Cardinals $74 Million All-Star Reportedly 'Will Be' Traded; Here's How It Happens

The St. Louis fan favorite has declared a condition for his potential trade

Aug 21, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after hitting a walk-off grand slam against the Milwaukee Brewers during the tenth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have deprioritized the big-league roster for now as they initiate a much-needed organizational reset.

Youngsters are expected to be given much more playing time in 2025, while the few remaining veterans will be utilized to help lead and develop the organization's youth talent core.

Who will remain on the Cardinals roster this winter remains a mystery, as several names, such as a 10-time Gold Glove defender, have been mentioned as potential trade candidates.

"As the winter meetings approach, talks are likely to intensify, and there is a growing sense throughout the industry that (Nolan) Arenado will be on the move," The Athletic's Katie Woo wrote Tuesday when discussing the Cardinals third baseman's future with the organization.

Arenado endured arguably the worst season of his career at the plate in 2024, which has significantly impacted his trade value. With $74 million remaining on his contract, which expires in 2027, finding a suitor willing to take on the remainder of his deal could be challenging.

"The Cardinals likely would resist eating significant money in a trade but potential suitors might resist giving up better talent if they could not acquire Arenado at a discounted rate," Woo continued.
"Arenado will turn 34 in April and his offensive decline over the past two seasons concerns some in the industry, though his defense remains superior. Per multiple league sources, he will also only waive his no-trade clause for an organization set up to contend for multiple seasons. This should hardly come as a surprise, as Arenado has played in just eight postseason games in his career and has been very candid about his desire to play meaningful baseball in October."

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak announced that Arenado would be traded if the decision was mutual. If St. Louis can find a World Series-caliber team to trade the eight-time All-Star to while receiving a decent haul in exchange, perhaps the six-time Platinum Glove defender will finally experience the Fall Classic for the first time in his 12-year career next season.

More MLB: Cardinals 10-Time Gold Glover Reportedly Scheming Ways To Be Traded From St. Louis