ESPN MLB Insider Suggests That Toronto Blue Jays Should Acquire Nolan Arenado in Trade

The Blue Jays have an opening at third base, but they can't really do anything until they learn what the plans for Juan Soto are.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) fields a ground ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Busch Stadium on Sept 16. / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Right now, the Toronto Blue Jays are fully focused on signing free agent outfielder Juan Soto. The Jays have apparently made an offer worth at least $600 million to Soto and their entire offseason is on hold until Soto makes his decision, which could come by the winter meetings next week.

However, in addition to the Soto sweepstakes, ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel says he would like to see the Jays get active in the third base market and trade for Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals.

He wrote the following on Tuesday:

If the Cardinals pay down Arenado's deal to three years, $60 million (a $14 million discount), that would be roughly market rate for the veteran third baseman. Like in the above Bohm scenario, that means the Jays can move Ernie Clement into a platoon/utility position. The prospect return would be minimal given that Arenado's contract would then match his ability, but the issue is Toronto would be close to last year's payroll and might not have room for much in the way of further upgrades. St. Louis could opt to pay the deal down another $10-15 million over three years and get a real prospect in return.

I wrote about the potential trades I'd like to see at the Winter Meetings https://t.co/Zu0E3H5y9G

— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) December 3, 2024

Arenado is due $74 million total over the next three years, but again, McDaniel is calling for the Cardinals to pay some of it so ease the financial burden on Toronto.

The Jays do have an opening at third base, and they've been linked to Alex Bregman as well, but Arenado would come at a considerably lessened cost.

Soon to be 34-years-old, he had just 16 homers this past season to go along with 71 RBI. Arenado hit just .272.

Though he's not the same player he once was, he's one of the most accomplished players of the last decade. An eight-time All-Star, he's also a 10-time Gold Glover and a five-time Silver Slugger.

If the Cardinals are willing to take on significant money, then the deal could make sense for Toronto, but if the Jays have to pay him the $60 million that McDaniel suggests, that price seems too high, at least in this writer's opinion. Furthermore, the Jays should have a goal to get younger and more athletic, and Arenado accomplishes the opposite of that.

Toronto finished last in the American League East this past season.

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