Cardinals Set Record Straight On Club's Trade Plans For Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt

It sounds like St. Louis has made its decision about its star duo

The St. Louis Cardinals are sure to be busy ahead of the trade deadline, but it doesn't sound like two of the star's biggest stars are going anywhere. 

Although the Cardinals are extremely likely to be sellers at the August 1 trade deadline and turn their focus to the 2024 campaign, it doesn't sound like the club is entering a full rebuild. Cardinals president of baseball operations, John Mozeliak, recently suggested the club would be offloading veteran talent with the hope of adding pitching. Many have speculated for months that star duo Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt could find themselves playing elsewhere before the season is said and done, but it doesn't sound like that is the case, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

"Mozeliak did express confidence in his positional core, which of course includes Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt," Woo said. "The cornerstones of the franchise have been subject to many trade rumors despite their no-trade clauses. Mozeliak did not rule out that notion but made it clear a trade of either player is highly unlikely.

"I don’t have any intentions of trading anybody like them," Mozeliak said as transcribed by Woo. "If you’re willing to listen on anything, you have to understand, but I doubt that would happen. I’m not ruling anything out at the moment, but to me, both of those guys have complete no-trade (clauses). And I think from their standpoint, they really just want to know directionally what we look like for next year.”

Goldschmidt and Arenado without a doubt would be the club's best trade pieces right now not named Jordan Walker. Although that is the case, St. Louis is loaded with talent and could find itself right back in playoff contention next season. The Cardinals have looked better lately and enter Tuesday's tilt against the Miami Marlins winners of three straight games and five of their last six. Although it is extremely unlikely that St. Louis could make the postseason this season, the organization has the talent to do so next year if the club's pitching woes are addressed.

At the very least, it sounds like Arenado and Goldschmidt will be with the club at least for the remainder of the 2023 season.

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