How Cardinals Will Change Roster If Nolan Arenado Talks Fall Through

What will the Cardinals do?

Sep 25, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third base Nolan Arenado (28) and relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) celebrate defeating the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

What are the St. Louis Cardinals actually going to do this offseason?

It has been reported on numerous occasions that changes are on the way. But, nothing really has happened to this point. There has been a lot of chatter, speculation, and rumors, but the Cardinals' roster is extremely similar to what it was at the end of the 2024 season.

Paul Goldschmidt left in free agency and the club turned down Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn's club options, but there really haven't been any changes. That seems to be because of third baseman Nolan Arenado. The Cardinals clearly want to trade Arenado but it just doesn't seem like a guarantee.

He has been tied to the Boston Red Sox and there have been rumors that they might be his last chance to be moved this offseason. If St. Louis can't end up trading him due to the size of his contract and no-trade clause, what will the team do?

St. Louis wants to trim down the payroll and could look into trades elsewhere, including players like Steven Matz and Erick Fedde, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

"The club’s primary reason for wanting a trade is to create financial flexibility," Woo said. "The Cardinals are lowering payroll and have cited multiple reasons: their restructured television deal, which saw St. Louis take a pay cut of roughly 25 percent in 2025; a projected drop in ticket sales and gate revenue this season; and reallocation of funds to the organization’s player development system — a multiyear project

"If the Cardinals cannot find a way to clear Arenado’s salary from their books, they will have to resort to other measures, including shopping pitchers previously planned to be a part of the team. The financial stipulations have complicated the team’s trade attempts. The Cardinals will not take on a large sum of Arenado’s contract just for the sake of moving him."

Woo noted in a previous story that Matz and Fedde could be trade options in the case of Arenado staying.

Clearly, there are changes on the way.

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