Cardinals $74 Million Gold Glover Predicted To Be Traded To Astros This Winter

The St. Louis slugger could be moved soon

Sep 26, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third base Nolan Arenado (28) in the dugout in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to be active in the trade market this winter as the front office looks to reduce payroll and open opportunities for the club's young talent core.

Following three-time All-Star Willson Contreras and ace Sonny Gray's decisions to invoke their no-trade clause for 2025, the Cardinals aren't left with many options to decrease payroll significantly.

Fortunately for Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr.'s wallet, a St. Louis fan favorite signed to an expensive contract remains on the trade block and the Houston Astros might be a suitor.

"Dealing (Nolan) Arenado would not be straightforward for a number of reasons," CBS Sports' Dayn Perry wrote Tuesday. "One, he has full no-trade protection. Two, he's under contract through the 2027 season and owed $74 million over that span. And, three, his contract is a complicated one with notable deferred money at interest and contributions from the Rockies still on the ledger ($5 million from Colorado in 2025 and 2026)." 

After batting .272 with 39 extra-base hits including 16 home runs, 71 RBIs and a .719 OPS in 152 games played for St. Louis in 2024, the Cardinals could have a challenging time trading Arenado. This past season was arguably the worst of his career offensively and teams might be reluctant to deal for a regressing 34-year-old who comes with a hefty payroll commitment.

"He remains, however, a standout defender at the hot corner," Perry continued. "He's also not a liability at the plate, at least based on 2024 levels of production and that in tandem with Arenado's defensive value make him potentially of interest to win-now teams. For instance, should Alex Bregman sign elsewhere, then perhaps the Astros would have interest, especially since Arenado's pull tendencies would be a good theoretical fit for the Crawford Boxes." 

Houston's ballpark is home run friendly, especially to batters such as Arenado, who routinely hit left-field moonshots. If two-time World Series champion Bregman isn't re-signed this winter, the Astros must replace their gifted third baseman, opening the door for a Cardinals blockbuster.

Sadly, the Cardinals likely won't get much in return for trading Arenado unless they provide cash in exchange. If they trade him to the Astros, Houston has a weak farm system, so receiving a top prospect haul in return might be tough to garner.

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