Cardinals Eight-Time All-Star Fit For Astros In Blockbuster Proposal

St. Louis is in a disappointing spot heading into the offseason

Sep 16, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) fields a ground ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

There's a chance that the St. Louis Cardinals part ways with at least one superstar this winter.

It's clear that changes are coming as the Cardinals' front office let it be known that their expectation is that the payroll will be decreasing for the 2025 season. This could lead to some tough choices and likely a trade or two.

If the Cardinals are looking to cut payroll, one clear option will emerge: Nolan Arenado. He signed an eight-year, $260 million deal and still has three seasons left under contract. If Arenado is available, other clubs certainly will come calling to land a superstar like him. Because of this, FanSided's Josh Jacobs put together a list of possible landing spots for him and included the Houston Astros.

"If Arenado were traded, Los Angeles would be the major betting favorite in my eyes," Jacobs said. "If I had to pick two other clubs, though, I would suggest the Houston Astros and New York Yankees. The Astros will likely lose Alex Bregman this offseason and could see Arenado as a cheaper option (assuming St. Louis eats money on the deal), and the Yankees could use another right-handed bat in their lineup, especially as they are set to lose Gleyber Torres in free agency."

It seems like a near certainty that Bregman will end up playing elsewhere in 2025. This would leave the Astros with a massive hole at third base that could be seamlessly filled by acquiring Arenado. Houston does make a lot of sense for him but any deal involving Arenado would hurt.

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