Inside The Mets

10-Time Gold Glove Winner Willing to Waive No-Trade Clause For Mets

The New York Mets are one of six teams this legendary third baseman is willing to get traded to.

Grant Young

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
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
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The New York Mets have an interesting predicament with their two corner infield spots this offseason.

What's for certain is that New York's 2024 third baseman Mark Vientos established himself as a budding superstar and franchise cornerstone for the Mets.

However, the advanced stats show that Vientos produced a -5 run value last season, which means he cost the Mets 5 more runs compared to an average MLB third baseman.

The Mets can either elect to ignore Vientos' defensive woes and keep him at third (and therefore seek a first baseman this offseason) or move him to first base and find a new third baseman instead.

One third base option who the Mets have shown interest in is Nolan Arenado, who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals.

However, while St. Louis is listening to offers on the 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, Arenado is under contract with them for three more seasons and has a full no-trade clause.

But that doesn't appear to be a problem for the Mets.

In a December 10 article, MLB.com's John Denton wrote, "Any trade will have to be approved by the 33-year-old Arenado, who hit 16 home runs and drove in 71 runs in 2024. In addition to having the Dodgers, Padres and Angels on his wish list, Arenado would also be willing to accept a trade to the Phillies, Mets or Red Sox, per a source close to the negotiations."

So it sounds like the door is open for the Mets to trade for Arenado and move Vientos to first base if they decide to do so.

While this will surely cost the Mets several solid prospects, it also presents an opportunity to bolster their roster without spending big on another free agent this offseason.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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