The St. Louis Cardinals have labored feverishly over the past a number of weeks to discover a appropriate associate for the commerce of Nolan Arenado. When the Houston Astros reached out throughout final week’s Winter Meetings with critical curiosity in buying him, the Cardinals eagerly jumped aboard. The two sides conversed over the subsequent few days, and optimism grew {that a} commerce was nearing actuality. By this week, a number of members throughout the Astros group had been satisfied Arenado could be coming to Houston. St. Louis additionally believed it was closing in on conducting its most urgent offseason aim.
If solely it had been that straightforward.
Arenado nixed a commerce to the Astros, a number of sources informed The Athletic, refusing to waive his full no-trade clause — at the very least for now — to hitch a franchise that has reached the playoffs every of the final eight years. He stays open to exploring the concept, and each Houston and St. Louis will maintain involved relating to a attainable deal, although it’s unclear how closely the Astros will proceed their pursuit.
According to a number of crew sources, Arenado didn’t need to rush into a choice and most well-liked to attend till extra of the third-base market was established. This got here as a shock to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, who has been candid about his want to maneuver his third baseman. One league supply described the deal as “on the 1-yard line” over the weekend, with the Astros agreeing to pay a majority of Arenado’s remaining contract. The Cardinals would have been on the hook for roughly $5 million per season, an quantity that might properly fulfill Cardinals possession in its intentions to decrease crew payroll subsequent yr.
But Arenado was by no means absolutely comfy with the deal, in accordance with a number of league sources, and determined to attend for additional readability relating to his market. That market received’t be absolutely established till free-agent Alex Bregman indicators a deal. That the Astros have pursued Arenado so aggressively suggests a reunion with Bregman is unlikely. The Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets and Detroit Tigers have been linked to Bregman through the offseason, however a signing shouldn’t be believed to be imminent.
The uncertainty relating to Bregman, together with the Astros’ commerce of outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs, additionally gave Arenado pause relating to Houston’s course, per a league supply.
The Cardinals ramped up their efforts to commerce Arenado forward of the Winter Meetings. Mozeliak mentioned that call — together with the monetary profit behind it — in size with reporters Dec. 9.
“These choices are usually not one thing we ever take evenly,” Mozeliak stated. “(Arenado) shouldn’t be demanding a commerce. He’s not telling me I’ve to do it, however I feel in the perfect curiosity of each side, I’d prefer to attempt to discover him someplace to land.
“From a monetary standpoint, we’re attempting to maneuver our payroll,” he added. “There are definitely different methods we will do that, however (transferring Arenado) could be an enormous assist. It’s principally monetary, nevertheless it additionally creates runway for another person.”
Kyle Tucker’s departure from Houston introduced into query the Astros’ course for 2025. (Troy Taormina / Imagn Images)
From the Cardinals’ aspect, the commerce with Houston would have been very best, particularly from a monetary standpoint. The Astros would have footed nearly all of Arenado’s wage, which additionally contains $22 million mixed of deferred cash and remaining wage owed by the Colorado Rockies. That brings Arenado’s present-day worth to only over $60 million.
Mozeliak faces a tough process in transferring Arenado — who’s approaching his age-34 season and is coming off two down years offensively — with out paying a majority of Arenado’s remaining owed cash. The Astros being keen to tackle almost $45 million of Arenado’s wage would have made for a big monetary reprieve for St. Louis.
Mozeliak is dealing with strain from possession to cut back payroll, one supply steered, which might clarify why he’s comparatively unwilling to tackle a bigger portion of Arenado’s remaining wage. The Cardinals will see a 25 % discount of their tv rights charges after restructuring their regional sports activities community partnership with newly branded FanDuel Sports Midwest. The membership can also be making ready to see a drop in ticket gross sales subsequent yr. Both of those elements — together with the membership’s newfound emphasis on upgrading its participant improvement system — have performed into the group’s option to decrease payroll heading into 2025.
The Cardinals intend to proceed exploring commerce companions for Arenado. When reached by The Athletic for remark, Mozeliak stated by means of textual content message, “We are nonetheless engaged on a number of fronts.” It stays to be seen what groups are nonetheless in play, or which groups stay on the record to which Arenado would settle for a commerce. But the Yankees and Red Sox proceed to examine in.
There additionally stays a state of affairs the place Arenado stays in St. Louis. Mozeliak would nonetheless have to decrease payroll, which might counsel the potential of different gamers not beforehand believed to be out there all of a sudden turning into so. Should that be the case, probably the most logical place for the group to pivot could be the rotation. Sonny Gray and Miles Mikolas have full no-trade clauses, however Steven Matz (due $12 million) and Erick Fedde (due $7.5 million) are on expiring offers.
Both the Cardinals and Arenado are nonetheless in settlement that buying and selling Arenado is what’s finest for each the participant and the crew. The commerce, if it does happen, doesn’t look more likely to occur any time quickly.
— The Athletic’s Chandler Rome contributed to this report.
(Top photograph: Ron Chenoy / Imagn Images)
