still one of the best defensive third baseman in the game, but he had a career-worst .719 OPS with 16 homers and 71 RBI in his fourth year in St. Louis. Arenado has been trending down offensively the last three years, but a change of scenery could be good for him.