Red Sox, Cardinals Back at Table to Discuss Potential Nolan Arenado Trade

As spring training opens across Major League Baseball, the Red Sox and Cardinals are reportedly re-engaged on a potential Nolan Arenado trade.
The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals are back at the table discussing a potential Nolan Arenado trade.
The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals are back at the table discussing a potential Nolan Arenado trade. / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals have been in discussions on and off all offseason regarding a potential trade for third baseman Nolan Arenado, and now that spring training is opening across baseball, the two teams are back at the bargaining table once again, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.

Per Speier, the current hang up is over Arenado's salary. He has three years remaining on his contract and the Cardinals are responsible for paying $64 million of the $74 million. The remaining $10 million is being paid by the Colorado Rockies as part of the deal that sent Arenado to the Cardinals in the first place.

The Red Sox would prefer that the Cardinals pay some of his remaining salary if he came to Boston, but the sides haven't agreed upon how much. St. Louis is seeking salary relief as well as a "modest prospect return" from Boston, which has one of the deepest farm systems in baseball.

Arenado is one of the best defensive third basemen in baseball, even though metrics indicate that he is not the hitter at 33 years old that he was in his 20s. An Arenado acquisition would require some defensive shuffling for the Red Sox, who have star Rafael Devers currently manning third base.

Arenado hit .272 last season with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs in 152 games, while sporting one of the best gloves in baseball at the hot corner.


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Mike McDaniel
MIKE MCDANIEL

Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast. Outside of work, he is a husband and father, and an avid golfer.